Ryan Nussbaum

Holiday Lesson Plan: May Day (The first of May)

Grade: 2nd
Student Learner Objects
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Students
Students
Students
Students
Students
Students
Students

will
will
will
will
will
will
will

learn about May Day

learn where May Day originated from
construct their own May pole/basket
learn some original May Day songs
dance around their May Pole
find objects to place in their May Day basket
read a book about May Day

Materials

Paper towel tubes

Streamers
Glue
Ribbons
Beads
Book
Music
Map of where is
originated

Curricular Connections
Music, Art, Movement, History, and Reading
Procedure
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Ask the students if they have ever heard of May Day

Read the book about May Day (Reading) (History)
Look on the map to see where the festivities originated (Map)
Go on a nature walk outside to pick up branches and flowers and then have
the students explain why they picked up what they did (Movement)
Students will create their own May pole (Art) with the materials that I have for
them.
Learn some original music (Music) that the people would sing while dancing
(Movement) around their May pole.
Create a May Day basket for the parents (Art)
As a class, create a May pole that we can all dance around (Movement) (Art)