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2nd grade · Social Studies · Unit 9 of 12

Celebrations Near & Far

Community, state, national and cultural celebrations

What your child practices

Why we celebrate Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Juneteenth and Texas Independence Day, and what some ethnic and cultural celebrations mean, compared side by side. Religious and cultural celebrations are described factually.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) teks student expectation: 2.1(A); 2.12(A); 2.12(B) · community, state and national celebrations, and ethnic and cultural celebrations compared

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Communities, states and nations hold celebrations.
  2. Juneteenth and Independence Day both celebrate freedom.
  3. Cultural festivals, like Diwali and Kwanzaa, share and keep traditions.

Example: Diwali is a festival of… People light lamps and candles for Diwali. Answer: lights

Celebrations Near & Far in Texas

In the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), this is unit 9 of 12 in 2nd grade Social Studies, after Texas, Our Land and before Who Runs Our Community?.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Diwali is a festival of…

    • snow
    • lights
    • kites only
    • silence

  2. Question 2

    Why do communities hold cultural festivals?

    • to stop traditions
    • to sell cars
    • to close schools
    • to share and keep traditions

  3. Question 3

    A parade with lion dancers is part of…

    • Lunar New Year
    • Veterans Day
    • Independence Day
    • Thanksgiving

  4. Question 4

    Texas Independence Day, March 2, marks the day Texas…

    • built its capitol
    • became a city
    • declared independence from Mexico
    • joined Canada

  5. Question 5

    Día de los Muertos is a Mexican celebration to…

    • honor presidents
    • celebrate rain
    • remember loved ones who have died
    • start the school year

  6. Question 6

    How is Memorial Day different from Veterans Day?

    • Veterans Day has no flags
    • Memorial Day is in July
    • they are the same day
    • Memorial Day remembers those who died serving

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