Diwali Lesson Plan for Teachers (K-3rd grade)

Lesson Objective: Students will learn how, when, and why Indian-American families celebrate Diwali, The Festival of Colors.

Materials/Resources

(Click on each link below to Download/View)

1. Book Trailer  (Click on link to view)

2. Book, Lights, Camera, Diwali! (purchase book here) 

3. Lights, Camera, Diwali! Coloring Pages  (click here for coloring pages)

4. Signs of Diwali Worksheet (download here)

5. Cycles_of_the_Moon Diwali Worksheet (download here)

6. Lunar Calendar (Print out Moon Phases Calendar for the Month of October) (print here)

7. Indian Epic: The Story of Diwali (download here)

Lesson Plan:

1. Show children the Lights, Camera, Diwali! Book Trailer. Ask children what they know about Diwali (Festival of Colors), India, or the Asian Indian culture. Ask them to predict what they think will happen in the story.
2. Read the Book, Lights, Camera, Diwali!
3. Take children to a Diwali event in your community and/or walk around in your neighborhood during Diwali. Have children draw in their Signs of Diwali worksheet.
4. Discuss when it is time for Diwali by learning about the cycles of the moon. Have children draw in their Cycles of the Moon worksheet. Help them figure out the exact date by printing a Lunar Calendar for the month of October and finding the dates for the new moon.
5. Read the Indian Epic: The Story of Diwali with children to extend their understanding of why Indian-American families celebrate Diwali.
6. Have children pick a coloring page from the Lights, Camera, Diwali! Coloring Pages and write about how, why, and when Indian-American families celebrate Diwali.

Formative Assessments:

1. Collect the Signs of Diwali worksheet to make sure children understand the changes in the season signify when it is time for Diwali.
2. Have children draw in the Cycles of the Moon and figure out the exact date of Diwali by taking a look at the Lunar Calendar for the Month of October.

Summative Assessments:

Children will color a page from the Lights, Camea, Diwali! coloring pages and write about how, why and when Indian-American families celebrate Diwali. Students should describe what families do to celebrate Diwali. Students will describe when families celebrate Diwali by writing in the exact date of Diwali. Students should explain how Diwali occurs when there is a full moon. Finally, students should describe one key element from the story of Diwali and describe why it is important in the overall message of how good will overcome evil.

Content Objectives (Knowledge):

1. Read  Lights, Camera, Diwali! and learn about how Asian Indian families celebrate Diwali (RL K.4, K.6, K.7, 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.4, 2.5)
2. Read the Indian Epic: The Story of Diwali to understand why Diwali is celebrated and why it is important to the Indian culture (RL2.2, 3.2, History/Social Science 1.5.3, 3.2.1)
3. Understand what families do during  Diwali by completing the Signs of Diwali worksheet  (History/Social Sciences 1.2.4)
4. Learn about the Cycles of the Moon to figure out the exact date of Diwali (Science Standards 1-ESS1-1).

Behavioral Objectives (Skills):

1. Analyze how illustrations, visuals, and multimedia elements of the story contribute to the understanding of the text using the Lights, Camera, Diwali! Book Trailer (RL K.7, 1.7, 2.7, 3.7)
2. Write about why Diwali is important to the Indian culture by summarizing the moral of the Indian Epic: The Story of Diwali (RL2.2, 3.2, History/Social Science 1.5.3, 3.2.1)
3. Identify what families do when they celebrate Diwali by completing the Signs of Diwali Worksheet. 
4. Draw in the Cycles of the Moon Diwali Worksheet  to figure out the exact date of Diwali by referencing a lunar calendar for the month of October. (Science Standards 1-ESS1-1).