Skip to Main Content

Lesson Plans

Spark creativity with Crayola lesson plans. With hundreds of activities, the learning possibilities are endless. 

Illustrating Holiday Songs

Visual art and music merge for a holiday celebration of song.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Paper

Steps

  • Step 1

    As winter sets in, the warmth of holiday songs begins to fill the air. Songs of the season can evoke nostalgia and joy. They bridge generations and can bring people together. Have students think of holiday songs they enjoy singing with friends and loved ones. What special memories do the songs evoke? What images do the lyrics evoke?

  • Step 2

    Ask students to illustrate a holiday song. They might choose to keep the original lyrics, or write new personalized ones that convey how they celebrate the holidays. They can write the traditional or new lyrics on an accordion-folded piece of paper and draw images to go with them.

  • Step 3

    When their art is done, have them present it to the class and discuss why this song has special meaning to them.

Standards

SS: Culture: Create, learn, share, and adapt to culture. 

SS: Individual Development and Identity: Describe factors important to the development of personal identity and the context of identity within families, peer or affinity groups, schools, communities, and nationalities. 

Adaptations

Invite a songwriter to talk to the class in person or remotely about the process of writing new songs or adapting existing ones. Have students prepare questions in advance of the visit.

Have students explore holiday songs from other countries. They can find YouTube links to songs such as "Bethlehemu" from Nigeria, a song that is performed by choirs around the world and accompanied by drumming and choreaography; "La Fiesta de Pilito" from Puerto Rico about party food; or "The Wexford Carol from Ireland, a traditional Christmas song dating back to the 12th century.