Activity Overview
Holidays are incredibly significant in religion, and highlight stories, seasons, or other significant aspects of a religion. In this activity, students will create a spider map highlighting the major holidays celebrated by Hindus. They should describe the significance of each holiday and create an illustration to help summarize what it is and how it is practiced.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a spider map focusing on 3-5 different major holidays in Hinduism.
Student Instructions:
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify at least three major Hindu holidays and write their name in the title box.
- For each cell write 1-3 sentence descriptions about each holiday explaining its significance.
- Create an illustration that represents each holiday using appropriate scenes, characters, symbols, or items.
Requirements: Minimum of 3 cells showcasing different major holidays celebrated by Hindus. Appropriate scenes to illustrate each cell. 1-3 sentence description for each cell demonstrating your understanding.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | Needs Improvement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identification of Holiday | All holidays are correctly identified and are significant to the religion. | Most holidays are correctly identified. | Most significant holidays are missing, incomplete, or incorrect. | No holidays are correctly identified. |
| Descriptions | Descriptions accurately explain the holiday and highlight its significance. | Descriptions mostly accurately and explain the holidays' significance. | Descriptions contain inaccuracies in their explanations, or do not highlight the holidays' significance. | Descriptions are missing or too minimal to score. |
| Illustrations | Illustrations include appropriate scenes, characters and items that accurately represent the holiday and reflect time, effort, thought, and care. | Illustrations are mostly accurate and reflect time and effort. | Illustrations are somewhat inaccurate and show minimal effort, time, and care. | Illustrations are inaccurate or inappropriate and are missing too many elements or are too minimal to score. |
| English Conventions | There are no errors in spelling, grammar, or mechanics throughout the storyboard. All writing portions reflect careful proofreading. | There are a few errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics throughout the storyboard. All writing portions show accuracy and some proofreading. | There are several errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics throughout the storyboard. Most writing portions do not reflect proofreading or accuracy. | Errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics in writing portions of the storyboard seriously interfere with communication. |
Activity Overview
Holidays are incredibly significant in religion, and highlight stories, seasons, or other significant aspects of a religion. In this activity, students will create a spider map highlighting the major holidays celebrated by Hindus. They should describe the significance of each holiday and create an illustration to help summarize what it is and how it is practiced.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a spider map focusing on 3-5 different major holidays in Hinduism.
Student Instructions:
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify at least three major Hindu holidays and write their name in the title box.
- For each cell write 1-3 sentence descriptions about each holiday explaining its significance.
- Create an illustration that represents each holiday using appropriate scenes, characters, symbols, or items.
Requirements: Minimum of 3 cells showcasing different major holidays celebrated by Hindus. Appropriate scenes to illustrate each cell. 1-3 sentence description for each cell demonstrating your understanding.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | Needs Improvement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identification of Holiday | All holidays are correctly identified and are significant to the religion. | Most holidays are correctly identified. | Most significant holidays are missing, incomplete, or incorrect. | No holidays are correctly identified. |
| Descriptions | Descriptions accurately explain the holiday and highlight its significance. | Descriptions mostly accurately and explain the holidays' significance. | Descriptions contain inaccuracies in their explanations, or do not highlight the holidays' significance. | Descriptions are missing or too minimal to score. |
| Illustrations | Illustrations include appropriate scenes, characters and items that accurately represent the holiday and reflect time, effort, thought, and care. | Illustrations are mostly accurate and reflect time and effort. | Illustrations are somewhat inaccurate and show minimal effort, time, and care. | Illustrations are inaccurate or inappropriate and are missing too many elements or are too minimal to score. |
| English Conventions | There are no errors in spelling, grammar, or mechanics throughout the storyboard. All writing portions reflect careful proofreading. | There are a few errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics throughout the storyboard. All writing portions show accuracy and some proofreading. | There are several errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics throughout the storyboard. Most writing portions do not reflect proofreading or accuracy. | Errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics in writing portions of the storyboard seriously interfere with communication. |
How Tos about Important Hindu Holidays
Organize a class discussion about the cultural significance of Hindu holidays
Facilitate a lively group conversation where students share what they learned about each holiday, encouraging respectful listening and open questions to deepen understanding.
Connect holidays to students’ own traditions
Invite students to compare Hindu holidays with festivals or celebrations from their own lives, helping them find similarities and differences and fostering cultural appreciation.
Incorporate multimedia to bring each holiday to life
Show short videos, music, or images related to each Hindu holiday so students can visualize symbols and see real-life celebrations, making the learning more engaging.
Encourage creative holiday projects
Have students design posters, crafts, or digital slides representing a Hindu holiday, allowing them to express understanding through art and creativity.
Assess understanding with a quick exit ticket
Ask students to write one new fact or share a question about Hindu holidays before leaving, providing a simple way to check comprehension and plan next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions about Important Hindu Holidays
What are the major Hindu holidays students should know about?
Major Hindu holidays include Diwali (the festival of lights), Holi (the festival of colors), and Navaratri (a festival honoring the goddess Durga). Other significant holidays are Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami. Each celebrates unique traditions and stories within Hinduism.
How can I create a simple classroom activity to teach about Hindu holidays?
Start by having students research and identify 3–5 major Hindu holidays. Ask them to create a spider map with each holiday’s name, a brief description of its significance, and an illustration representing how it's celebrated. This visual and written approach helps deepen understanding.
What is a spider map and how is it used in religious studies?
A spider map is a graphic organizer where students place a central concept (like Hindu holidays) in the middle and branch out with details, such as names, meanings, and images of each holiday. It visually organizes information for better comprehension.
Why is it important for students to learn about Hindu holidays?
Learning about Hindu holidays promotes cultural understanding, respect for diversity, and a broader view of world religions. It helps students appreciate different traditions and fosters an inclusive classroom environment.
What are some tips for illustrating Hindu holidays in student projects?
Encourage students to include symbols, scenes, or characters specific to each holiday—like diyas for Diwali or colored powders for Holi. Use bright colors and explain the meaning behind each illustration to connect art with cultural significance.
More Storyboard That Activities
Hinduism
Testimonials
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher
© 2025 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved.
StoryboardThat is a trademark of Clever Prototypes, LLC, and Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
