Objective

By the end of this lesson, the student will have a basic understanding of what wassailing is and why it is celebrated.

Materials and Prep

• A computer or tablet with internet access
• Coloring materials (crayons, colored pencils, markers)
• Blank paper

No prior knowledge or preparation is necessary for this lesson.

Activities

• Sing Wassailing Songs: Teach the student some traditional wassailing songs and sing them together.
• Create Wassail Art: Provide the student with blank paper and coloring materials. Encourage them to draw a picture of a wassailing scene, including people singing, apple trees, and mugs of warm wassail.
• Learn About Apple Trees: Show the student pictures or videos of apple trees. Explain how apple trees grow and why they are important in wassailing traditions.
• Act Out a Wassailing Scene: Encourage the student to pretend to be a wassailer. They can dress up in hats and scarves, sing songs, and pretend to visit apple trees to bless them.

Talking Points

• What is Wassailing? "Wassailing is a special celebration that happens during winter. People sing songs and visit apple trees to bring good luck for the next year's harvest."
• Why do people sing during Wassailing? "Singing during wassailing is a way to make the apple trees happy. It's like giving them a special gift of music."
• What is wassail? "Wassail is a warm drink made from apples. It's like apple juice, but with extra yummy spices."
• Why do people visit apple trees during Wassailing? "People visit apple trees during wassailing to bless them. They want to make sure the trees grow lots of delicious apples next year."