Luaus have been celebrated by Hawaiians for centuries.
Incorporating a luau theme in your classroom is a great idea for all grade levels. Perhaps you want to wish your students well as they end the school year, congratulate them on their high test scores, or simply introduce them to what a Hawaiian party is like. A luau theme is a low-stress and low-budget way to celebrate with your students and an educational way to explore the culture of the 50th state. Does this Spark an idea?
Decorations
Research the colors and shapes of Hawaiian flowers for your decorations.
Set some time aside for your students to help make decorations and then adorn the classroom with them. Cut out tropical flowers from colorful construction paper. Attach them to a vine made from string and green paper leaves. Tape the vine decoration around the classroom door. Spread flower petals on the floor or on tables as centerpieces. Drape fishnets around the room and fasten seashells with a hot glue gun.
Clothing
Encourage your students to dress up in goofy Hawaiian shirts, shorts and grass skirts for a day. Buy flower leis for everyone to wear. Set up stations and help your students make simple jewelry. Slide a few colorful beads onto an open safety pin and attach it to shirts. Make necklaces, bracelets or anklets with these beads, too. Buy cheap sunglasses at a crafts store and tie a small paper flower around one side.
Entertainment
Play traditional Luau music. Print off lyrics from songs you research online and read them with your students. Create your own flashcards with traditional Hawaiian words and their translations. Divide the class into teams and have a competition to see which team remembers the most words. A fun outdoor game can include a hula-hoop contest. If someone is available in your area, ask a Hawaiian dancer or dance instructor to donate some time to teach some basic hula steps to your students, or you can rent a video or DVD that includes dance instructions.
Cuisine
No luau would be complete without food. Traditional luau dishes, like stuck pig, are expensive, time-consuming and not very practical to cook in a school setting. Instead, make easy dishes like chicken long rice, which can even be made in the school's cafeteria. Simple fruit dishes are also easy to make. Cut pineapple, papaya, strawberries and bananas and arrange in a fun geometric shape. Of course, make punch to serve as drinks for your students.
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