Here's some information about Diwali from kidzworld.com :
Many people immediately think of Halloween and Christmas when it comes to winter holidays, but in Hindu culture there’s another major winter holiday that can’t be missed – Diwali. Diwali is also known as the festival of lights, and is celebrated by millions of people around the world. This year it falls on October 19th 2017. Find out more in All About Diwali!
Diwali originated in India as a celebration of light, in fact the world Diwali comes from “deepavali”, meaning “row of lamps.” It is traditionally celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs, although over the years it has been incorporated into many different cultures around the world. It is known as the festival of lights because in celebration people light many small clay lamps called "diyas" around their homes to represent the victory of good over evil and to invite good luck and prosperity from the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi and the God Ganesh, who represents good luck, wealth and enlightenment.
Kindergarten and first grade artists are making "Diyas," the small clay candle holders that are placed around homes during Diwali to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness.
Third and fourth grade artists created sand Rangoli designs. Rangolis are generally circular mandala designs that are created using colored sand, rice or chalk on the ground outside of homes as a sign of welcoming. We also painted large Rangoli designs on paper with watercolor paints. We learned about radial symmetry.
Fifth and sixth grade artists looked specifically at Rangoli designs that feature peacocks. The Peacock is a symbol of beauty, glory and refinement. We used chalk and oil pastels on construction paper.
