Make December Magic Ideas
Have you seen the hashtag #makeDecembermagical? Teachers are tweeting out ideas with pictures to share ideas for how to integrate the holidays into your instruction. Here are some of those ideas:
1. Cozy Up to Learn
Use a fireplace video through Youtube (free) to display on our big screen. Pair with classical holiday tunes while students are working independently. Nothing makes it feel cozy like a fire and Christmas tunes.
2. Christmas Karaoke
Have students warm their brains up with some fun fluency practice by using Christmas Karaoke! See this 2nd grade class in action as they sing "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas"
3. You Light Me Up
Focus on kindness by having a Kindness Christmas Tree in your classroom! Students will do a quick write-to-write to each other, on christmas light bulb paper, to tell peers about how they appreciated their classmates kind acts. See some examples from Ms. Coldwell's 3rd grade classroom!
Christmas Around the World
For a social studies connection, compare similar ways different countries and cultures celebrate the holidays. Set this up as an inquiry by posing the question "How are holiday traditions in different countries or cultures the same?" Decide how you will have students collect and analyze information from each country. For example, student might use a graphic organizer or inquiry matrix to gather the information.
At the end of the inquiry, students can construct a claim (and provide evidence) as to why we celebrate the holidays in similar ways. We've created a free investigation project for your to use with your students.
Consider a room or hallway transformation to #makeDecembermagical! Set your hallway up as an airplane and take students to far away places for the morning (or afternoon).Locate the country on a world map and estimate the number of hours it would take to travel to the country. Read books about Germany, Mexico, Japan, and much more! Have student's sample treats from around the world. Then students can write about their experiences and what they have learned!
Christmas Reader's Theater
Have students work in groups to practice and prepare plays about the holiday season! Make your class Holiday Party the performance time and enjoy several holiday skits. Need FREE RT Scripts? Click Here. They have A Christmas Story too!!!!
On Mission to Save Christmas
Turn every task in your classroom into a mission to help save Christmas! Students must finish their work in time to save Christmas.