In my school, we are encouraged not to target any one specific holiday during this time of year so that no students are left out. Sometimes, this is challenging because many great lessons and activities are focused around Christmas. For the many teachers that have to teach in the next couple of days right before holiday break, I thought some ideas for the classroom would be useful.
Here are some quick and easy ideas for lessons and activities in your classroom that could apply to any December holiday:
1. Letter of Thanks – Have students choose one person in their life that they are thankful for. It could be a parent, friend, sibling, teacher, coach, or anyone else. Have them write a letter thanking them for the support and help they have given. This is a great way to remind students that the spirit of the holidays is about being thankful for the people in our lives.
2. Tradition Share Out – Have students share their family traditions in small groups. Then in groups, students can make a poster with a Venn diagram showing similarities and differences of their family traditions during December. Have each group present and share a little about their own traditions. This activity can be used as a reminder that even though we are different, we are similar in many ways too.
3. Memory Memoir – Have your students write about their favorite holiday memory. They can also draw a picture to go along with the short story. This can be expanded into a bigger project by giving students time to peer edit their writing and then go back and revise.
4. Student Coupons – Have the students create coupons for someone in their family, offering 10 or 20 minutes for cleaning, yard work, doing dishes, or any other type of help. This is a great simple gift for parents.
Have fun on your last days before holiday break. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
-Pathway2Success
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