It’s the season of giving, in and out of the classroom. It’s also a season when we have a difficult time grabbing students’ attention. Yet, we need to keep teaching and learning because that’s what school is about.
I hope that you don’t work at one of those charter schools where snack time has been banned and you must teach bell to bell, entirely scripted curriculum. Yikes!
In our classroom, to get the most out of the holiday season, our days are filled with content that is fun and engaging for students while being aligned with state standards.
We have snacks, take breaks, and incorporate joy and play into our daily routine, which is the only way to address the whole child, align with cognitive research, and build classroom community.
Students love getting their hands busy. So making arts and crafts is always a must, especially during the holiday season. If arts and crafts are not the highlight at the end of the day during the holidays, perhaps, at least a couple of days should be dedicated to it.
Our Holiday Reading Around the World is really a lot of reading of holiday picture books. Our list is quite extensive and it includes learning about all the major holidays at the end and the beginning of the new year. Students are also encouraged to bring in books to the classroom to share (this is one of their favorite activities).
Our extension reading activities always include the story writing workshop coupled with the art component of students’ choosing. They can color, draw, or make structures. This all feels like play for students but they are learning so much at the same time.
Kids Read 