Polar Express {math & literacy}

Just in time to raise more money for Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, my Christmas Train Unit is finished!

Here are a few other fun ideas...plus a freebie for you at the end.  ;)

{pajamas}

I mean, obviously.  You can't go on the Polar Express without wearing your pajamas...and you have to be asleep before the train will come...

Once the train comes {that would be me...wearing a conductor hat...making chugga chugga noises...} they all jump up and get on the train - the chairs pre set-up in 2 lines.

Afterward, have your students decorate the little boy's pajamas to look like their own then they can list adjectives to describe them.

{hot chocolate}

Hot chocolate, hot cocoa, whatever you call it...it's delicious and a MUST for Polar Express day.

I take out all of the marshmallows and put them in a separate cup because some kids don't want them.  When they bring out the hot chocolate in the movie, I pass it out, dancing to the hot-hot-hot-hot chocolate song {because how could you not?!} then go back through with the marshmallow cup for anyone who wants some "Christmas Magic" in their cocoa.

You may not want them to count their marshmallows while they're drinking their cocoa {he got more than me!} but you'll love for them to do some counting with these hot chocolate pages.

{tickets}
Of course, you have to have a ticket to ride the Polar Express or you're kicked off the train.  When the conductor comes through to punch them, I grab my trusty hole punch and go through the train asking for tickets.  There is always slight panic when the kids realize they don't have them but it doesn't take long for one or two quick ones to start looking...and they find them under their chairs.  I definitely don't punch fancy letters in their tickets but throw in a little flair and your kids will think you're just as good as Tom Hanks.  ;)

{bells}

I've passed out the bells differently in different years.  Sometimes I hang them outside so they're nice and cold "from the North Pole."  Sometimes I hide them in the room and once the kids are asleep {ie giggling and fake snoring on the carpet} I bring them out and start ringing them, exclaiming with joy that they must believe because they can hear them ringing.  ;)  I think my favorite way is to hide them around the room before school starts and let them go on a hunt after the movie is over.

Work on short vowels and the -ing sound with these bells once they're all found.

{snow paint}

For a fun train follow-up, have your students write about whether or not they'd ride the Polar Express.  They can use their reasoning skills to explain their choice.

Then display their writing with a night train project.  Using Crayola construction paper crayons {a must-have} let your students draw a train driving through the night on black construction paper.

While they're coloring, mix shaving cream with elmer's glue to get snow paint.  Cheap barbasol shaving cream works the best.  Just put some in the cup, drop in a little glue and stir.  If it's not sticky enough you can add more glue, but you want it to stay nice and fluffy so don't pour in too much.  And a little snow paint goes a long way!

They put it on their paper wherever they want snow and when it dries, it stays fluffy!

{freebie}

Here's your freebie!  Your kids can make up their own secret ingredient then have fun decorating their mug creatively.

Remember, from now through the end of the year, 100% of my proceeds from my Teachers Pay Teachers store will be going to Sandy Hook Elementary school in Connecticut to help them heal after what they've been through.  And just in case you've seen pictures being passed around to wear the Sandy Hook school colors on Monday in remembrance, their school colors are green and white.  Somehow it's being passed around as yellow & blue but their school website shows their colors as green and white in case you want to participate!

*The Sandy Hook donation has now ended* 

Christmas math.

Pretty sure I've mentioned before that I'm not crazy about our math curriculum.  There are some great games and activities that the kids like to play but there are also some major holes as well as places that it just drags on too long.  Lucikly for you...that means making up new math centers...just in time for the holidays!  :)

{wreath counting}
Cut a wreath out of construction paper.  Write a number on the bow.  Let students use red finger paint to count berries and make an equal set!

Or if you don't want to cut them out yourself, click on the wreath below for a printable version.  ;)

{Christmas cookies}

Make some cookies - using holiday themed die cuts or by printing a coloring page like this one - then let the kids decorate them with "frosting" & "sprinkles."

Put the cookies on a baking sheet {tin foil} and write a number sentence!

The original idea came from Kinder by Kim and it was tweaked for our math practice.

{present representations}

To meet Common Core K.OA.3 use this present outline to represent a number in multiple ways.  Students can either show the amount using simple visuals {draw a picture set in one box, write the number word in one box, mark tallies in one box and write the numeral in another box} or...

If your students are ready for addition and subtraction, they can show multiple ways to make the amount using number sentences!

{candy cane measurement}
Measuring is always more fun with candy!  I like these sticks as opposed to the actual canes because they give a clearer starting point and end point.  First we went around the room and measured random objects.

Then we lined up ALL of our candy sticks up to measure the length of the whole room!

Use this sheet to measure the items in your classroom.  Bonus: some of the items are so large it takes teamwork and collaborating with a buddy to get it right.  ;)

{decorate the Christmas tree}
My kids loooove this counting activity on SmartExchange.  If you have a SmartBoard, you have to do it.  Your kids will flip.

If you don't have a SmartBoard, use this printable instead.  Roll a dice {or two} then put that many ornaments on the tree.  Your kids can color ornaments, glue foam ornaments or use plastic pieces to move on and off like a gameboard.

{shave Santa's beard}
This is a counting game I adapted into an addition and subtraction activity.  Roll a dice and place that many cotton balls on Santa's beard.  When his beard is full, you win!

For more of a challenge, add a + / - dice along with your dot cube.  The game will take longer as students sometimes add cotton balls and sometimes give Santa a shave by taking them away!

Click on any of the pictures for all 5 printable pages.  All free.  Enjoy this time with your students and Merry Christmas!  :)

'Tis the season to get freebies

Fa la la la la la la la la!

It was SEVENTY degrees here in NC today.  70 degrees on December 3rd!  Crazy town.  It makes it a touch difficult to get into the Christmas spirit when you're at recess getting a tan but luckily here are some downloads that will make it easier!

First off...Currently with Farley.  I love that this month she's asked everyone to tell where they're from.  I am visiting ALL of my NC friends so link up ladies!!  ;)

Heather at Teaching My 3 is doing a 12 Days of Freebies link up.  I've already posted a few.  Be sure to check back each day for the freebie theme.

Beth at Thinking of Teaching is doing a Sleigh Full of Goodies blog hop so check her blog out each day for even more holiday related goodness.

Plus here's a freebie to get you started.  :)  We'll be using it during writing to list things our elf needs to do at Santa's workshop to get ready for Christmas Eve!  {Deanna Jump has an adorable elf craftivity to use with an elf list but we're adding this page to our Elf on the Shelf journals.  Check out TPT for her patterns.}

helping the Grinch's heart grow.

I have come up with my best idea yet.  Yes, I am flipping my hair as we speak.  For I am quite impressed with myself.

I love the Grinch but couldn't find a follow-up activity I liked no matter how I tried.  My kinders aren't strong enough writers for the "Make a Grinch grin" writing project and {no offense} but I think it looks a little odd to have the writing across his teeth.  So when Pinterest & Blogstalking don't work, what's left to do but come up with an idea yourself?!

I won't say that it was an easy project, you definitely have to do it STEP. BY. STEP. but they're so cute when it's finished that you just have to try it.  The directions are here but you'll need to visit my {TPT store} to get the patterns.

Since Christmas is a season of giving, I will email the patterns for {free} to the first 10 people who leave me an awesome hors d'oeuvres or small dessert recipe.  This will be our first year hosting Christmas at our house {and sleeping an extra 4 at least!} plus we're also having a New Year's Eve party.  Remember...I AM NO COOK so the simpler the better.  :)  Finger foods are always the best anyway, right?!

hanukkah, kwanzaa & baby Jesus.

Every year before we have our big Christmas Around the World day we teach Christmas, Hanukkah & Kwanzaa first, figuring those are holidays the kids will have experience with in their real lives.

Let me preface this by saying that even though I love the Lord and fully believe we celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of Jesus, I start my classroom unit on holidays and celebrations by discussing how there are a lot of cultures and beliefs out there.  It's important for kids to recognize similarities and differences between themselves and others to build friendships and a sense of community so discussing various beliefs and allowing the children to share their family traditions doesn't phase them.  I tell them that we're going to learn about a lot of different holidays happening this month and how children in other countries celebrate the same holidays we have in America but that it's up to them to decide for themselves {down deep in their hearts} what they choose to believe.  In an era where teachers can lose their jobs for the smallest mention or thought of anything religious, I just figured I better put that out there.  {end CYA paragraph here}

To learn about Christmas we do read the real Christmas story.  A few books in my collection are:

We talk about how Mary and Joseph had to take their donkey a long way because there were no cars.  I relate an inn to a hotel and ask the students if they would sleep in a barn with animals if all of the hotel rooms were full.  I explain that the manger isn't actually what old cribs looked like but that it's a place where the animals ate their food.  {the "ick" reactions even from the kids I know regularly attend Sunday School make me laugh}  We talk about how some people believe the reason we give presents at Christmas is because the wise men first brought presents to Jesus to when he was born.  Then we make candy canes {like a shepherd's hook or J for Jesus depending how you look at it} using tissue paper.  I don't get into the symbolism of the red and white colors because explaining Jesus' crucifixion takes it to a whole 'nother level for public school!  {And yes, I realized that my candy canes face the wrong way to make Js.  I fixed it for next year.}  ;)

While we read about a zillion Christmas books about snowmen, Santa, reindeer and the North Pole I also have a collection of books that celebrate other cultures in on my library shelf.  A couple I like for Hanukkah are:

On the 1st day of Chanukah is my favorite because it's a quick read full of good pictures and basic vocab.  The book introduces \gelt, dreidels, Jewish people, yamakas, menorahs, latkes and the star of David.  I ordered a bunch of wooden dreidels online one year and let the kids play with chocolate coins.  We also make menorahs to represent the 8 days of Hanukkah with fingerprint candles.

And here are some of the Kwanzaa books in my library right now:

I always start with reading K is for Kwanzaa aloud because it has the most vocab.  But don't worry...there are pronunciations!!!  :)  We talk about the harvest, the significance of the candle colors, how kids often make gifts to give, the clothes and African American people.  Then we make kinaras to represent the seven days of Kwanzaa.  Sometimes we also weave red, green and black mats but we didn't have the time this year.

All throughout the unit we discuss how the cultures and holidays are the same and different.  We compare the number of days celebrated, the colors of each holiday, the symbols that often represent them, who celebrates each, which foods they eat, etc.  As we go I display all of their symbols on the wall to represent each major holiday in the month.

Merry Christmas to you and yours...as well as whatever other holiday you will celebrate this season!