I love this time of the year and I'm sure you and your students do too, even though you are, without doubt, super-duper teacher-tired! Reports (NOT my favourite!) Christmas, end of the school year, summer … and I think we could all do with some positive, fun times to finish one of the most challenging years we have ever had!
Lots of fabulous interactive games and activities that you can display on an electronic whiteboard or your students can access on a laptop or tablet.
If you have never played Scoot with your class, please promise me you'll try it.
This is the MOST favourite game in all my classes, whatever year level and whatever task cards I use. All you need is a set of task cards and a recording sheet. Place one task card on each desk. All students have a recording sheet. Start the game and each student must work out the answer to their task card and record it on the answer sheet. After a time you determine e.g. 10 - 30 seconds, say “Scoot!” All students move to the next desk and task card. Game continues in this manner until all students have visited all the task cards. This game is perfect for the active classroom!
3. In Santa's Sack…
I'm sure most of you would have played a variation of this game at one time or another!
Sit your students in a circle and choose a person to start. They say, “In Santa's sack I found a …” and they decide on an item e.g. a doll. The next student says, “In Santa's sack I found a doll and a …” adding their own choice of item. The game continues in this manner with each student repeating the items already in the sack and adding one of their own. When a student forgets an item, they miss a turn or are out. The game continues until there is one player remaining or time runs out. To make this easier and more interactive for younger students, try splitting your class into smaller groups and have each group play a separate game.
The kids are always motivated to write at this time of the year.
Letters to Santa, How Santa Got Into Our House, My Invitation to the North Pole, What I Love About Christmas, My Special Holiday etc so I always put up a Christmas Word Wall to help me out with those, “Mrs L, how do you spell …?” questions. The vocabulary cards come in 4 different fonts, including Victorian Modern Cursive, Queensland and NSW school fonts, and a page for you to edit yourself and add your own words.
5. Christmas Party
Will you be having a class Christmas party?
This link will give you some awesome ideas for some super fun games! I particularly like the sound of the Candy Cane Catch and I'm definitely going to try Rudolph Race! Fun times ahead…enjoy!
So, I hope I've given you something of interest for your classroom. Relax, enjoy this special time with your students and know that the end of the year is in sight! You have done well, you have made it through another year, your students love you and you will miss them! Enjoy them while you can.
6. Oops, did I say 5 Christmas Ideas?
Oh well, surprise! I have a freebie for all of you who have made it to the end.
These foldable Christmas cards are made from one piece of paper. Photocopy one for each student and fold. There are five different designs and each come in either colour or black & white.
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