When it comes to December, some schools and classrooms celebrate Christmas, and some do not.
I have worked in three schools and the holiday focus in December varied in each. I have found that the celebration of different December holidays is usually based on the population of the school. One school celebrated Christmas complete with decorated trees in the halls and Christmas sing-alongs each Friday afternoon during the month. However, another school I worked in only celebrated the season of winter because there were so many different holidays celebrated by the population. I have also worked in a school that did a bit of everything in December: winter, Christmas, and other seasonal holidays.
No matter what the philosophy of your school and district is when it comes to celebrating winter holidays in your classroom, I have some high-engagement activities that your students will love! Some with a Christmas theme, some with a winter theme, all easy to use and perfect for December.
What I especially love about these activities is that they will keep your students engaged throughout the day. You can add them to your lesson plans as formal lessons, use them as fast finisher work, and even turn some of the ideas into your holiday party craft!
Christmas Activities for Upper Elementary
These activities are high interest, yet easy to implement! They will help you practice important skills while weaving in a Christmas theme that excites and truly motivates kids. These activities are perfect as standalone lessons, centers, party activities, or any way you want!
✅ Christmas Holiday Close Reading Traditions These reading passages are of high interest and include topics like Ugly Sweaters and the Nutcracker.
✅ Christmas Opinion Writing These this or that type opinion writing activities will have students writing all month long as they share their traditions and opinions with their peers.
✅ Santa Letters Persuasive Writing This one is always a hit! These persuasive letters to Santa are a fun twist on the traditional letter writing to the big guy! You will be wowed by the work your students complete!
✅ 12 Days of Christmas Math These are so much fun as a countdown to break by completing one a day for twelve days, or create a mini-book and have students work on them days before break. Either way, your students will be critically thinking!
✅ Reindeer Games These are so much fun for any time, centers, or holiday parties! All you need is a pencil and paper clip to make the spinners and some manipulatives to use as game pieces. Students can play with a partner or independently.
✅ Tic Tac Jingle These differentiated math games are also good any time and fun for parties! Just print and go!
✅ Christmas Kindness Challenge Bulletin Board Decorate for Christmas with these Christmas kindness posters designed to be festive and spread some kindness cheer! The kindness challenge is a fun way to spend December in the classroom.
✅ Christmas Color by Code Because big kids love coloring too! Use as morning work to start the day with some calm or add these to your lessons and party plans!
December Holiday Activities for Upper Elementary
These activities are inclusive of a wide range of holidays that are celebrated in December. These Christmas alternative activities are a great way to engage and include all of your students will no additional prep work. I love using activities like these that build and strengthen our classroom community.
✅ December Holidays Your students will learn about all the December holidays with this pack that is sure to have your students feel represented: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, St. Lucia Day, and more!
✅ 12 Days of Winter Countdown the days until break with this winter twist on the 12 Days of Christmas.
✅ Holiday Cinquain Poetry This non-holiday specific poetry writing activity allows students to write about the holiday and tradition of their choice!
✅ Gingerbread House Performance Task Can your students create and design a gingerbread house that will make the biggest profit? They will love trying to figure this task out!
✅ How to Make Hot Cocoa Procedural Project You can still have a hot cocoa-themed party, but it just does not have to be Christmas themed! This project is so much fun as kids try to write the perfect recipe for hot cocoa!
✅ North Pole Reading and Writing Bust out the maps and learn about the North Pole with this close reading pack that combines geography and nonfiction reading, perfect for December.
✅ Holiday Thank You Cards These are great for teachers to give students, but also for students to write out, too! We love writing thank you cards in the classroom...here are some ideas.
✅ Welcoming the New Year Print, copy, and leave on your desk to make the January return to school much simpler!
Bring on the Winter Activities for Upper Elementary
Winter activities in the classroom are favorite to use, because not only do they include all students they can be completed all winter season long! This means that there is no rush to get them done before the holiday break! Yay! Another positive is that when you have winter work prepped and ready to go, it makes the return to school after the break that much more simpler and enjoyable!
✅ Winter Kindness Challenge Bulletin Board Decorate for the season of winter with these winter kindness posters designed to be festive and spread some kindness cheer! The kindness challenge is a fun way to use all season.
✅ Tic Tac Snow Math Games These differentiated math games are also good as centers, any time, and fun for parties! Just print and go!
✅ Winter Solstice We love reading nonfiction in the classroom, and this set is perfect for the winter solstice and all season long.
✅ Snowman Job Designer for Hire This fun persuasive writing unit will have your students applying for the job of snow designer. Complete with a job application, students must persuade you to hire them for the job!
✅ Winter Sports Close Reading Another high-interest nonfiction close reading pack with creative tasks that kids love to read!
✅Winter Wonderland Writing Project This is always my favorite activity of the year and is perfect for December or January. Find out how I teach descriptive writing with this project HERE.
No matter how you choose to celebrate the month of December with your students remember to have fun and soak in every moment of that December magic! Happy holidays!
Be sure to grab these free holiday activities!
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