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by JEANINE SCHNEIDER, JACQUELINE ORTIZ, JENNIFER MARTINEZ, RACHEL DEROCHE, MARIANNA MONHEIM, SHELLY REES, RISSA HANNEKEN, and MARISSA DESPINS - November 5, 2024
The weeks leading up to winter break can be a challenge for teachers trying to keep students focused and engaged.
With activities centered around cozy winter themes, like hot cocoa and snowball tracking charts, you can create a fun, engaging environment that motivates students to stay on task. In this blog post, we’ll explore creative ideas and resources from fellow upper elementary teachers to help you make the most of this festive season.
Must Try Idea!
The best way to keep your students engaged during the weeks before the holiday break is to have a countdown! Teachers and students LOVE to countdown to special days, birthdays, and holiday breaks!
This December, host a winter-themed countdown in your classroom. I love using winter themed activities and countdown so that I know it is inclusive for all students! Winter themed activities are just as fun as holiday activities, so it is easy to keep engagement high!
With hot cocoa and winter themed activities your students will be motivated to work hard each day! The snowball themed tracker makes it easy for students to keep track of which activities they completed and countdown to the last day of school before break!
Try the 12 Days of Winter Countdown and engage your students this December!
Looking for even more engaging activities for December? You will love these seven additional creative ideas from my fellow upper elementary teacher friends!
1. Get into the spirit!
Jacqueline from The Little Ladybug Shop believes that December brings a special magic to the classroom. With colder weather and shorter days, there’s a sense of excitement and anticipation among students. For upper elementary teachers, this season provides a great chance to integrate winter-themed activities such as researching and learning about Winter Holidays Around the World and Poetry Writing. These activities are both fun and educational. Keep your students engaged with these exciting resources! Check out this blog for more ideas to bring the magic of December into your classroom.
2. Get hands-on!
As winter break approaches, keeping students engaged can feel like an uphill battle, but it doesn’t have to be! Rissa at Teaching in the Heart of Florida shares three quick and easy ways to keep your students focused and learning, even when their minds drift to winter break. These strategies, from hands-on activities like math manipulatives to movement-based games like Scoot, help you re-energize your classroom and maintain student focus. No need for extra planning or prep—these ideas are designed to work with what you’ve already got! Rissa shares that one of the simplest ways to boost engagement before winter break is to involve your students in their learning. Encourage them to “stop and jot” during literacy lessons or give them a quick “turn and talk” moment during any subject. These small shifts help students stay on task, share their thoughts, and practice accountable talk. When students are active participants, the classroom energy stays positive, and you can make it to winter break with everyone still learning! You can find more tips at Teaching in the Heart of Florida!
3. Brain Breaks!
It’s no secret that kids have a lot of energy. And while sometimes that energy can be disruptive, it can also be harnessed and channeled into productive learning. When possible, Marissa from Creative Classroom Core likes to incorporate physical activity into her lessons. This helps students burn off
excess energy and stay focused. For example, Marissa suggests that you could start each morning with a quick brain break or do some desk yoga together as a class. Or, if you have access to a gym or outdoor space, Marissa loves holding class outside for a change of scenery. Physical activity has been shown to
improve concentration and focus, so it’s a win-win for everyone! For more tips and tricks for engaging students before a holiday break, be sure to check out the Creative Classroom Core blog!
4. Give Students Choice!
There are so many winter topics that will entice and engage upper elementary learners! Marianna from Creatively Comprehensive loves using choice boards to allow students to explore different topics of interest. From wicked weather to adorable animals to classic winter activities, you'll be sure to pique the interest of every single one of your students by pairing a high-interest reading passage with an out-of-the-box activity. Head to Marianna's blog post to read all about how to create and implement a winter-themed choice board that is sure to be a huge hit!
5. Goodbye Boring!
When you think about teaching grammar, do you instantly think BORING? Guess what? You can make learning fun for your students, even when teaching grammar! Rachel from Uniquely Upper believes that teaching grammar in upper elementary is critical because it is the foundation for good writing. Equally important is engagement because it is the foundation for retention. If you make learning fun when teaching grammar, your students are more likely to retain the information needed to become better writers. In her post, Rachel shares 3 Tips to Make Learning Fun through movement, technology, and opening up creative minds through digital art. While you're visiting her post, grab the freebies to help increase student engagement.
6. Master Engagment!
The holiday season can bring a whirlwind of distractions into the classroom, but Jennifer from everything just so knows how to channel that excitement into something productive. In her latest post, she shares five proven strategies that seamlessly integrate holiday fun with meaningful academic tasks, ensuring students stay engaged while building important ELA skills. Plus, there’s a free resource to help you master holiday engagement! Whether it’s quick-fire debates or creative writing with a festive twist, these ideas will help you maintain rigor and keep students focused through the seasonal chaos. Ready to boost engagement this holiday season? Click here to discover more!
7. 14 Fun Reading Ideas!
Let’s face it. . . it can be hard to keep students engaged and learning before winter break! Shelly Rees from Appletastic Learning shares 14 fun reading ideas that will keep students excited about school any time of year, especially before a break. From escape rooms to reading buddies to a blind date with a book, these ideas are sure to make reading enjoyable and interactive. Dive into this blog post to discover how you can change reading from a routine task into an exciting journey for your students!
As the countdown to winter break approaches, keeping your students engaged doesn't have to be stressful. With a variety of winter-themed activities, creative countdowns, and fun learning strategies, you can maintain student focus and excitement right up to the last day of school. Whether using a snowball tracker, incorporating physical movement, or exploring choice boards, there are plenty of ways to make the season both productive and enjoyable.
Try out these ideas to bring winter magic into your classroom, and watch your students thrive as they eagerly anticipate the winter and holiday break!
Happy teaching!
Looking for no-prep activities for
winter? Head HERE!
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