Christmas in the Classroom
November 14th 2008 03:56
Christmas in the Classroom - page 1
Print above image and read with pages 2 and 3.
Printing Instructions
Christmas in the Classroom - page 1.
CHRISTMAS in the CLASSROOM
Notes for Parents/Teachers/Tutors:
Christmas is such an exciting time in the classroom. Come November and the whole classroom programme can be integrated into the Christmas Theme. The children are highly motivated to embrace the interesting activities (covert learning).
The lessons in this series are centred around the story entitled ‘The Christmas Tree’. The story is divided into six chapters. Each chapter and its corresponding activity are designed to be covered in one lesson. However, you may find that one lesson takes more than one day to complete. Allow plenty of time.
A cover page has been included so that the story can be made into a booklet.
Chapter Six has gaps for the children to fill in.
Initiate the Christmas Theme by brainstorming the class and develop a Christmas Word Bank. This can be added to over time.
If children have their own personal dictionary (see “My Dictionary” category on the home page of phonics.net.au) a word bank with the most common Christmas words is useful and then add other words to each dictionary as required for each child.
It is useful to organise a bulk loan of Christmas books from your library. Not only will you find them useful but the children who complete their work early can sit quietly reading in the Christmas Corner.
The children who complete an activity early could:
- colour in the words on the title page
- draw pictures/decorate the title page
- draw pictures for each chapter.
The activities included in this series of lessons integrate into many Learning Areas:
Reading, comprehension, reading and following instructions, working co-operatively, Art/Craft,
use of materials, safety when using materials, practising fine motor skills, Health and Safety,
Writing, Mathematics.
You can use the story ‘The Christmas Tree’ to reinforce grammar and punctuation.
Ask the children to look for:
- words that are contracted (eg it’s, don’t)
- compound words (eg wheelbarrow, pancakes)
- when and why question marks are used
- when quotation marks are used.
Ask the children to:
- read, with expression, the words that are in quotation marks.
- think of words which could have been used instead of the word ‘said’.
Many other activities could flow from these activities:
- Writing Children could write a letter to Father Christmas, a Christmas story of their own,
a piece entitled “My Best Christmas” or “I Went for a Ride on Santa’s Sleigh”, a poem
about why they like Christmas (the list is endless)
- Music Christmas carols and Christmas songs (children love adding simple percussion)
-Drama Divide into groups and make up a sketch about Father Christmas in his workshop with
his helpers or use some other Christmas theme – let each group choose their own story
line.
-Art/Craft Make props for the sketches.
-Listening and Speaking Present the sketches to the rest of the class, to parents, at a school
assembly.
Christmas in the Classroom - page 2
Print above image and read with pages 1 and 3.
Printing Instructions
Christmas in the Classroom - page 2.
Hint for teachers/tutors: (suggestion only)
Because of the multicultural background of the children in my classroom I always send a note to parents at the beginning of fourth term. I find parents appreciate the communication and talking with the parents eliminates any anxieties they may have. The note varies from year to year but the following is an example. You can vary it to fit in with your programme. I have my programme organised before I send the note home so that I can show the activities to any parents who come in for an interview. If they are concerned about the Nativity Story I explain it is covered as other Christmas stories, with no religious bias. I do have parents coming for interviews but have never had any child withdrawn from any part of the programme.
Your Principal may wish to view the note before you send it home.
Christmas in the Classroom - page 3
Print above image and read with pages 1and 2.
Printing Instructions
Christmas in the Classroom - page 3.
Dear Parents,
I hope you had an enjoyable holiday and are rested up for the rush of this term.
This term we will be covering the Christmas Theme in our classroom. It will be part of our many activities eg Reading, Music, Art and Literature. The many aspects of Christmas will be touched on eg Father Christmas, Christmas trees, reindeer, bells, stars, other decorations, Christmas stories, the Nativity Story (which is the story of Baby Jesus).
I am aware that some parents may not wish their child to take part in some of these activities. Would you please complete Section A or Section B of the form below and return it to me as soon as possible.
Please come and discuss with me any concerns that you have. After school is a better time for interviews than before school, because from 8.30am on I need to be with the children as they arrive in the classroom.
Welcome back to Term 4,
(your signature)
_____________________________ _____________________________ ____________
Section A
I am happy for my child ______________________ to be involved in all Christmas activities.
SIGNATURE _____________________________ ______
Section B
I do not want my child ___________________________ to be involved in some/any of the Christmas activities.
If “some” please elaborate: _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _______________
_____________________________ _____________________________ ______________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ __________
_____________________________ _____________________________ ______________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ __________
SIGNATURE____________________ _____________________________ __________________
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