December Round Up

December Round Up

11 comments Freebies, Monthly Round Up

I'm back with another monthly round up of ideas, activities, and freebies!

Be sure to pin your favorite ideas!

Every month, my students do some thematic or seasonal writing to display on our hallway bulletin board. To spruce up the display, I also have them create some sort of craft to display next to their writing.

Trying to display process writing each month can be a challenge, so one way I like to make sure our work gets switched out quickly is by having my students write a poem.  It gives them some great exposure to poetry, and we are able to put together a great display in almost no time!

This month, my students will be writing a cinquain about Rudolph and creating this super cute craft to display next to their writing. 

I've done this project for the past few years, and the kids really enjoy it.  To prepare them for writing the poem, I first read Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to them.  Then, we brainstorm words and phrases that they could use in their poems.  From there, the students choose their favorites and use them in their poems.  Then, we make Rudolph! #glitterynoseisoptional

Click here to grab the FREE poetry template.
Click here to grab the FREE craft templates.

Last year, my students participated in a winter card exchange.  Each student made a winter themed card at home.  Then, they exchanged cards in class. It was lots of fun, and the creativity was just amazing.  You can read all about this idea, and grab a freebie, here.

In December, I love taking a break from our basal for a bit and reading different versions of The Gingerbread Man.

 

I don't know what it is about this story, but it is just so fun to read and it lends itself to so many important skills, like retelling.  These retell flap books are a fun way to practice this skill.

And, so is this retell hat!

Using adjectives to identify character traits is another great skill that can be practiced with this story.  This cut and paste activity is always a hit with my students! We usually complete one about the fox too!

I also love using these books to practice our compare and contrast skills. The kids are always so successful at identifying similarities and differences between the different versions.

As an extension activity, this Disguise a Gingerbread Man project is lots of fun!  The students create a disguise for the Gingerbread Man and then write about it.  Best of all, they can do the disguise project at home, or in class. 

You can find these activities, plus so many more, in my Gingerbread Man unit. It is perfect for use with any version of the story!  :)

Five in a Row is a classic in my classroom.  My students always love this game!

Students play in pairs.  They need two number cubes and some game pieces (I use the red and yellow counters).  Player A rolls two number cubes and adds them up.  Then, he/she covers the sum on the board.  Player B does the same.  This goes back and forth until one player manages to get five of their markers in a row.

You can grab this game for FREE by signing up for my newsletter. Signing up will give you access to my Subscriber Resource Library where you can access this, and many other freebies. The first email will include the password for accessing the library, as well as a special freebie. Click HERE to sign up. :)

Note: My students play the "Sums of 10-20" version of the game which is played with number cubes, but the freebie also includes a "Sums of 2-12" game board which is played with dice.

DON'T FORGET IT: PIN IT!

Happy December!

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