A Cornucopia of Traditions
The student will learn about different cultures’ approaches to the traditional U.S. Thanksgiving holiday.
Seasonal
Plan Christmas Vacation
A variety of math and planning skills can be used to plan a holiday vacation.
Problem Solving: The Twelve Days of Christmas
Students will use different problem-solving strategies, and creative writing, in association with Brian Wildsmith’s song.
How Do You Say Thanksgiving?
Briefly explore not-so-traditional holiday plans.
Applesauce “Cookie” Ornaments
A simple dough that dries to create aromatic hanging ornaments. Please note that these items are not intended to be eaten, even though they smell good enough!
DIY Kites
Kites are a welcome outdoor project after being cooped up inside all winter, right? In fact, they’re the perfect celebration of the end of winter. Students study and create their kites indoors, and then you just wait for the ideal weather to take them out for testing. For the younger students, try a quick and easy Paper Bag Kite. Older students can tackle the Tetrahedral Kite, which can be scaled for a large or small format creation.
Reindeer Research
Reindeer are just one of many species that are well known for doing something they don’t actually do. In this lesson students do their own research about reindeer, including where they live, what their purpose is, and how they got such a lofty reputation.
Spring Fever: Create a Plant Nursery Indoors
Winter blues got you down? Summer heat keeping you in? Or perhaps it’s almost Spring Break and you can’t wait for some warmer weather. Whatever the season, bring some green into your classroom by creating a miniature nursery.
Glop Gloop: Gooey fun in time for Fall
Yes, it’s Fall and Halloween will be here before you know it. Reader Linda Patton shares these recipes for physics-defying goop your students can make, play with and learn from.
Adjectives, Adverbs and Advertising
The student will identify adjectives and adverbs and be able to use them correctly in a Christmas-related creative writing project.
Current Events Christmas
Have your class do their own “Twelve Days of Christmas” by reading about another part of the world in the newspaper or magazines, and brainstorming Christmas gifts they would like to give to those people.
Writing: Where Is It?
Submitted by T2T Contributor, Lee Robbins Objective: Students will improve in their ability to describe place and location in their writing. Resources: Numbered small paper >>>
Have a Mobius Christmas
When your class is cutting up strips of paper to make Christmas ornaments, it’s a perfect time to introduce them to the Mobius strip. Take >>>
Jack o’ Lanterns… Sans Knives
Try acrylic paint instead of traditional knives to decorate your pumpkins. You can work with traditional faces, or go for off-the-wall designs, even abstracts. Or, >>>
Orange Peel “Pumpkin” Containers
One of my room helpers brought this treat for our Halloween party. Take an orange and cut the top off as you would a pumpkin. >>>