Art/Artists

1. Adoration of the Shepherds by Caravaggio (1609)

◆ This could be used to explain to students the story of the birth of Jesus along with

information on Caravaggio. (Christian school)

● http://www.caravaggio.org/adoration-of-the-shepherds.jsp

2. Winter Landscape by Casper David Friedrich (1811)

 ➔ You could teach about this picture if you were teaching at a Christian school. You could

ask the students what the weather is like when it is Christmas time, and explain how this

picture depicts that weather exactly. Then, you could ask your students why we celebrate

Christmas, and when they answer because Jesus was born, then you could tell them why

Jesus is so important. Showing that the picture has him on the cross, explain how Jesus

being is the greatest thing to happen because not long after he would go to the cross to set

us free from our sins.

➔ www.theguardian.com

3. All Aboard for Christmas by Thomas Kinkade

➔ There is nostalgia in childhood; the security of a family holiday tradition and in the
adventure of railway travel. In this homecoming, family and friends are reunited for the
holidays. It is a community event in Lionelville when the train arrives and the celebration
begins. Indeed, I smile when I say, All Aboard for Christmas!

-Thomas Kinkade

➔ With this piece, you could talk about how family and friends come to visit for the
holidays. You could ask the kids if anyone comes to their house for Christmas or
if they travel to someone else’s house. If i taught with this piece, I would leave the
discussion open ended at first and ask what they see in the picture and what they
think was happening. Then I would lead the discussion with what they tell me.
 ➔ https://thomaskinkade.com/shop/gift-guide/winter-christmas-sale/all-aboard-for-

christmas-limited-edition-art-2/?v=7516fd43adaa

Science
1. Grow the Grinch’s Heart

◆ Supplies:

● Green balloon

● Red sharpie

● Empty plastic water bottle

● White vinegar

● Baking soda

● Funnel

○ Vinegar goes in the water bottle; baking soda goes in the balloon.

Draw a red heart on the balloon. Place the balloon opening with

baking soda in it around the opening of the water bottle with

 vinegar in it, carefully dumping the baking soda into the bottle.

The balloon will expand, and the heart will “grow.”

○ This could be used to explain chemical reactions after you read

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

◆ https://creativefamilyfun.net/christmas-science-grow-grinchs-hear/

2. Dancing Jingle Bells

➔ Materials

◆ clear glass container

◆ jingle bells

◆ carbonated soda (option: Sprite)

➔ Steps
◆ Add all the jingle bells to the container

◆ Add the soda

◆ Within seconds the jingle bells will start to dance

● How it works

○ The jingle bells are on the bottom and do not instantly begin

floating in the soda because they are more dense than the liquid.

Air bubbles begin to surround the jingle bells and causes the bells

to float up. When the air bubbles pop, the bells sink down again.

➔ https://modernpreschool.com/
 ◆ Standard: 3.1 1.A.9 Participate in investigations about living and/ or nonliving

things to answer a question or to test a prediction.

● Assessment: To begin, have the students pull out a piece of paper and

make a guess as to what they think would happen. Then, tell them to put

that paper aside and explain to them why the jingling happened. Next,

have the students write on that same paper why the bells jingled to make

sure they understood the concept of why this is occuring.

3. Snow Storm in a Jar

Supplies:

➔ A clear jar

➔ bowl

➔ Baby oil

➔ White paint

➔ Water

➔ Iridescent glitter

➔ Alka Seltzer tablet

➔ Blue food coloring (optional)

Steps:

➔ Fill the jar ¾ full of baby oil and set it aside

➔ In a separate bowl, combine one tsp of white paint with one cup of water and then mix

➔ Pour the white water into the jar

➔ Sprinkle in glitter and add blue food coloring if desired

➔ Wait for everything to settle at the bottom of the jar

 ➔ Break the Alka Seltzer tablet into pieces

➔ Drop a few pieces into the solution and watch the snowstorm! Once it settles a bit, you

can keep adding pieces to make it storm again

➔ http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2013/12/snow-storm-in-jar_9.html

Social Studies
1. Passport

◆ Have the students create a passport for the areas you discuss in class about how

that area celebrates Christmas. As you go through each location, have the

students write information and draw pictures in their passport about the way they

celebrate Christmas.

● Visual arts would be represented in this activity.

◆ http://elementarynest.com/christmas-around-world/

2. The history of Christmas

 ◆ For the Social Studies lesson, you could teach your class about the history

of why we celebrate Christmas. If you were teaching in a Christian school,

this lesson would be appropriate.

◆ Timeline of Christmas:

◆ Mary and Joseph went to a town. They had to stay in a stable.

◆ Jesus was born.

◆ The Wise Men saw a new star in the sky.

◆ The Wise Men went to see him and gave 3 gifts.

● https://www.teacherspayteachers.com

3. Christmas Around the World

➔ Read Christmas Around the World by Mary D. Lankford and discuss, this would teach

about other cultures around the world and how they celebrate Christmas in different ways

than we do.

➔ Have examples in the classroom of what other people do in different countries for

Christmas

◆ Germany- children fill their shoes with straw and carrots in hopes that St.

Nicholas will feed his hungry horses and replace it with apples and nuts (fill shoes

with carrots and bring in to show kids)

◆ Australia- gifts are wrapped in pillowcases (fill a pillowcase with little gifts for

kids)

◆ Mexico- On Epiphany Eve (Jan. 5), children leave their shoes in a window of

their homes in hopes that the Magi will fill them with gifts on their journey to

Bethlehem.
 ◆ The Philippines- Traveling minstrels use musical instruments made from coconut

shells, split bamboo, and tin-can ends to sing Maligayang Pasko to the tune of

“Happy Birthday”.

◆ Sweden- A special rice porridge is served at Christmas Eve dinner. Hidden in the

porridge is a single almond. Tradition has it that whoever finds the almond in his

or her bowl will marry in the coming year (serve pudding in cups and hide a piece

of candy in one)

○ Standard: 8.4 1.A Explain why cultures celebrate.

○ Assessment: After this activity, I would review with the students. I

would ask questions about the different countries to make sure the

students grasped how other countries celebrate.

◆ https://chachingonashoestring.com/2009/12/09/beautiful-christmas-beautiful-

traditions/

Math
1. Christmas color by code

◆ Give a lesson on addition and subtraction and have the students complete this

activity after.

◆ In the activity the students will solve addition and subtraction problems. Their

answers will correspond to numbers in the color by number code box and they

will then color them in.

● Visual arts would be represented in this activity

◆ https://firstgradealacarte.blogspot.com/2011/12/no-pipers-piping.html?m=1
2. Christmas Tree Math

● The teacher would make the trees with numbers on the trunk and draw a line down the

middle of the tree. You will also need to get pom poms as ornaments.

○ The students will put pom pom ball “ornaments” on the trees to equal the number

on the trunk. For example, the “6” tree could have 2 on one side and 4 on the

other, or 1 and 5, etc.putting pom pom ball “ornaments” on the trees to equal the

number on the trunk. For example, the “6” tree could have 2 on one side and 4 on

the other, or 1 and 5, etc.

■ https://frugalfun4boys.com/christmas-tree-math/

◆ Standard: 2.2 1.A.1 Represent and solve problems involving addition and

subtraction within 20.

● Assessment: The teacher would assess the students through observation.

The teacher would walk around the room and make sure the students are

getting their addition correct.

3. Counting Marshmallows

➔ Students will glue marshmallows onto pictures of mugs. They will choose how many to

put in each mug and then add them together.

➔ http://happylittlekindergarten.blogspot.com/2015/11/a-very-kinder-christmas-and-free-

gift.html

Other Literature
1. Riddle

◆ Santa was having problems with his legs and was unable to walk so he went to the

hospital to ask the doctor if he could recommend something for him. What did the

doctor give to Santa to help him to walk?

● A candy cane

◆ https://www.getriddles.com/christmas-riddles/

2. Poem

Let Every Day Be Christmas

● By Norman W. Brooks
 ◆ Christmas is forever, not for just one day,

◆ for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away

◆ like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.

◆ The good you do for others is good you do yourself.

○ https://christmas.365greetings.com

3. Drama

➔ Nativity Finger Play

➔ Make little finger puppets to use in your classroom

➔ This activity would be great so that the kids get to know the nativity story, especially in a

Christian school setting.

➔ http://www.littlebitfunky.com/2014/11/twenty-minute-crafter-finger-puppet.html?m=1

Field Trips/Guest Speakers

1. Live Nativity Scene (Christian School)

◆ The students would be able to watch the story of Jesus’ birth be told and then

afterwards pet animals in the nativity scene. (like a petting zoo)

● No web address

○ Standard: 9.1.D 1.B Recreate a familiar story individually or

cooperatively for an audience.

◆ Assessment: After the field trip, the teacher and students

will discuss and review the scene they saw.

2. Christmas Tree Farm

 ◆ The students will be taught how you grow a Christmas tree on a farm. Beings the

students are already at a farm, the students could also be shown the animals on the

farm and taken on a hayride, and also the students could play other games on the

farm.

● No web address

3. Pastor

➔ If at a Christian school, you could have a pastor come and recount the story of the

nativity scene. He could come in and tell the story, answer questions that the kids have

about the nativity, or bring props for a visual.

➔ No web address

Multicultural
1. How to say “Merry Christmas” in different languages.

◆ Have the students go to different stations where they will learn to say Merry

Christmas in different languages.

◆ You could do this for a whole week and have five stations set up per day.

◆ https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1e/b9/6d/1eb96d285d718de5870e6cf07e64e9d5.pn

2. Holidays Around the World

◆ This activity would have to be done with all the first grade classes in your school.

● Each first-grade class rotates to a new country (classroom) every 40

minutes. Through books, songs, costumes, and pictures, the students

develop an understanding of how that country celebrates Christmas. They

then participate in a quick curriculum-related art or food project. A

 volunteer escorts the children from room to room as their teacher remains

in the classroom, instructing each new group.

◆ https://www.scholastic.com

3. Sing Feliz Navidad

➔ This would be a good activity so that the kids can learn a Christmas song that is in

another language, but yet still recognizable. You can talk about what the verses mean in

English so that the students understand.

➔ Lyrics

Feliz navidad

Feliz navidad

Feliz navidad

Prospero año y felicidad

Feliz navidad

Feliz navidad

Feliz navidad

Prospero año y felicidad

I wanna wish you a merry Christmas

I wanna wish you a merry Christmas

I wanna wish you a merry Christmas

From the bottom of my heart

➔ No web address