December
Arts and Crafts
Paper Plate Wreath
green tissue paper (cut into squares)
small white paper plate
red bows cut from red construction paper
red hole punch dots (berries)
Cut out center of paper plate. Paint plate with glue. Students scrunch up tissue squares and place on plate until totally covered. Add glue dots for red berries and staple on bow.
Santa Mouse
red and green felt
small squiggly eyes
candy cane
Cut out one oval (about 5" X 2 1/2 ") from red felt. Cut two small parallel slits near small end of oval. Cut out rectangle (about 4 1/2") from green felt and round corners. Thread this piece through the slits to make the mouse ears. Glue on eyes. The candy cane goes through the green loop in the back. This will make the mouse ears much smaller and make them stand up.
Triangle Reindeer
construction paper - brown, black, red, white
glue
black marker
Fold sheet of brown construction paper in half. Draw a triangle (about 5 1/2" across bottom). Student cuts two triangles at once. Turn one triangle upside down and glue them together overlapping pints. One triangle becomes the head, one the body. Cut antlers (about 5 1/2" X 4 1/2") out of black paper, oval eyes (2 1/2" X1 1/2") out of white paper and a nose (1 1/2") out of red. Student draws small black circles inside each white eye. Glue antlers, eyes and nose in place.
Science
Bells
Discuss the many uses for bells. Examples: Doorbells, fire alarms, telephone, church bells. Use several different sizes and kinds of bells. Discuss why sounds are different.
Glass and Water Music
Fill several glasses with different levels of water. Have children tap the glasses carefully with a spoon and listen to the variation in sounds. The glass with the smallest amount of water will have the highest sound, etc.
Fun Fact
Do you believe in Santa Clause?
In fourth century Turkey, a wealthy teenager heard about a poor and starving family. If the family did not get some money fast, the children would have to be sold into slavery. So late one night, the teen went to the family's house and tossed a bag of gold coins through a window. The kind boy eventually became a priest known for his generosity to the poor and needy, As he aged, he grew a long white beard and had a big belly beneath his red robes. Ring a bell? His name was Saint Nicholas - better known as Saint Nick!
Books
A Silent Night
~ Mary Manz Simon
A Child Was Born ~ Grace Maccarone
The Friendly Beasts (an old English Christmas Carol) ~ Tomie DePaola
Mouse's First Christmas ~ Lauren Thompson
Merry Christmas Everybody! ~ Constance Allen
Clifford's First Christmas ~ Norman Bridwell
Clifford's Christmas ~ Norman Bridwell
A Very Merry Santa Clause Story ~ Joanne Barkan
Santa's Noisy Night ~ Julie Sukes and Tim Warnes
Corduroy's Christmas ~ Don Freeman
Merry Christmas Mom and Dad ~ Mercer Mayer
Froggy's Best Christmas ~ Jonathan London
The Bear Santa Clause Forgot~ Diana Kimpton
Mimi's Christmas ~ Martin Waddell
The Christmas Blizzard ~ Helen Ketteman
The Dog Who Found Christmas ~ Linda Jennings
Bear's Christmas Star ~ Mireille D'Allance
The Night Before Christmas
~ Clement Moore
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies ~ Laura Numeroff
The Wild Christmas Reindeer ~ Jan Brett
The Twelve Days of Christmas ~ Jan Brett
Recipes
Apple Santa
large red apple
5 large marshmallows
2 cotton balls
5 cranberries
5 toothpicks
cloves
Place apple stem side down. Insert toothpicks; one at each side for arms, and two in front for feet (Santa is sitting). Push marshmallow on arm toothpick, followed by cranberry for hand. Do the same for the other arm and legs. Push a toothpick in on top for head. Then push onto toothpick in this order; flattened cotton ball for beard, marshmallow for head, flattened cotton ball for hat, cranberries for top. Stick cloves in for eyes, nose and smile and for button trim on apple.
Dough Ornaments
1 C flour
1/2 C water
1/3 C salt
Few drops vegetable oil
Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Slowly add water and oil. Knead the dough well and shape into ball. Roll out dough. If it becomes sticky, add more flour. Using cookie cutters, cut out Christmas shapes. Make a hole in top using a straw. Let dry overnight, then turn over and let other side dry completely. Paint the ornaments and/or add sprinkles. Thread yarn or ribbon through top hole. Ready to hang!
Edible Ornaments
1 package dry yeast dissolved in 1 1/2 C warm water
1 egg
1/2 C honey
1/2 C shortening
1 teaspoon salt
flour
Combine egg, honey, shortening and salt. Add to yeast and water. Stir in flour, a little at a time until dough isn't too sticky. Knead about five minutes on waxed paper. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 25 minutes. Fashion into Christmas shapes: bell, tree, star, Santa, etc. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
If you do not want to eat your ornaments and would rather hang them on the tree, make a hole in the top using a straw before baking. To preserve the ornaments, shellac when baked and cooled.
Candy Cane Cookies
1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 shortening
1 C confectioners sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 C flour
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
1/2 C crushed peppermint candy
1/2 C sugar
Mix butter, shortening, confectioners sugar, egg and flavoring thoroughly. Blend in flour and salt. Divide dough in half; blend food coloring in one half. Shape 1 teaspoon dough from each half in a 4" rope. For smooth, even dough, roll back and forth on a lightly floured board. Place ropes side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Curve top down to form handle of cane. Bake about nine minutes or until very light brown. Mix candy and sugar. Immediately sprinkle cookies with mixture; remove from baking sheet. Makes about four dozen cookies.
Cheese Ball Bells
1 8 ounce package softened cream cheese
1/2 C softened shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix at medium speed. Form small amounts of mixture into bell shapes. Serve on crackers.
Songs and Finger Plays
Five Little Christmas Trees
Five little Christmas trees standing in the park.
The first one said, "It's getting pretty dark."
The second one said, "I hear the church bells ringing."
The third one said, "I hear some children singing."
The fourth one said, "It's songs of good cheer."
The fifth one said, "For Christmas time is near."
The Chimney
Here is the chimney
Here is the top
Open the lid
Out Santa will pop!
Nine Little Reindeer (Ten Little Indians)
One little, two little, three little reindeer,
Four little, five little, six little reindeer,
Seven little, eight little, nine little reindeer,
Pulling Santa's sled.
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet,
Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph!
Guess Who (London Bridge)
Guess whose beard is long and white?
Long and white, long and white?
Guess whose beard is long and white?
Dear Old Santa!
Guess whose suit is red and white?
Guess who comes on Christmas Eve?
S-A-N-T-A (B-I-N-G-O)
I know a man with a long white beard,
And Santa is his name-O....
S-A-N-T-A
S-A-N-T-A
S-A-N-T-A
And Santa is his name-O.
Call Rudolph! (Five Little Monkeys)
Eight little reindeer pulling Santa's sled,
One fell down and bumped his head.
The elves called Santa, and Santa said,
"Can seven little reindeer pull my sled?"
Seven...six...five...four...three...two...one...
He fell down and bumped his head...
The elves called Santa, and Santa said,
"Call Rudolph!"
I’m a Little Christmas Tree (I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little Christmas tree, short and green,
Here are my branches, the cutest you’ve seen.
When I get all decorated, hear me cheer,
"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"
Where is Santa? (Are You Sleeping?)
Where is Santa? Where is Santa?
Here I am! Here I am!
Merry, Merry Christmas! Merry, Merry, Christmas!
Ho! Ho! Ho!, Ho! Ho! Ho!
Reindeer Poky (The Hokey Poky)
You put your antlers in. You put your antlers out.
You put you antlers in and you shake them all about.
You do the Reindeer Poky and you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!
You put your hooves in....
You put your red nose in....
You put your fluffy tail in...
You put your reindeer body in...
Let's All Do a Little Clapping (We Wish You a Merry Christmas)
Let's all do a little clapping,
Let's all do a little clapping,
Let's all do a little clapping,
And spread Christmas cheer.
...jumping
...twirling
...stretching
...bending
Old St. Nicholas (Old McDonald Had a Farm)
Old St. Nicholas had a tree; ho ho ho ho ho
And on that tree he had some horns; ho ho ho ho ho
With a toot toot here and a toot toot there
Here a toot, there a toot, every where a toot toot
Old St. Nicholas had a tree; ho ho ho ho ho
* lights----flash flash
* candy canes-----yum-yum
* drums-----boom-boom
* bells-----ring ring
* birds----peep peep
* stars----twinkle twinkle
* snowflakes----flutter flutter
Away in a Manger
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed.
The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay.
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh;
O'er the fields we go, laughing all the way. (Ha, ha, ha)
Bells on bobtail ring, making spirits bright.
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a in a horse open sleigh...Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!
Rudolph, the Red Nose Reindeer
Rudolph, the red nose reindeer, had a very shiny nose;
And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glowed.
All of the other reindeer, use to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph, join in any reindeer games.
Then one foggy Christmas eve, Santa came to say, (Ho! Ho! Ho!)
"Rudolph, with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Then all the reindeer loved him, and they shouted out with glee, (Yip-ee!)
"Rudolph, the red nose reindeer, you’ll go down in history!"
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin
Good tidings for Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
Parent-Child Time
~ Discuss customs that your families have
~ Discuss different countries with your child
~ Visit the library and check out books that tell about Christmas customs in other countries and about
the holidays
~ Let your child mark the dates for the holidays on a calendar
~ Create a family tradition for New Year's
Calendars
CLASSROOM CALENDARS
Monday-Wednesday-Friday AM
Tuesday-Thursday AM
Tuesday-Thursday PM
Many of the monthly suggestions have been collected over the years I have been
teaching. It is not my intention to take credit for someone else's original idea.
Please see Resource Materials for a listing of books and publications I have and
the Links page.
