Reindeer Research, Grinch Day, and Ornament fun!

December has been super busy in first grade! We had our second benchmark test this month. Whew...glad to be done with that!! We began the month reading and discussing informational books. Then we decided to do our own research on reindeer. We read several books on them and then wrote about everything we learned. We labeled a reindeer, did a fact and opinion t-chart, and made a little reindeer book all from Melissa Machan at First Grade Smiles...all of which I forgot to take pictures of!  Why????  We made a cute little reindeer I got off Pinterest to go with our writing.

We also had Grinch Day this week. We watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and did some Grinchy adjective work.  I got the ideas from Made for First Grade.  We also colored a hidden Grinch picture from Lil' Country Kindergarten which I forgot to take a picture of...ugh!  We made the Grinch Grin from Deanna Jump....yet again...no picture!!  We ended the day by drinking Grinch punch and ate Grinch cookies.

On Monday of this week, I had some awesome parent volunteers come and help us make ornaments. They turned out so cute!

Colorful snowflakes!

This cute paper tree came from Parents magazine.

Rudolph ornaments!

On a side note....I sold my first two items on TPT last week!  I am so excited.  If you get a chance, go check out my store.  I will be posting several winter fun activities over the holiday.

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a restful break!!

Sharon

More Christmas Crafts.....yippee!!

Hand print tile.  These turned out really cute!

Craft stick Christmas tree.

Reindeer picture frame

These elves turned out so stinking C.U.T.E.!!!! :)

This craft is straight off Pinterest and I absolutely love it!  This will definitely be going into the things-to-do-next-year file!

Don't you just love the individual personalities of each elf!

The Polar Express

 "On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed.  I did not rustle the sheets.  I breathed slowly and silently.  I was listening for a sound -- a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear -- the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh."

This week will be all about The Polar Express (one of my favorite books).  We will read the book online at storylineonline where the story is read by Lou Diamond Phillips.  We will also read the book the traditional way.
On Wednesday, we will have a Polar Express pajama day.  Everyone, including teachers, will wear their pajamas.  This is always a big hit with the kinderkids.  We will watch the movie, have hot chocolate and cookies, and hope that a special surprise arrives.

We always make the hot chocolate and keep it warm in a crock pot.  This is what I did last year.

1 gallon white milk
1 container chocolate syrup
Mix together in the crockpot early in the morning.

I read on Pro-Teacher that some people just purchase a gallon on chocolate milk and warm it in the crockpot.  Simple and only one thing to buy.

I am going to use the words from the movie about the hot chocolate as a poem this week.  I will copy onto chart paper and read it all week along with the Cocoa poem.

Hot Chocolate

 Here, we’ve only got one rule:

Never ever let it cool!

Keep it cooking in the pot,

Then you've got- Hot choc-o-lat!

Hot! Hot! Ooh, we got it!

Hot! Hot! Hey, we got it!

Hot! Hot! Say, we got it!

Hot chocolate!

Cocoa 

Cocoa is a delicious treat.

It is yummy, dark and sweet.

With a marshmallow on the top,

I will drink every drop.

There are is an emergent reader on marcias-lesson-links.com  that I will be using this week.

We will also be sequencing The Polar Express using this picture.

We will do some drawing about the gifts in Santa's bag with this from http://www.polarexpress.com/games-fun.

Christmas is coming!

Christmas is fast approaching and we will be doing lots of holiday activities in the three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas......So I thought I would get a jump start and post some of the fun things we will be doing. I love all the gingerbread stories and we will be reading several and comparing them.

I will copy this onto chart paper or use on the Promethean Board.  Click here to get.

Flow map....The students will draw pictures to retell what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Click here to get.

Gingerbread Man sequencing.  This came from SparkleBox. Click here for the link.

(None of these songs are my original ideas....I have compiled them over the years and found them on many websites.)

Reindeer Poky
(sung to the tune of "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

(Sing to: We Wish You A Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!)
Let's all do a little clapping, let's all do a little clapping, let's all do a
little clapping, & spread Christmas cheer.
You can change the clapping to
other activities.
2.Jumping
3.Twirling
4.Stretching
5.Bending


Where is Santa?
(Sung to the tune: Are you sleeping?)
Where is Santa? Where is Santa? (hands behind back)
Here I am! Here I am! (arms out in front making a belly shape!)
Merry, Merry Christmas! Merry, Merry, Christmas!
(keep arms up through the rest of the song!)
Ho! Ho! Ho!, Ho! Ho! Ho!


Must Be Santa

Who's got a beard that's long and white 

Santa's got a beard that's long and white 

Who comes around on a special night 

Santa comes around on a special night 

Special Night, beard that's white 

Must be Santa, Must be Santa, Must be Santa, Santa Clause 

Who wears boots and a suit of red 

Santa wears boots and a suit of red 

Who wears a long cap on his head 

Santa wears a long cap on his head 

Cap on head, suit that's red 

Special night, beard that's white 

Must be Santa, Must be Santa, Must be Santa, Santa Clause 

Who's got a big red cherry nose 

Santa's got a big red cherry nose 

Who laughs this way HO HO HO 

Santa laughs this way HO HO HO 

HO HO HO, cherry nose 

Cap on head, suit that's red 

Special night, beard that's white

Must be Santa, Must be Santa, Must be Santa, Santa Clause 

Who very soon will come our way 

Santa very soon will come our way 

Eight little reindeer pull his sleigh 

Santa's little reindeer pull his sleigh 

Reindeer sleigh, come our way 

HO HO HO, cherry nose 

Cap on head, suit that's red 

Special night, beard that's white 

Must be Santa, Must be Santa, Must be Santa, Santa Clause 

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen 

Reindeer sleigh, come our way 

HO HO HO, cherry nose 

Cap on head, suit that's red 

Special night, beard that's white 

Must be Santa, Must be Santa, Must be Santa, Santa Clause

S-A-N-T-A
Sung to: "BINGO"
I know a man with a long white bears
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
He slides down the chimney with a pack on his back
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
Eight little reindeer pull his sleigh
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 

Gingerbread Boy / Girl
I'm a little gingerbread boy. (Boys bow.)
I'm a little gingerbread girl. (Girls bow.)
I can jump, (All jump.)
And I can twirl. (All turn around.)
I have raisins (Point to eyes.)
For my eyes,
And bright red buttons (Point to buttons down chest.)
Just this size.
I have a mouth,
It looks like this. (Point to smiling mouth.)
I can even
Blow a kiss. (Blow a kiss.)
I'm warm and tasty,
But don't eat me. (Shake head.)
Hang me on
Your Christmas tree! (Put hands over head.)