December Interesting Things About The Month – December can seem like a whirlwind at times; there are concerts, parties, and many interruptions to normal schedules and routines. It’s hard trying to keep students engaged as they work their way through the required content, but there it is! Even if it’s a wild few weeks, you can keep your students engaged and excited to learn…yeah!! You know! Check out some of my favorite books and activities to stay ahead of the curve! There are tons of great read-aloud book activities to share to keep your students engaged in the excitement of the month.
Sitting down with the class and reading aloud in December always calms the craziness, but it also opens up great conversations, as the Christmas books have some pretty amazing themes. Here are some of my favorite activities and books to read in December…
December Interesting Things About The Month
This little book carries a big message. With this sweet book, you’ll love discussing gifts and receiving gifts, the importance of humility and kindness, and what’s most important during the holidays.
Kelly’s Korner: December Delight
The illustrations add to the beauty of the story in “Seven Reels of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story.” The author uses the seven principles of Kwanzaa to tell the story of family gathering and the power of community. This is a great book that shares the principles of Kwanzaa and the true meaning of the holiday season.
I love, love, love wordless picture books!! There are so many possibilities when students are able to create stories in their minds through illustrations. This book is a great read to create a story together or to use the illustrations as winter writing prompts for students.
“How to…” books are always a favorite because of their fun themes and rhymes. This is especially cute for the holiday season and perfect for a fun STEM activity too! Your kids will love it!
Reasons To Celebrate In December
“The Carpenter’s Gift” is such a beautiful story. There are books that you read and you know right away that the quotes and moments make for really great conversations and allow your students to create really special pieces of writing of their own.
There are many great moments in The Carpenter’s Gift, but there are two quotes that really stood out to me as a reader and I’m sure will make your students think. “The best gifts are the ones you don’t expect” and “If ever there was a magical moment, this is it” are two quotes from the story that are sure to get students thinking.
Get your fabrics ready! “The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree” is something you won’t forget! I couldn’t get through this story fast enough to get to the end…in a good way! Such a beautiful story with so many great conversation starters.
December Fun At The Library
I just love, love, love this story! You should be rooting for Red and Lulu, and your students will love their story. I must read this in December! “Red and Lulu” will soon become one of your favorites!
I mean…the title is “Mooseltoe”, what’s not to love? A fun read for you and your students, it can also be a fun art project!
Her students will love Olive, and you’ll love how Olive doesn’t give up and finds a way when she doesn’t feel like she belongs. This is a super cute story that your students will love!
Bulletin. Natural History; Natural History. 312 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 26, Art. 3 Turcs Until April, 1^53, When A Sharp Rise Occurred With A Rise In Monthly Mean Tem
This is a great book that captures the beauty of family traditions and celebrates families who can honor multiple holidays in their home. Many students can probably relate to the traditions shared in Light the Candles.
Snow is coming in December! Well, maybe, depending on where you are…but December here means snow. And often a lot. And that means MONTHS! Woohoo! Everyone’s favorite, right? This book is always fun to read when snow is in the forecast! Pssst… It’s okay to share the love of snow days with your kids! And if you have a snow day, you can do a fun writing activity and write about the fun of your day off!
“The Little Reindeer” is such a sweet story with beautiful illustrations that will capture the attention of readers. They will love the story and adventures of the little lost reindeer.
December Pinterest Pick 3 Linky
This is a really fun book with so many different writing activities to get involved in! Your students will love hearing about how Santa got his job and what jobs he tried before landing the one he was meant to do! You can have students create wanted ads looking for Santa, create a resume for Santa, or lots of fun story ideas!
I love this sweet story. You can ask your students to make a wish and discuss how a wish can be about more than just material things. Students sometimes struggle to think beyond “things” when we ask them to think of things they want or desire. This is a great activity to think beyond the materialism of the season and more so the spirit of giving.
Picking a tree can be a fun tradition, and “Pick a Pine Tree” can help students think about their own family traditions and holidays. You can discuss what tradition is, how each family can celebrate differently, why traditions are important, and how to honor them. Grab a free holiday traditions template below!
House Of Doolittle Earthscapes Wildlife Desk Pad
Sometimes Amazon recommends books that I like and I have to wonder if Amazon knows me or what? LOL! Because when this popped up, I immediately put it in my cart. If you read one book this season, make it THIS! This is a beautiful story that will teach your students to find blessings all around us in everyday events that we may not even notice. This is a beautiful story you won’t want to miss this year.
I love this book so much…reminds me of so many blizzards I’ve been in, young and old, and the thrills! It has incredibly descriptive language and is a great mentor text for narrative writing. Especially if you’re in the middle of a blizzard.
Before the craziness of the holiday season sets in, have students write about their own holiday traditions. This simple activity will give you a good idea of the different holidays or festivals that your students respect. This allows you to plan your lessons throughout the month around your student traditions. This is a great way to get to know your students.
The Poetry Project > The Poetry Project Newsletter > #1 — December 1972
I love doing fun activities that still cover important skills…and the students LOVE writing a job description for a reindeer to fill in for Rudolph when Rudolph is sick on Christmas Eve. You can find this writing activity HERE.
This is always a winter writing favorite! Students can write an imaginative story about the life of a snow globe. This is a great display to follow in the winter! win win!! The students write wonderfully and there is no need to change boards before break! You can find this writing activity HERE.
Another great writing activity for the holiday season is a persuasive writing activity where students try to sell their gingerbread house. This is a fun activity that helps students learn the important elements of persuasive writing. You can find this writing activity HERE.
December Fun Facts: All About Your Favorite Month Of The Year
Conclusion can be a tricky concept. But making a wish list and inferring each other’s likes and hobbies can make the inferences a little more fun! You can do this activity HERE.
I love making fold-out books, and each holiday comes with a short read-aloud and a fold-out book. Students love making their own little books and they are full of content! Two pages contain a lot of information if you fold them into small books! They’re low-maintenance and perfect for the busy holiday season. You can find the package containing six reading stations and books HERE.
To take a break from the holiday spirit, December is also full of really interesting dates and historical events. I have four December-themed close readings that will keep students interested and engaged. You can find these nearby reading places HERE.
December Babies: December Birthday Facts
I hope you found some great new books and activities for December. The month seems to fly by, but it can still be fun and fulfilling! Don’t forget to embrace the chaos and enjoy this time with your students…they are only small once and they can be small with you!
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You may also be interested in my teacher gift guide. You can watch it HERE. As for December babies,
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