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Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas

I'm bracing myself for a challenging week. It's a busy time of year. 

There are very few hours of sunlight per day. That really affects the spirit of many. Kids are overstimulated, sleep deprived, and downright cranky.

Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

Here are Six Ways to Survive the Last Week Before Christmas:

Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

1.  Bribery Works!  Yes, I've been known to resort to bribery. I would hope that children want to be good just for that personal pride, but that's not realistic. They need to earn something.  
 
This week, we're working toward a Christmas party on Thursday afternoon. I've already planned the party.  We'll have entertainment and gifts to open, and food and fun stuff. But I tell them those plans can be canceled if they don't earn the party. I've come close to canceling the party in the past, but we've always had the party. One thing to remember about bribery... the "bait" needs to be WORTH IT, or it won't work next time! (I'll be sure the Christmas party is awesome!)

Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

2.  Keep Them Active!  I've got some games that keep the kids out of their seats. These two games are both Dollar Deals!
 
Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!


The key is to get the kids having so much fun, they don't realize they're practicing their adding skills!


Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

3.  Try a Little Yoga!
Kids really adapt well to Yoga, and it really calms them down and helps them focus! Honestly, it helps me, too!


Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

4. Add some music to your day!
I use this one in my classroom all the time!
 
Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

Any baroque music makes a great calming background for the classroom!
Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

Of course, my acupuncturist uses this background music, and I know it relaxes me!
Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

Or, if you're looking for holiday music, this one is my personal favorite in the classroom: 
Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

And who doesn't love this one?

Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

5.  Let them paint!
I am always amazed at how quiet the children become when I pull out the watercolors! Of course, one needs to have an educational purpose for painting, but I really don't think creative teachers like us would have a problem thinking of something, do you?
Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

6. Have a Game Day!

There are plenty of board games out there that are perfect for strengthening the children's reading and math skills, and some great strategy building, but be sure to keep the "learning" part a secret... they'll think they're getting away with something!  Here are a few of my favorites:
 Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!
Apples to Apples is my favorite! It always makes the kids giggle, and (shhhh...) works some valuable thinking skills! 

Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

Scrabble works reading, writing, and even math, as well as strategic thinking!


Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

Uno is a classic! 

Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!
Plus, Yahtzee is a great game for strengthening math skills!
Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

Then, of course, regular playing cards will always entertain, and make mathematical paths in the brain. (Seriously!)

Well, there are six ideas to help you through this week. I hope this helps! 

But, as all teachers know, when all else fails, be sure to keep a stash of chocolate in your desk for those particularly stressful days!

Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!

How do you survive the week before the holidays!


Six Ways to Survive The Last Week Before Christmas: This blog post has several ideas for keeping the children engaged in learning during those VERY busy weeks before Christmas, including resources for active learners!



Bullwinkle

I love when I get something from a workshop that I can bring back to my classroom the next day!

Bullwinkle: a fun math game! Here's an easy game that requires nothing but fingers... and fun! It's great for morning meeting or just a filler!

Today we had a Staff Development Day about Math. It had some good stuff about subitizing, Rekenreks (we used to call them abacuses) and different activities we can do with the kiddos  to help build that all important Number Sense.  
 
One fun activity was called "Bullwinkle".  (Do others remember the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon?)  Well, it's called that because you need to put your hands on your head so you look sort of like a moose.  (One could say you look like a reindeer this time of year!)

The teacher tells the kids to hold up a number of fingers. 
There are several variations:  making the number alone, making the number differently from a partner, making the number by working with your partner, making the number with your partner without actually talking.  

I'll bet you can think of even more variations, maybe even for practicing multiplication!

I really wanted to take a picture of a whole room of teachers (and administrators) playing Bullwinkle, but my hands were 
busy making the number 15.
Bullwinkle: a fun math game! Here's an easy game that requires nothing but fingers... and fun! It's great for morning meeting or just a filler!


December Freebies

It has come to my attention how many freebies I have for the month of December. 

December Freebies: Here are several freebies to help you through the month of December!

Here are some of my favorites:

December Freebies: Here are several freebies to help you through the month of December!

Hanukkah is super early this year. In fact, it's happening now! Be sure to download this Hanukkah Game Board. It can be used with skill that needs practicing: math facts, sight words, task cards. Just do a card, check, and roll your way around the game board.  

December Freebies: Here are several freebies to help you through the month of December!

Holiday Fluency Sample is a fun way to practice reading phrases. With holiday words, of course!

December Freebies: Here are several freebies to help you through the month of December!

This is my favorite holiday activity. It focuses on classic holiday music and the storyline that goes along with it. Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker includes suggestions on which music to play with each part of the storyline. It's a great exercise in visualization, and the kids absolutely love it! Yes, even the boys! How can you miss it when the setting is a place called The Kingdom of Sweets? (I've done this every year for at least 15 years!)

 
December Freebies: Here are several freebies to help you through the month of December!

 
This is what my students are working on tomorrow: Acts of Kindness Countdown gives the kids a chance to count down the days until Christmas and enjoy the joy of giving at the same time.  Plus, everything they are giving is free!

The two resources below are NOT free, but are totally worth it!

December Freebies: Here are several freebies to help you through the month of December!

I had to throw in my newest resources, although this one is not free. December Holidays True or False Boom Digital Task Cards This digital resource allows students to practice reading skills while learning about holidays around the world. Boom Learning digital task cards are easy to use, perfect for remote or distance learning, and fun for the students!
December Freebies: Here are several freebies to help you through the month of December!

And here's one more new one, that's very popular with the children! Boom Learning December General Knowledge Trivia Questions and Enrichment
 

The December holidays are great fun for the students and an excuse for fun learning!


December Freebies: Here are several freebies to help you through the month of December!
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