Elf Laws: A Social Studies Activity

I had my students do this "Elf Laws" activity, and I'm not sure who had more fun, the kids or me!

 

The first part of the activity asks the children to put the Elf Laws in order with the most important law being #1 and the least important law being #10.

 

Once I convinced them that any answer was correct as long as they could defend it, the fun started. The children worked in pairs, making their decisions and defending their decisions. I enjoyed some delightful conversations! 

I've developed the skill of pretending I'm working on something else while they work so I can hear those true conversations!

 

 I'm sure you've done it...pretend you're organizing books for tomorrow and walk by slowly. These are precious moments!

Well, once they got their laws in order, the real fun started: writing about why they put the laws in the order they did. Some children had a little trouble starting, but I prompted them with questions like, "Why do you think cleaning up the workshop is so important?" or " Why is tooth brushing more important than singing carols?" or " Why don't you think wearing hats is an important rule?" 

 

Their answers were priceless! 

 

Here are some examples of how they defended their Elf Rules:

• Elves need to show respect to other elves, just like we do. 
• It's not important to brush your teeth; that's what dentists are for!
• Elves don't need to wear hats. They work indoors. 
• They need to clean up the workshop. What if Santa tripped over something? We want Santa safe.
• Of course they need to care for the reindeer. Who else is going to do it?
• Elves work very hard making all those toys. They need to get a break after Christmas. Just like us!

Aren't kids precious?

This is the perfect activity for this time of year. It keeps them engaged, and it's a valuable learning experience. For more activities like this, please see Science and Social Studies Printables for December. These will get you through those last few days.

  What activities are helping you get through the last few days before the break?

Holiday Magic!

The holidays will be here before you know it! 

I've been putting my holiday resources in order, and here are a few that will keep the kiddos engaged, along with some fun learning as well! (Just like magic!)

 

Here's one of my most popular collections: Science and Social Studies Printables for December!

This has all sorts of Science and Social Studies activities! It's got close reads on the aurora borealis and the North Pole, a mapping activity about the North Pole, classifying animals by habitats, science activities on holiday scents and the effect of marshmallows on hot chocolate, and even a civics activity on elf laws!

This resource is relatively new, but it's already a hit! 

Winter Holidays Informational Text AND Readers Theater

Your students will be having so much fun they'll forget they're practicing important reading skills! This resource includes informational text describing ten different winter holidays! Plus, it has a readers' theater script (7 pages) for ten children. It also has a song that can be used as a finale if they want to perform the play!

Here's a great way to start each day with the children thinking!

 

These Morning Meeting Greeting Questions can be displayed each morning for discussion or printed for written responses. Based on the calendar and unusual national holidays, every day has a totally different question! 

The kiddos won't even know they're having learning experiences; they'll be having so much fun!

Holiday No Prep Printables has loads of Math and Literacy activities that are perfect for those few days before the holidays when you're trying to keep them focused, but all they want to do is talk about the upcoming holidays! This collection will perform its holiday magic on the kiddos!

Drawing Holiday Conclusions is a favorite of my students! These task cards can be used as a center, as part of a Scoot game, or as skill practice in a reading group. This is always a hit!

Finally, one of my favorite freebies! This resource is totally magical! The children LOVE to listen to the music of the Nutcracker and visualize the storyline. Their pictures are delightful, and it's always a peaceful time while they listen and illustrate. (Sh... don't tell them they are practicing important reading skills like visualizing and sequencing a story!)

I hope these resources bring some magic to your holiday season!

Science and Social Studies Activities for November

Science and Social Studies are my very favorite things to teach! 

However, it's so hard to find time in the schedule to teach these. But I manage to find time by overlapping with other subjects, such as reading, and including science and social studies concepts with the calendar!  

Here's my favorite resource for November!
Science and Social Studies Activities for November!

I'm determined to make your life easier, and I hope this resource does the job!  I've taken many of the important second-grade skills, mixed in a few November special days, and came up with these activities! There are close reading activities, mini-books, sorting activities, and even a S.T.E.M. activity to do with leftover Halloween candy corn! It's guaranteed fun for the kids, easy for the teachers, and valuable learning experiences!

Here are a couple of my favorite parts:

A Turkey Fact Mini-book! (With vocabulary and comprehension questions.)

Daylight Savings Time Close Read. 

 

A STEM Engineering Challenge with leftover Halloween candy corn!

 

Thanksgiving Fact or Fiction? This was so much fun to make: Children have to decide whether things could have happened in the 1600s at the first Thanksgiving! Expect plenty of giggles!

If you like these, check out some of my Science and Social Studies collections:

Autumn Bundle

 

Winter Bundle

 

Spring Bundle

 

Summer Science and Social Studies

  

Or grab them all here at a HUGE discount!

Science and Social Studies for the Year Bundle

These resources have made my life so much easier! I hope they do the same for you!

Looking at November

I'm looking at the calendar, and I just can't believe we're approaching November already! 

A lot happens in November, but there's no need to fear; I've got your teaching needs covered!

 

Here are a couple of resources to start off November: 

 

This one is on the popular Boom Learning platform:

November Facts Boom Learning

 

These daily writing or oral language prompts are perfect for morning meeting, or daily writing!

 November Morning Meeting Greeting Activities

Make your life easier by sending home these monthly communication brochures:

Parent Communication Brochures - November Edition

This is one of my favorite November resources: Science and Social Studies Activities for November!

Remember Election Day!

I'm sure I'll have the kiddos vote for something, but they won't be voting for president. It's far too controversial! This one's fun! (and free!)  Election Day Graphing Option for Little Kids

  Veteran's Day is November 11th! 

Here's a fun activity to help the children understand what a Veteran really is! This will spark some great conversations!  Veterans True or False

Here's another fun resource to help children learn about Veterans! (On the fun Boom Learning platform!) Armed Services Fun Facts

Once they figure out what Veterans are, they can use this freebie to write thank you notes to them. Thank You, Veterans!

Since Election Day and Veterans Day are both Patriotic holidays, enjoy these Patriotic Brain Breaks! See the image for the link to this freebie! Patriotic Brain Breaks

Of course, everyone's favorite November holiday is Thanksgiving! Check out these Thanksgiving Printables!

Do your students know the +9 trick? (It's just one less than the +10!) Here's a math game to practice +9s! Turkey Nines  (Oh my goodness, they LOVE this game! It works like "Old Maid")

And guess what... there's a freebie (easier) version!  Turkey Nines Freebie!

Want more turkeys? This little bundle includes more turkey learning fun, (including the Thanksgiving Turkey game) at a huge discount!

I hope you find something your students will love for the month of November!

Five Reasons NOT to Reward Students

Many teachers love to reward their students for doing a good job on their classwork. 

 

 

I have mixed feelings about this, and here are some reason why.

Rewards can make behavior and work habits worse in the long run. Simple rewards can certainly motivate children to work harder, but once the reward is gone, the motivation stops. Behaviors and work habits go downhill fast once the children have been rewarded. "Why should I read if I'm not earning a prize?"

Rewards cost money. Teachers don't have a lot of money. 

Rewards give the wrong impression. Good behavior is what's expected. Giving rewards makes good behavior an extra effort worth of a prize. It's almost like turning good behavior into a job, with a paycheck as the prize. 

Rewards lead to entitlement. Children develop a sense of entitlement for simply doing what is expected. Unfortunately, this leads to adults who feel entitled simply for showing up at work. 

Learning is its own reward. Students need to be developing a sense of pride in what they do. That is the true reward! Feeling good about working hard for something is a wonderful feeling! Taking pride in a project done well, or a successful test is a prize within itself. 

Despite all these reasons, I won't say that rewards should never be used. There are some children that need that extra motivation in order to be successful. Some children have behavioral challenges or educational challenges that make school very hard. In these cases, rewards should be used carefully.