• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Ms. Rachel Vincent

A Teaching Blog

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Resources

Christmas in the Classroom

December 4, 2015 By Rachel

Do you think it’s possible to enjoy Christmas in the classroom?  Many teachers dread this time of the year because kids’ behavior tends to be a little crazier. Home and school schedules are out of whack and everyone is just busy, Busy, BUSY! Here’s one way I’ve gone from just surviving to actually enjoy Christmas in the classroom!
Want to know my secret?
Embrace the CRAZY!!  You know the saying, “if you can’t beat them, join them!”  Well, that’s exactly what I do with my Countdown to Christmas Break!  I have done this for many years now and it’s one of my favorite things.  The best part is you can make it as simple as or as complex as you want!  Stick around until the end for a FREEBIE!
Enjoy Christmas in the Classroom with this FREE countdown to break!

Take a look at your calendar

The first thing I do is look at my December calendar.  We all know December has a full schedule with concerts, parties, events, etc.  So I always plan the easier activities on the busier days.  I make it work for our classroom and most importantly my sanity.

Enjoy Christmas in the Classroom with this FREE countdown to break!

Create the Countdown

Once I figured out what days I am doing what I activities,

I print out the cards and numbers.

Enjoy Christmas in the Classroom with this FREE countdown to break!

 

There are multiple ways to display the countdown…

Display on a Bulletin Board
Enjoy Christmas in the Classroom with this FREE countdown to break!
Use a muffin tin and cover with tissue paper to punch out activities each day
Enjoy Christmas in the Classroom with this FREE countdown to break!
Use poster board to display
Enjoy Christmas in the Classroom with this FREE countdown to break!
After assembling, I post in the classroom and I’m ready to go.  Each morning, we turn over a card and usually do the activity that afternoon.  Sometimes the activity lends itself to be done during our math or reading block, but that’s the beauty of this countdown…it’s flexible to fit your classroom needs!  Here are just a few simple things I do each year for our countdown…
Decorate the classroom Christmas tree

Make snowflakes out of coffee filters

Math activities with a Christmas theme

Partner read Christmas books

I’m telling you…it’s a simple activity each day that gives the students something to look forward too, that just makes those days leading up to Christmas break fun and enjoyable!!  I share more ideas Christmas in the Classroom in these blog posts.

And to make your December even easier…
I have the countdown for FREE in my TPT Store!!

I have a Winter version, for the non-Christmas classrooms as well!
  • Rachel
  • Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Christmas, Freebie

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome! I love sharing ways to simplify your classroom and your teaching

    Follow Me

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram

    Find it fast

    Popular Posts

    Hassle-Free Class Store
    Solids Liquids and Gases Activities
    Ideas for Student of the Week
    Teacher Paperwork Organization Ideas
    Year Round Bulletin Board Ideas
    3 Ways to Make Your Classroom Bulletin Boards Pop!
    3 Amazing Classroom Organization Hacks
    Classroom Birthday Ideas
    Creating a Class Vision
    First Year Teacher Must Haves

    Footer

    MS. RACHEL VINCENT © TERMS · PRIVACY POLICY · BRANDING + WEBSITE DESIGN BY LAUGH EAT LEARN

    Back to Top

    msrachelvincent

    Rachel | 4th Grade Teacher
    How long is your students’ attention spans? I o How long is your students’ attention spans?
I only have about 10 minutes before I lose them! 🤪
And I don’t know about you but my lessons are typically longer…so I try to mix it up every 10 minutes with a Think-Pair-Share or some kind of movement
.
.
#teachersofig #iteachtoo #iteach4th #iteach456 #teachersofinstagram #teachingelementary #attentionspan #minilessons #thinkpairshare
    6 ways to get your students participating in your 6 ways to get your students participating in your lessons!
1️⃣ Think Time - giving your students time to think about the answer keeps your over achievers from answering all the questions 
2️⃣ Movement - Stand/Sit if this is your answer
3️⃣ Turn & Talk - Everyone shares their answer with a partner
4️⃣ Hand Signals - Perfect for multiple choice questions
5️⃣ Think-Pair-Share - Combines the think time with turn & talk 
6️⃣ Repetition - repeat important information to help it stick
🗣🗣Which number are you trying this week?!
.
.
.
#teachersfollowteachers #igteachers #iteach #teachergram #iteachfourth #iteach345 #teachingstrategies #studentparticipation
    Do you have these 4 teacher goals?! 1️⃣ Instr Do you have these 4 teacher goals?!
1️⃣ Instructional Goal - How are you improving your instruction?
2️⃣ Relationship Goal - How are you building relationships with students or coworkers?
3️⃣ Balance Goal - How are you trying to have a better work-life balance?
4️⃣ Non Instructional Goal - What other area are you trying to improve?
Here’s my 4 goals!
1. Vocabulary Instruction 
2. 2 Positive Notes a Week
3. Leave by 3:00 3 out 5 days
4. Clean off back counter once a week
What are your goals?
.
.
.
#teachersfollowteachers #igteachers #iteach #teachergram #iteachfourth #iteach345 #teachergoals #teachergoals🍎
    Coming back from break is a lot easier than the fi Coming back from break is a lot easier than the first day of school!
Less teacher talk 🗣
More student talk 👥
1️⃣ Give your students time to catch up with each other. Even adults like to chit chat about what we did during break!
2️⃣ Review procedures by playing a fun game. Charades is a great way to act out procedures to see if other students can guess what they’re doing!
3️⃣ The halfway point of the school year is a great time for students to set goals!
What’s your favorite thing to do after a break?!
.
.
.
#teachersfollowteachers #igteachers #iteach #teachergram #iteachfourth #iteach345 #studentgoals #classroomprocedures #classroomideas
    Load More... Follow on Instagram