The Christmas season is right around the corner, and teachers everywhere are searching for ways to keep their students engaged during the month of December. Check out these Christmas activities specifically for the upper elementary classroom.
Christmas Around the World with a Twist
Everyone has heard of Christmas around the World activities. Usually, teachers select one country each day and explain that country’s Christmas traditions. Students usually end up making a fun art project with each country as well.
Well what if you switched it up? The students could select a country, either in a group or independently. Then they would research that country and present the information on a poster board or slideshow.
Giving students ownership to choose the country they want to research and how they would like to present the information makes the project more meaningful.
Classroom Elf
A classroom elf for the upper elementary classroom? Yes! Students of all ages love to come in first thing in the morning and find their class elf.
Teachers can expand the activity to include academic assignments. For example, students could write the elf a letter or draw a map of the classroom and put an X everywhere the elf has appeared.
Christmas Challenge
If you’re looking for an engaging and academic activity, a challenge may be just what you need.
Students can work together to compete against their classmates in a Christmas challenge.
For instance, in my Revise and Edit Christmas Challenge, students work on three hands-on revise and edit activities. As they complete each challenge they get a series of letters. Finally, they use these letters to unscramble the answer to the mystery question.
Holiday Cards for Soldiers
Combining kindness and writing is the perfect Christmas activity for your upper elementary classroom.
In this activity, students can create holiday cards for soldiers, the elderly, or veterans. They can include a kind message to encourage people during the holiday season.
Students will use their creativity and writing skills to make cards for those in need during the holiday season.
How To: Christmas Style
Students can write and present a Christmas how to. In order to make their presentation even more interesting,, they can even include a demonstration..
Examples of projects that students could tell how to do: make gingerbread houses, make Christmas cookies, decorating the tree, or wrapping a present.
Decorate the Room
A festive room always brings a smile to one’s face. Why not let the students be involved in decorating the classroom.
Students can bring supplies or make their own decorations to beautify their area of the classroom.
Additionally, if students have a special tradition they do at home, they can explain it to the class during this time.
Christmas Trivia
Students can create games, cards, or even a Kahoot on Christmas Trivia. After researching, students will create their own questions.
Next, the students can quiz the other students in the class in either a whole group or small group setting. Kids will have fun with this Christmas activity in their upper elementary classroom.
Holiday Book Review
There are so many books to read during the holiday season. In fact, a teacher could never read them all to her class during the month of December. The solution: a holiday book review.
First, students can go to the library and pick out a holiday book. After reading the book, they can complete a book review. For instance, they could do a book talk, a poster, a slideshow, or even a written assignment.
Not every student has to like their book. They will present their honest opinion of their holiday book.
Ugly Sweater Contest
Ugly sweaters have become a holiday tradition! To begin, teachers can share the history of ugly sweaters with their students. Next students will select the name of a classmate. They will decorate a sweater for that friend. Then, they will write about why they picked the elements in the sweater. For example, I colored it pink because that is Kylie’s favorite color. I also added pugs because she loves dogs.
Students will have a blast sharing the details of their sweater creations with one another.
Print and Go
Finally, Print and Go activities are the fastest and easiest way to keep your students engaged during the month of December.
Are you tired and don’t want to plan any activities for your students? I totally get that, too!
That’s why I created Print and Go Christmas Activities for third, fourth, and fifth grade students.
These 8 reading activities are perfect for upper elementary students. These NO Prep Christmas activities are an excellent resource for the tired teacher and energetic student.
These ten Christmas activities for upper elementary can be as elaborate or easy as you want to make them!
Are you looking for more Christmas activities? Check out my blog post: 15 Christmas Activities for the Distance Learning classroom. These activities work in a distance learning or traditional classroom.
