If you are in the mood to print and go, I have all kinds of Christmas and Winter activities that you can find here:
To take a more DIY approach, here are a few low prep, high engagement activities that are perfect for this time of year!
First up is a fun, hands-on math center that can be differentiated to meet all of your students' needs! To prep this simple activity, all you need is a die, some felt, and a good pair of scissors!
Fold your green felt I'm half and cut out a "Christmas tree shape". Use any other color felt to create ornaments. I made simple circles but you can get as creative with it as you want!
For students working on counting with 1:1 correspondence, instruct students to roll the die and count out that number of ornaments onto their tree. Students can keep rolling and counting until their tree is full or they are out of ornaments!
To add another step, provide students with different sized "gifts" and encourage students to put the gifts in order from smallest to largest under the tree.
For students working on addition, instruct students to roll the die and count out that number of ornaments. Roll the die a second time and add the second quantity of ornaments on the tree. (I had my students use one color for each turn.) Have students write an addition equation to represent the ornaments they added to their tree.
The final way I like to use this activity is to compare amounts. Just like with the addition activity, instruct students to roll the die and count out that number of ornaments. Roll the die a second time and add the second quantity of ornaments on the tree. (I had my students use one color for each turn.) Then, students will compare the two quantities and discuss which color has more, which has less, or if the quantities are equal.
Holiday Card Writing Station
This station could not be easier to set up! I supplied students in the writing center with markers, construction paper, and festive stickers from the dollar store. You can also display a few "holiday words" to get them started. (If you need Holiday Vocab words, I have a FREEBIE for you. :) Keep Scrolling!
I taught students how to fold the paper in half to make a card. They decorated the front with a holiday message.
Then wrote a special message inside for whoever they were making their card for.
Students could also use this center to write a letter to Santa.
I have created a Holiday Vocabulary FREEBIE just for you! Click the image below to download.
Another low prep activity that is fun for the students is this size comparing and patterning craft.
To prep this activity, all you have to do is cut several strips of green paper in different lengths. I cut mine with about an inch difference.
Supply the students with construction paper, glue, and strips of paper cut into several different lengths. Instruct students to arrange the paper strips from smallest to largest and glue them down on a sheet of construction paper.
To add another skill to this activity, students can create a pattern "ornaments" on each strip. I like to use these sparkly glitter glue pens but you could also use pom poms, sequence, or any other art supplies you have!
No comments