lots and lots of happy This stocking is packed with Christmas something wishes from special me! Our Five Senses Christmas Poem Written by Elaine Engerdahl I see the Christmas tree and children on Santa’s knee. I smell the cookies I make and the Christmas cake. I hear bells ringing and children singing. -2- I taste the Christmas sweets and all the other treats. I feel the Christmas toys made for girls and boys. How do you use your Christmas senses? Christmas Literature Activities - Integrating the Five Senses into Christmas After reading the popular book If You Take A Mouse To The Movies by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond the children could discuss what senses were used in the book. After the emergent reader Christmas Mouse would be used to model the reading process. It could be made into a big book, predictable chart, displayed on the overhead or reprinted on chart paper. Sample pages of the book are displayed below. The children could be actively involved in using their five senses to complete the book. The story line reads as follows: What happens when mouse goes to the mall? He smells the gingerbread cookies (ginger and cinnamon could be sprinkled on the cookie for the children to smell). He wants to taste one. He sees the tree. He wants to decorate one (children would decorate the tree as shown in the photo). He hears the bells. (little bells could be added for children to hear). He wants to shake one. He touches Santa's suit. (red felt could be glued to the suit for the children to feel). He wants to wear one. He is a Christmas mouse! E Christmas Mouse Crafts - A Great Follow-up to Reading the Emergent Readers The Christmas mouse template would be painted, cut, assembled and other features added as shown in the photograph. Christmas Mouse Candy Cane Tree Decoration 1, Copy the templates on card stock. 2. Cut the templates to use for tracers. 3. The template shapes could be traced on foam craft sheets. 4. The foam pieces would be assembled to represent a mouse as shown in the photograph. 5. You can use white glue to assemble the mouse but the candy cane would require a hot glue gun. Emergent Reader Introducing the Letter "Qq" The emergent reader "Quietly, Quietly" is about how quietly Santa travels to a little girl's house. It introduces the letter "Qq" within its story context. A sample page from the reader is found in the link below: Letter "Qq" Recognition - Picture Mnemonics This craft activity involves children being actively involved in associating the picture to letter and more effectively making this more meaningful to them. The purpose is to have them associate the letter "Qq" to the initial sound in "quiet". The children can sponge- paint the letter "q" Christmas colors. Santa in the center of the picture represents the word "quiet" for the beginning sound of the letter "q". Santa Shape Letter This can be used to make a Santa letter or shape book. Christmas Literacy Center Ideas • Color alphabet tree cards - there are two different sets. Older children can match the upper- case letters to the lower-case letters. Younger children can match the same letters. • There are also 18 color Christmas picture cards. The children can match the beginning sound with the correct alphabet letter. For example, the picture of a candy cane would be matched with the letter Cc. These picture cards could also be used for instructional purposes (shown to the right). Christmas Math Center Ideas You will find Christmas tree cards as displayed below. The children put the correct amount of decorations on the tree. Another Christmas Math Idea To encourage counting and using one-to-one number correspondence, hang a stocking and have children guess how many candies will fill the stocking. Have them count how many will fit into the stocking without the candy falling out. The Polar Express Activities After reading "The Polar Express" the children can read together with a predictable chart or big book a follow-up to the story. This would be used to model the reading process. The lines are repetitive enough that the children will be able to read the text once it has been introduced to them and practiced several times together. A sample page from the big book that was made, is seen in the photograph below. The pictures were glued on poster board and the print was enlarged. There is also accompanying emergent reader that would be used for the children to practice on their own and take home to read to family members. The text reads as follows: What did the boy see when he went on the Polar Express? Page 2 - The boy rode the Polar Express. Page 3 - He saw lights. Page 4 - He saw wolves. Page 5 - He saw mountains Page 6 - He saw the North Pole. Page 7 - He saw Santa and his elves. Page 8 - He saw the sleigh. Page 9 - He saw the silver bell. Page 10 - He saw the magic of Christmas. Christmas Craft Suggestions Christmas Sleigh Craft or Polar Express This makes a delightful little treat holder for the little ones! 1. Cut the top of a 150 ml milk carton. 2. Trace the templates onto red construction paper 3. Cut and glue the strip around the milk carton and then add the sides of the sleigh 4. Color and cut out Santa and add him to the front of the sleigh. 5. Add craft sticks to the base of the sleigh. 6. Add colorful shreddings inside the container and fill it with delightful treats! Stain Glass Craft This craft looks gorgeous mounted on a window or a bulletin board. Have the children choose a template from the theme book or member's area. Copy the template on an overhead transparency. Have the children color the template using permanent markers. Glue gold or silver (tinfoil) behind the picture and you have a beautiful stained glass creation! Christmas Tree Shape Craft 1. Copy the shapes (triangle, rectangle, circles and star) onto card stock. 2. Children trace the triangle tree onto green construction paper and the trunk onto brown. These shapes are cut out and glued to form the tree. 3. The circles and star are traced onto shiny gift wrap paper, cut, glued and added to the tree for the ornaments. 4. Glitter glue could be used for finishing touches. Christmas Stocking Craft Children trace the two stocking outlines onto red card stock . • They cut the stockings • An adult can hole punch the stocking (secure with a paper clip). • Children weave ribbon or yarn to hold the the stocking outlines together. • Add decorations to complete the craft. Christmas Craft Wreath • Copy the wreath template onto card stock. Enough copies for each child in your classroom. • Cut green tissue paper into small squares using the paper cutter (approximately 1 cm squares) • Children paint the template green • Once the template is dry, it is cut out • Glue a red bow on top (optional) • Children scrunch the tissue paper squares or shape them over the eraser part of a pencil. • Dip the square into white glue • Add the tissue paper onto the wreath Christmas Ornaments Christmas Craft Dough Ornaments - Oatmeal Clay Oatmeal clay was used to make the wreath ornament because this adds a little texture. Oatmeal Clay • 1 cup of rolled oats (instant or old fashioned) • 2/3 cup of flour (possibly more) • 1/2 cup of water • food coloring Note: If you wish to add food coloring to the clay, it works best to add it to the water. • Mix all the ingredients together • Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth and not sticky • Give each child a ball of dough • Have them roll it out and cut it out according to what shape you wish • It takes 1 - 2 days to dry. Note: make a hole at the top to insert something to hang the ornament with. • Add the decorations (paint if you didn't use food coloring) Christmas Stocking Shape Card This a good craft to do after reading the emergent reader Quietly, Quietly found in the Christmas theme book on pages 16-19. 1. Copy the template in the link below. 2. Fold it in half and color or sponge paint the stocking red or use it as a tracer on red construction paper ( ensure it is letter-sized construction paper). 3. Cut along the bold lines of the stocking part leaving the folded part uncut. 4. Children can cut the outside and inside verses along the dotted lines in the links below. The pictures on the verses can be colored (optional) and glued to the outside and inside of the card. 5. Glue on other decorations like tinsel, sequins and glitter glue, Christmas Elf Craft A Room Full of Elves This makes a wonderful bulletin board display or Christmas ornament (could be laminated and a string or pipe cleaner could be attached to hang it from the Christmas tree). 1. Take a picture of each child's face. This will require cropping to approximately a 4 X6 head size (150 zoom). 2. Copy the elf template onto white card stock. 3. Have children color the elf . 4. The hat, body and face is cut . 5. Arrange the elf as shown in the picture and glue it together RECOMMENDED CHRISTMAS BOOKS 1. If You Take A Mouse To The Movies by Laura Numeroff 2. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg 3.