Today we had a "snow in" for an afternoon celebration. We pretended the electricity was out. We curled up in blankets next to a "fireplace" and enjoyed the story Santa is Coming to Iowa. We munched on popcorn and candy canes and sipped on hot chocolate and marshmallows. The students played board games and enjoyed each other.
Yesterday students responded to the prompt: "If you were a gift, what would you be? Who would you give yourself to and why." This prompt created discussion about holidays, traditions, cultures, and celebrations. We acknowledged all holidays that we were aware of: Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, Diwali, New Year, and Chinese New Year. We concluded that this time of the year isn't all about presents. Rather, it's about love, family, friends, goodwill, and the fun of giving and receiving. When students responded to the prompt they were told that they needed to choose a gift that would improve the well being of one of their family members.
I proofread a variety of responses, such as shoes (because their mom only has one quality pair), a car (because their mom's car is unreliable and causes stress), a book (because getting lost in a good book is relaxing), a big dog (because the family misses their dog and they would feel safer with one), a door (because their sister deserves privacy), a vacation (because their family needs a break), a college education (so they can have a house and their mom can have a good job). Their answers were thoughtful and delightful to read.
We did a little roll playing and responded to first grade Santa letters. When we delivered our letters we went into the classrooms above first grade, stomped our feet, jingled bells, and dropped our envelope out the window. This is a holiday tradition our school has enjoyed for many years. Below you can see some examples of letters. They are absolutely adorable!
