Bring the Season into your Space

The three weeks between fall break and winter break can be a quirky time. While learners are distracted by tinsel and sugarplums, why not create a winter oasis that engages learners and brings them back to the learning at hand?

10. WRAP YOUR DOOR

While this seems like a simple task, get creative. The door is the entryway into your learning environment and the first thing your learners see. Wanna step it up a notch? Add specifications for your subject! English: holiday quotes, puns, books, etc. History: Facts about holidays from around the globe or important historical events that happened in December. Just some ideas to get those juices flowing!

9. PUT A SEASONAL QUOTE OR JOKE ON THE BOARD

While learners are completing their “Do Now”/ bell work, get them laughing, and give them something more to read. The best part about it? They will come to expect it and look forward to it. For example: “I love smiling; smiling’s my favorite!” ~Buddy the Elf. Let the punchline of your holiday joke be the beginning of the lesson, and ask learners if they know where the quote is from.

8. PLAY HOLIDAY MUSIC

Turn the music on during transition time. You can even keep playing it while learners are working on bell work. Be prepared: sing-alongs may occur. Don’t be fooled, though, they can still get their work done! Even better idea: have this over the loudspeakers during transition time. Studies show a positive correlation between calming hallways and moving along transition time with the use of music (you have one song to get where you need to be…). Instrumental music is also great (and reduces sing-alongs). Who doesn’t love Kenny G?

7. THROW IN WINTERY SMELLS

Provided you don’t have any learners with severe asthma/ sensitivity, put in some smells like peppermint candy canes, cinnamon, or pine. You’ll be surprised by the calming, yet productive feeling this sets over the space. Fun fact, these are all scents associated with neurological stimulation and engaging the brain.

6. SHINE SOME LIGHT

There’s plenty of research that supports the use of natural light in learning environments. There are green and blue magnetic filters that you can hang up over the halogen lights. Better yet, open those shades and string up some holiday white lights (avoid blinking lights and red lights- both can have adverse effects and become an overstimulating distraction).

5. GO CROSS-CURRICULAR

This is the perfect time of year to try something like this. Learn about the history of the Christmas cookie/ gingerbread house (and there is a historical connection). Math, solve the equations to find out the measurements for the ingredients. Science, find a plant-based solution (earth science), review the effects sugar has on the body and fat cells (biology), the chemistry of sugar vs. aspartame (chemistry), measure the velocity at which the gingerbread house would break (physics), and English, write the directions for how to bake (a great lesson in detailed, sequential writing). This may be a bit of a stretch, but get creative!

4. MAKE IT SNOW

Sparkle some glitter along the window sills, put some cotton balls along the corners of the room, and spray that fake snow at the bottom of the windows/ door window, put up some paper snowflakes. Even better when you live in a state that doesn’t have snow.

3. PLAY SANTA

As if grading 150 essays in a weekend isn’t magic enough! This works great if the last day before the holiday break is a Friday. Put a little something on the desks of learners, or have them pick from a stocking as they enter class. Pens, pencils, stamps, stickers, candy canes, Post-Its, and chocolates, can all be found at the dollar store, and they can be purchased in bulk. A lot of states and districts even have a “gift for teachers” store where you can get these classroom items for free. You can choose to do just a day or the whole week leading up to the break.

2. ADOPT AN ELF

Have a classroom elf on the shelf (or mensch on a bench). Bildungsroman (Billy) for English, AgNUS (Chem), Pi (Math), etc. You’d be surprised how excited your learners (even high schoolers) get looking for the elf the next day. Mine hung lights on a tree and got tangled, left messages on the board, created a winter wonderland of paper snowflakes, found a favorite book on the bookshelf, etc.

1. THE HOLIDAY GIFT OF WORDS

As a former English teacher, this is the most powerful and meaningful assignment. The day back from the fall break, pass out the Holiday Gift of Words Assignment. Learners choose their favorite quote and “gift” it to a classmate. Some learners frame the quote, some cut out all the letters of the quote from magazines, and some put them on an ornament; they get very creative. There are donated supplies of wrapping paper, boxes, tissue paper, bags, etc. in the room all month long. On the last day before the break, the “gifts” are put at the front of the room, and names are randomly selected to go up and choose a present. But, the fun doesn’t stop there! We went around the room, and learners unwrapped the quote and read it. The person who gifted the quote then explained the significance of the quote and why this was a favorite quote. Be sure to bring the tissues; this can get deep!

We sometimes think that our high schoolers don’t need to get into the spirit, or our curriculum and pacing maps are too strict. By this time of year, as educators, we’re ready for some rest and relaxation, too. Doing these things doesn’t necessarily have to impede instructional time. What it does do, however, is make the holiday a little brighter and those short weeks before break more meaningful. It’s also good to remember that two weeks away from school is not a pleasant time for all learners- be the light!