TeachersFirst's Christmas Resources
We Wish You A Merry Christmas! This collection of Christmas-related resources is sure to get you into the spirit. Find historical information and research, some neat ways to correlate the Christmas Holiday into your language arts classes, art, social studies, and many other subjects, plus some “educationally fun” ideas to use to celebrate. There are resources here for all grades. Don’t let the season pass you by without checking out these FREE resources.
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Official NORAD Santa Tracker - North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)
Grades
K to 6
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The NORAD Santa Tracker is much more than a resource for tracking Santa's travel around the world on Christmas Eve; it is also an area to play games, watch movies, ...more
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The NORAD Santa Tracker is much more than a resource for tracking Santa's travel around the world on Christmas Eve; it is also an area to play games, watch movies, and learn about NORAD during the holiday season. This site is only available for a limited time each year during December but is part of a tradition that began in 1955. Select the library to learn about Santa, his sleigh, and holiday traditions. Visit the music stage to listen to traditional holiday music or choose the Theater to watch movies about Santa and NORAD. Be sure to return on December 24 to begin tracking Santa's journey around the world. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
In the Classroom
Include this site as a center activity during any December teaching unit on holiday celebrations around the world. Use the site to introduce a unit on Holidays Around the World and for a final project enhance learning and have students use Google My Maps, reviewed here, to create a virtual field trip around the world featuring some of Santa's stops and local traditions. Browse through the TeachersFirst Christmas Resources Special Topics Page, found here, to find additional holiday season resources to include in your unit. Create a class book together using Book Creator, reviewed here, to share holiday celebrations and traditions from around the world.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Santa's Village and Tracker - Google
Grades
K to 6
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Google's annual Santa's Village features a Santa Tracker for Christmas Eve along with an advent calendar full of surprises. The calendar features change each year, past years have featured...more
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Google's annual Santa's Village features a Santa Tracker for Christmas Eve along with an advent calendar full of surprises. The calendar features change each year, past years have featured holiday games and educational resources like coding games and a visit to the North Pole. Start checking this site on December 1 to find the latest goodies offered!
tag(s): christmas (38), cross cultural understanding (148), cultures (100), holidays (121), maps (209)
In the Classroom
Share a link to the Santa's Village on your class website and classroom computers. Allow students to explore and try options offered each day. Replace paper and pencil and have students share information from the daily activities on a blog using Edublog, reviewed here. Include images and videos of activities with blog posts. Use the site to introduce a unit on Holidays Around the World and for a final project enhance learning and have students use Google My Maps, reviewed here, to create a virtual field trip around the world featuring some of Santa's stops.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NorthPole.com - Northpole Productions, LLC
Grades
K to 7
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Enjoy a colorful look at Santa's Village. NorthPole has interactives (concentration, word searches, counting money, telling time, mazes, and more), and you can even play checkers with...more
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Enjoy a colorful look at Santa's Village. NorthPole has interactives (concentration, word searches, counting money, telling time, mazes, and more), and you can even play checkers with Santa. Attend the Elf Academy, read stories about your elf, send animated Christmas postcards, write Santa a letter and get a reply! For those into the maker movement, there are holiday crafts to make with directions and free templates. Create an account and register your students at the same time. Students will be assigned a user ID and password.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Introduce the NorthPole to students by projecting it for all to see the different areas to explore. Add a link to classroom computers for the entire site or specific areas. Post a link on your class web page or newsletter for parents and students to use at home. With younger students, consider demonstrating how to write a letter to Santa or send a postcard to a relative from this site. Take photos, or have older students take photos, of the crafts and recipes the students make and post them on your website for parents to see. Engage older students by having them post the photos with and explanation using a portfolio tool such as Pathbrite, reviewed here. Alternatively, students could enhance their learning by annotating images taken of their activities with text, URL's, or videos using ThingLink, reviewed here.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Gifts of Character Readalouds - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 6
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This readaloud collection is part of the Help I lost my library/media specialist series. Although nothing can replace the specialized knowledge of a teacher-librarian, this...more
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This readaloud collection is part of the Help I lost my library/media specialist series. Although nothing can replace the specialized knowledge of a teacher-librarian, this collection of books and activities was created by an experienced elementary library/media specialist. The list of books to read aloud and accompanying activities center on the character traits we typically associate with the holiday season and try to instill: generosity, benevolence, philanthropy, compassion, service, and kindness. If your library does not have the books you want from this list, try using the ISBN numbers to borrow them on interlibrary loan from a public library nearby.
tag(s): christmas (38), holidays (121), independent reading (104)
In the Classroom
Mark this one in your favorites to bring out in late November, just in time for the holiday season. Or include it during a character education unit. Maybe invite some parents to volunteer as readers, modeling how adults give of their own time to support others.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Make a Victorian Cornucopia - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 10
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This simple lesson activity gives instructions for making a Victorian "cornucopia" Christmas ornament filled with candy or other treats. This Victorian tradition dates back to the 19th...more
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This simple lesson activity gives instructions for making a Victorian "cornucopia" Christmas ornament filled with candy or other treats. This Victorian tradition dates back to the 19th century. The printable pattern is included. See more Victorian Christmas activities on the TeachersFirst Victorian Christmas page.
In the Classroom
Try this easy activity during a Christmas 'Round the World unit or as part of a study of the Victorian Era. Have students take digital pictures of the steps and include them on your class web page or wiki (with captions!) so others can try the activity at home. Older students could enhance their learning by posting the photos with and explanation using a portfolio tool such as Seesaw, reviewed here. Seesaw also offers tools for incorporating blogs. Alternatively, students could transform their learning by annotating images taken of their activities with text, URL's, or videos using ThingLink, reviewed here. Make cornucopias as gifts for a visit to a local nursing home or children's home so the activity becomes a service project.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nutcracker Study Guide - Inland Pacific Ballet
Grades
4 to 8
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Use this site from the New York City Ballet to find ways to introduce your students to the glorious music from Tchaikovsky's beloved holiday classic, The Nutcracker Suite. This site...more
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Use this site from the New York City Ballet to find ways to introduce your students to the glorious music from Tchaikovsky's beloved holiday classic, The Nutcracker Suite. This site offers lots of ways to incorporate the Nutcracker story and history into curriculum.
tag(s): christmas (38)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource during a historic examination of Christmas. Have students re-write their own version of the story using a different setting, time period, or both be sure that they consider how costumes, sets, characters, folk dances,music, landmarks, locations, events, and animals might be different. Have students consider the Dance of the Snowflakes scene in The Nutcracker. Discuss what animals they might find living in this kind of habitat? What else would you likely find living in this habitat (plants, trees, insects, etc.)? Have students record their ideas on a graphic organizer and draw pictures to go along with it, or replace the pencil and paper with a blog tool like Penzu, reviewed here. With Penzu you can add images or your own artwork as illustrations.Have students compare or contrast The Nutcracker with another folk tale, fairy tale or story they have read or are familiar with.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Aspects of the Antebellum Christmas - Tim Crumrin
Grades
7 to 9
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This site looks at Victorian Christmas observances from the American point of view. Focusing on holiday celebrations between 1830 and 1860, this site examines the growth of the Christmas...more
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This site looks at Victorian Christmas observances from the American point of view. Focusing on holiday celebrations between 1830 and 1860, this site examines the growth of the Christmas holiday as we know it, examining those traditions that have continued into the 20th Century and those that are but a memory.
In the Classroom
Use this website as a resource during a unit on Christmas, or while looking at the differences in American life before and after the Civil War. Extend learning and challenge students to create a comparison chart using an online tool like Xmind, reviewed here, and then writing about their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links. This blog creator requires no registration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dickens and Christmas - David Perdue
Grades
7 to 12
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Charles Dickens had a profound influence on the way we celebrate Christmas today. This informative site details the revival of Christmas during Victorian times, draws connection to...more
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Charles Dickens had a profound influence on the way we celebrate Christmas today. This informative site details the revival of Christmas during Victorian times, draws connection to many Dickens' novels, and explains several significant themes evident in A Christmas Carol.
In the Classroom
Use this website as a tool during a unit on Christmas or Charles Dickens. Divide students into small groups or pairs to read the information on this page. The text might be challenging for some students. Pair weak readers with a strong reader. Exchange paper and pencil and instruct students to use Webnote, reviewed here, to take online "sticky notes" for the important information they learn. If some of the passages are difficult, even for the strong reader, have them use Rewordify, reviewed here, to replace the difficult text shown with easier to understand words. Be sure to tell students to use Webnote (mentioned above) to make a sticky for the difficult word or phrase and it's definition, or easier wording. Allow ESL/ELL students to try using Text to Speech Reader, reviewed here, which will allow these students to follow the highlighted text as the article or passage is read to them.Redefine learning and challenge students to create a multimedia presentation around a theme from Dickens using one of the TeachersFirst Edge reviewed multimedia tools. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Canva Infographic, Lucidpress, Powtoon, and MoocNote.
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Celebrate a Victorian Christmas - Victoriana Magazine
Grades
1 to 8
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This site provides a wealth of information concerning 19th century holiday traditions. Learn about Victorian Christmas tree decorations, view holiday illustrations from the December...more
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This site provides a wealth of information concerning 19th century holiday traditions. Learn about Victorian Christmas tree decorations, view holiday illustrations from the December 1860 issue of Godey's Lady's Book, and explore appropriate 19th Century gift suggestions. This site also contains a complete dinner menu from 1890, with recipes for plum pudding, easy to follow directions for making a pine cone Santa (Harper's Bazaar, December 1867) and a facsimile of the first Christmas card, sent in 1843.
In the Classroom
This site is especially useful as a teacher-resource in planning a series of activities centering around a historic, Victorian approach to Christmas. It's an excellent resource to use as the basis for an informational treasure hunt with students from upper elementary through middle school. Use to a tool such as TrackStar, reviewed here, to extend learning by creating a treasure hunt, scavenger hunt, or webquest. Use Celebrate a Victorian Christmas as a resource for study of the Victorian Era. Enhance learning for ESL/ELL students by using Text to Speech Reader, reviewed here, which will allow these students to follow the highlighted text as the article or passage is read to them.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Victorian Christmas - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 8
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This collection introduces Victorian Christmas customs and offers several activities which students can complete to show their understanding of Christmas celebrations from over a century...more
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This collection introduces Victorian Christmas customs and offers several activities which students can complete to show their understanding of Christmas celebrations from over a century ago.
In the Classroom
Save this site as a favorite on your desktop and use it to add supplementary activities to your classroom before Winter Break. Many of the sites can be used as webquests, classroom activities or Learning centers. This could be a great way to mix the holidays into content, comparing today's celebrations to those of the 19th century.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Christmas/Holiday Traditions - myvocabulary.com
Grades
4 to 12
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As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area for Christmas traditions. Find interactive vocabulary activities using Christmas...more
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As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area for Christmas traditions. Find interactive vocabulary activities using Christmas vocabulary words. You will also find printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.
In the Classroom
Share the puzzles on your interactive whiteboard or projector or make them available as links on your teacher public page. Have students (or groups) create their own illustrated dictionaries of terms using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. As you add more vocabulary lists during the year, have them select their favorite 6-10 terms from each list to add to their "book."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Visions of Christmas - American Antiquarian Society
Grades
2 to 12
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Original illustrations of classic Christmas memorabilia highlight this no-frills site. If you need a quick explanation, with photos, about the origin of Christmas, Christmas trees,...more
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Original illustrations of classic Christmas memorabilia highlight this no-frills site. If you need a quick explanation, with photos, about the origin of Christmas, Christmas trees, and evolution of Santa, this site will suit your purpose well. The four main topics include: Origins of Christmas, Evolution of Santa, The Christmas Tree, and Twas the Night Before Christmas. Students researching old customs will appreciate the simple approach.
In the Classroom
Art teachers, enlarge the antique photos and engravings by double clicking on the small picture. The enlarged image can be printed to be included in a vast choice of art projects. Around the holidays, project one of the pictures on your interactive whiteboard or projector for students to use as a writing prompt, as they write a story about what they feel the picture portrays.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lovely Christmas
Grades
1 to 8
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This holiday website has a magnitude of information about Christmas. There are close to 100 articles of interest provided. Topics include Christmas around the world, crafts, cooking,...more
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This holiday website has a magnitude of information about Christmas. There are close to 100 articles of interest provided. Topics include Christmas around the world, crafts, cooking, entertainment, games, gifts, history and more! My personal favorite aspect of this website was the information provided about the Christmas traditions in America, Australia, England, France, Germany, Mexico, Scotland, Spain and other countries.
tag(s): christmas (38)
In the Classroom
Be sure to check out this informative website when planning holiday lessons and festivities. Have a worldwide holiday celebration with traditional activities from different cultures and religions or include some of these explanationa as readings during a holiday musical program at your school.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Giving Tree Lesson - TeachersFirst
Grades
2 to 8
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A Christmas gift from one of our own staff, this lesson based on Shel Silverstein's book The Giving Tree is sure to get students thinking about the Christmas spirit. We're ...more
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A Christmas gift from one of our own staff, this lesson based on Shel Silverstein's book The Giving Tree is sure to get students thinking about the Christmas spirit. We're also offering a place for you to share your students' responses on TeachersFirst's own giving tree.
tag(s): character education (71), christmas (38), empathy (27), guided reading (35), writing (283)
In the Classroom
This lesson can be adapted for use in a language arts class with students of varying ability levels in grades 2 - 8. This lesson is also well-suited to a multi-age activity with "big buddies" and "little buddies" from upper and lower grades working together. School counselors and emotional support teachers may find this activity helpful for small groups working on social skills, character education, and specific traits such as empathy.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Christmas Cookie Archive
Grades
K to 12
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We could claim that this site made the cut because it has recipes from all over the world. Frankly, we liked it because we suspect every classroom needs a good ...more
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We could claim that this site made the cut because it has recipes from all over the world. Frankly, we liked it because we suspect every classroom needs a good cookie recipe at this time of year. This site has dozens of tempting recipes you may want to try. Try mixing the recipes with some of the international customs described in the sites below.
tag(s): christmas (38)
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Homemade Holidays - HGTV
Grades
2 to 6
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The right menu reveals different types of hands-on crafts that are perfect for the elementary classroom. Tap into this resource for some unique ways to celebrate this time of year....more
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The right menu reveals different types of hands-on crafts that are perfect for the elementary classroom. Tap into this resource for some unique ways to celebrate this time of year.
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World Advent Calendar - Woodlands Junior School
Grades
2 to 6
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Make this interactive calendar part of your daily routine during the holiday season. Each day of Advent, students can click to open a window and discover answers to questions about...more
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Make this interactive calendar part of your daily routine during the holiday season. Each day of Advent, students can click to open a window and discover answers to questions about Christmas celebrations throughout the world.
tag(s): christmas (38)
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Christmas Traditions Worldwide - History Channel
Grades
4 to 7
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Click on the interactive map to discover facts about how Christmas is celebrated in that part of the world. Be sure to visit the "Evolution of Santa" link for an ...more
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Click on the interactive map to discover facts about how Christmas is celebrated in that part of the world. Be sure to visit the "Evolution of Santa" link for an interesting glimpse of St. Nick's progression from 3rd century Turkey to the American shopping mall.
tag(s): christmas (38)
In the Classroom
Use the video on this site to show students how the tradition of Santa Claus has evolved over the years. The section about the Christmas Truce of 1914 would be a really great find for a class working on WWI, particularly if the timing is right before the holidays. There is a video to accompany the article, but teachers can just as easily display or print the article to share the same information. This would be a really great way to show the human side of the war instead of an endless list of battles and alliances.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Christmas Around the World - northpole.net
Grades
2 to 4
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Click on the name of a country to access several facts about holiday celebrations there. These brief descriptions of Christmas observances in more than a dozen countries can easily...more
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Click on the name of a country to access several facts about holiday celebrations there. These brief descriptions of Christmas observances in more than a dozen countries can easily be incorporated into a Web search activity for younger elementary students.
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A Christmas Carol - GradeSaver
Grades
8 to 12
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Supplement a unit on Dickens and the Victorian novel with this site that focuses on A Christmas Carol. Highlights include brief overviews of the major themes, discussions of the ...more
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Supplement a unit on Dickens and the Victorian novel with this site that focuses on A Christmas Carol. Highlights include brief overviews of the major themes, discussions of the characters, biographical information about the author, summaries and analyses of each stave, and links to related resources. Use the 40-question interactive quiz as a review after reading the novella or viewing a film adaptation in class.
tag(s): christmas (38), dickens (8), england (51), holidays (121), victorian (16)
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