As we near the holiday season, the buzz of excitement is everywhere! My students are practically vibrating with anticipation, counting down the days until the holiday break. The festive energy is contagious. While it's wonderful to see their joy, it can be a challenge to keep everyone focused and engaged when all they can think about is the holiday fun. While it seems that learning is impossible, it doesn't have to be that way. To help you survive the last few days before the holiday break, I have a selection of classroom activities that are not only fun but also educational! These lesson plans have been my lifesaver during this time of the school year, right before a break. They help us keep the momentum going while embracing the fun of the holidays.
Classroom Activities to Engage Your Students
Over the years, I have gathered a collection of engaging classroom activities that have become my go-to for keeping my classroom lively and productive during the countdown to the holiday break. These activities were created to capture my students' attention and channel their excitement into something academic. Let's explore these classroom activities that will make your last few days together both enjoyable and memorable!
Middle Ages: Will Your Kingdom Survive
In my World History class, we usually dive into the fascinating era of the Middle Ages around holiday break time. To make this period even more engaging, I love using a simulation. The Middle Ages simulation has quickly become a favorite among my students! This interactive activity transports them into a fictional kingdom during the Middle Ages. There, they get to make important decisions and see the consequences unfold.
Each student begins by randomly selecting a fictional kingdom profile and a treasury card. These elements set the stage for the adventure and influence some of their decisions throughout the simulations. They then face 18 different scenarios. Each scenario presents multiple options. Depending on their choices, they either gain or lose gold coins for their treasury. This adds a fun and competitive edge to the activity.
Even though the kingdoms and scenarios are fictional, my students love making connections to the real historical events and concepts we've or will discuss about the Middle Ages. Once the simulation is over, they get creative by writing a story that weaves in what they've learned, along with at least two of the scenarios they encountered during the simulation.
Christmas Traditions Around the World Scavenger Hunt
If you're on the lookout for fun classroom activities that bring technology into the mix, my students enjoy this Christmas Traditions Around the World Scavenger Hunt! This activity is a fantastic way to get everyone up and moving while learning about how different cultures celebrate Christmas. There are a couple versions of this activity. One version uses QR codes, but if that isn't really your thing, there's another version that does not have QR codes!
There are 30 different cards with statements about all the different Christmas traditions from around the world. I take these cards and scatter them around the room to encourage my students to get up and move. Ready with their QR Code Readers, my students go through the scavenger hunt to discover which country has which traditions. My students love this activity because they get to move around, use technology, and learn about different traditions. They fill out a handout as they go along!
I also include a digital version, so if you have students out of school or already traveling they can join in on the fun! No one misses out on exploring Christmas traditions from around the globe. This activity definitely keeps everyone engaged!
Christmas Traditions Around the World Bingo
My students always get a kick out of playing Bingo. It just so happens to be the perfect follow-up activity
after our scavenger hunt. It's a fantastic way to review all the interesting things they discovered about Christmas traditions from around the world. This Christmas Traditions Around the World Bingo game is one of the top classroom activities to turn learning into a fun time!
after our scavenger hunt. It's a fantastic way to review all the interesting things they discovered about Christmas traditions from around the world. This Christmas Traditions Around the World Bingo game is one of the top classroom activities to turn learning into a fun time!
The game comes with 30 different Bingo boards and calling cards filled with terms and definitions related to Christmas traditions. It's so much fun watching my students eagerly exclaim and mark off their boards as they recall what they've learned.
Bingo has always been a favorite in my classroom. This themed version is a great way to keep the holiday spirit alive while reinforcing our new knowledge.
Doodle Notes to Make Note-Taking Fun
In Civics, I love using Doodle Notes to keep note-taking engaging. If it's a Presidential election year, we dive into the Electoral College. If it's not, we explore how a bill becomes a law. Both of these classroom activities come in print and digital versions, which makes differentiation a bit easier!
When we cover the Electoral College, I pull out the Electoral College Doodle Notes. My students learn about how it works and what role it plays during Presidential elections. As I go through the presentation, my students follow along on their note pages. They enjoy the coloring and doodling as we take notes. It's a fantastic way for them to absorb the information while having a bit of creative fun.
My How a Bill Becomes a Law Doodle Notes are very similar. With this set of notes, my students learn about the entire process. They start with a bill's introduction in the House of Representatives and work their way to becoming a law. My students fill in and color their note pages as we go through the presentation. This helps them stay engaged and retain the information.
Civil War Map Activity
In my U.S. History classes, we dive into some engaging classroom activities with maps that really bring history to life. One of my favorites is our Civil War map activity. It's great for helping my students visualize what the United States looked like during this period. This map includes the western territories, locations of key battles, and which states were Union, Confederate, or Border states.
This activity is a wonderful way to weave geography into our history lessons. My students have hands-on experience by labeling, coloring, and drawing on their maps. By the end of the unit, this map was one of the most memorable tools my students had found useful. To help reinforce their maps, I have my students answer a few questions.
This map activity helps my students grasp the geographical context of the Civil War and makes this unit more engaging. The historical event becomes more relevant and concrete for them. After this activity, their interests are usually piqued, and they want to explore more!
Make the Last Few Days Before Easy with These Classroom Activities
As we count down the days to the holiday break, these classroom activities have been my secret for keeping the excitement manageable and the learning ongoing. From navigating medieval kingdoms to exploring global Christmas traditions, these engaging activities ensure that every moment in our classroom is filled with fun and discovery. I hope these ideas inspire you to create a vibrant learning environment for your students as you wrap up these last few days. Wishing you all a joyful and restful holiday break. Let's make these last few days before the break ones to remember!
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to sign up for my monthly newsletter for more fantastic ideas, tips, and exclusive freebies!
Save for Later
Remember to save this post to your favorite teaching Pinterest board to help plan engaging classroom activities before your holiday break!
No comments