December -- Gingerbread Men, The Nutcracker, and the Nativity (Part 2)

 During the month of December, in addition to Book Fair, our Christmas Program, and Christmas parties, I was able to read about gingerbread men to TK-second graders and The Nutcracker story to third-fifth. I also read a book about Jesus' birth to every class I got to meet with the last week before break. To kindergarten I read This is the Stable. After the story, each child got to create something from the story to go on our library bulletin board. Didn't they do a great job?!

I read a few versions of The Nutcracker to 3-5, and they really seemed to enjoy them. In fifth grade they heard two versions and then had to create a Venn Diagram on them. In fourth and third grades, I read a longer version, and then we watched some of the dances on Youtube. The big kids were harder to get focused during December, so these were some good low-stress activities.

For Christmas I gave the TK'ers a gingerbread man cookie. Everyone else through grade 2 got a special gingerbread man sticker sheet (very small) that had a dressable gingerbread man. For 3rd-5th, I found some nutcracker Hershey's kiss stickers. All I had to do was buy the kisses and stick the little round sticker on the bottom! I have enough stickers of both types for next year, so all I will have to buy are the cookies for TK and some kisses. I feel so efficient. 

I know I'm posting this in January and so most of this information seems outdated already. But if you're already thinking about next year... below are links to both sets of stickers!

Nutcracker Hersheys Kiss Stickers

Gingerbread Man Stickers

Now let's get going with January!