CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES VIDEO BUNDLE: CLASS MYSTERY / ESCAPE ROOM / TOY MAKING

These Christmas activities are a fun way to keep your students engaged during the month of December while also covering ELA skills and incorporating creative-thinking and problem-solving skills. These activities will engage even your most reluctant students!

The best part is that each activity comes with a hand-drawn, custom video, created by the talented John Spencer, that introduces the activities to hook students in! Watch the preview video above to get a sneak peek of the videos included and download the preview to get a closer look at the activity handouts, organizers, puzzles, stations, and more.

WHAT ARE THE THREE CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES? 

1. THE REINDEER GAMES

Students will compete to become the next team of reindeer trainers by solving puzzles, riddles, and completing ELA skills-based games! 

2. WHO KIDNAPPED DASHER MYSTERY

Students locate cards and complete ELA skills-based activities to reveal clues and solve the mystery of who took Dasher two days before Christmas! 

3. ELF TOY-MAKING CHALLENGE

Students will take on the role of an elf the week after Christmas to make a new toy out of left over Christmas materials!

HOW DOES IT WORK AND WHAT IS INCLUDED IN MY PURCHASE? 

1. THE REINDEER GAMES 

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Students watch a video that introduces the reindeer games back story. Students receive a letter inviting them to the annual Reindeer Games in the North Pole. They will compete in physical, problem-solving, and linguistic skills. This is not just a competition; this is also a job interview! The winning group gets to be the next team of reindeer trainers! Because Santa is such a grammar nerd, students will also have to complete some ELA related tasks to win :). Students should have a basic understanding of parts of speech as well as figurative language (simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification, alliteration, pun, oxymoron, onomatopoeia, idiom)

Students use a response booklet to record their answers to the puzzles/riddles as they circulate the room to different stations.

INCLUDED IN YOUR PURCHASE 

• Detailed teacher instructions for setting up the room and facilitating the reindeer games 

• Signs for each of the six stations 

• Student instructions for each of the six stations

• All the materials students need for each station (mazes, rebus puzzle cards, figurative language strips, parts of speech cards, riddles, student instruction cards, envelopes, station markers and much more!) 

• A student answer booklet where the group can record their answers

• A teacher answer key you can use to check the work to determine the winner.

2. WHO KIDNAPPED DASHER MYSTERY

HOW DOES IT WORK?

• Students watch a hand-drawn video that tells the back story of Dasher's disappearance and goes through each of the possible suspects, locations, and motives! This video is highly engaging and will hook your students immediately. Watch the video preview on the product page to get a sneak peek.

• Students circulate the room in groups trying to find the hidden cards. When they find them, they must solve ELA-related tasks to reveal clues to help them solve the mystery

• Students keep track of their work in their detective booklet! Once they feel they have figured out the suspect, location, and method, they yell out, "We have solved the mystery!" Was it Fred Frosty in the stable with a carrot and net? Or, perhaps it was Gina Gingerbread at the cocoa station trapping Dasher in Santa's gift bag!

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN MY PURCHASE? 

→ Introductory video (1min 43sec video clip)

→ Teacher Instructions

→ Dasher missing poster for your classroom door

→ 10 Clue cards that assess different ELA skills

• Spelling
• Homophones
• Commas
• Hyperbole
• Metaphor
• Simile
• Personification
• Adjectives
• Apostrophes
• Personification
• Capitalization

→ Introductory PowerPoint slides to explain the process to students

→ Student response booklet with answer key

→ Mystery solution answer key (with answers for each of the clue card tasks for easy review)

3. THE ELF TOY-MAKING CHALLENGE

HOW DOES IT WORK?

• Students watch a hand-drawn video that introduces the activity to students. This video is highly engaging and will hook your students immediately. Watch the video preview on the product page to get a sneak peek.

• Use the instructions, graphic organizers, and templates to plan out what toy students want to create 

• Students actually work together to develop and make this toy! 

• Students write a narrative from the perspective of the elves playing with the toy.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN MY PURCHASE?

→ Introductory video (1 Minute video clip)

→ Teacher Instructions

→ What makes a great toy brainstorming sheets

→ Toy development web brainstorming sheet

→ Toy Making Planning Page (with prompts)

→ 2 Page narrative writing template

@prestoplans @johnspencer