HOLIDAY ALPHABET

Holiday Alphabet

(Tune:  “Deck the Halls”)

Deck the room with letters and sounds,

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la.                           (Arms out like an opera singer.)

Read and use them all year round,

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la.                           (Arms out.)

Listen up and then you’ll know,              (Hold up index finger and shake.)

How the letters and sounds do go.

Start with A and end with Z.

Happy holidays for you and me!

A for angels, /a/ /a/ /a/,                        (Invite children to make up        

B for bells, /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/         motions for each word.)

C for candles /c/ /c/ /c/                          

D for dreidel                                            

E for elves                                            

F for fun                                            

G for goodies                                            

H for Hanukah                                            

I for icicles

J for jingle

K for Kwanzaa

L for lights

M for menorah

N is for Noel

O for ornaments

P for presents

Q for quiet

R for Rudolph

S for Santa

T for toys

U for unity

V for vests

W for winter

X for X-mas

Y for yuletide

Z for z end

Want to download a PowerPoint or book to go with the song?

drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2007/12_Dec/pg00.html

Note!  I realize some of the sounds in the song are not the ones you usually teach.  Use this as a “teachable moment” to explain different vowel sounds, blends, etc.  If you don’t like some of the words, then you can change them to meet your needs.  Disk Two of my “Happy Everything” CD has the instrumental versions of many songs to enable you to do this.

School Program – This would be a great song if you put on a holiday program at your school.  Each child could take a letter and step forward as it is sung. 

Holiday ABC Book – Write letters on paper ahead of time.  Let each child choose a letter and illustrate it.  They could use the words in the song or make up their own verse.  Make a cover, bind, and you’ll have a book children will want to read the rest of the school year.

Sign Language – Make the manual signs for the letters as you sing this song.

LET'S DO A LITTLE SINGING!

I was talking to someone recently and they commented, “My children don’t even know some of the old Christmas songs like ‘Jingle Bells,’ or ‘Up on the Housetop.’”  It’s time to get out the old songbook, open your mouth, and make a joyful noise!

Jingle Bells

Chorus:

Jingle bells, jingle bells,                      (Pretend to hold bells and shake.)

Jingle all the way.

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh.  Hey!         (Fist in the air.)

Jingle bells, jingle bells,                           (Pretend to jingle bells.)

Jingle all the way.

What fun it is to ride and sing

In a one horse open sleigh.

Dashing through the snow,                  (Pretend to hold reins and drive

In a one horse open sleigh                  sleigh.)

Over the fields we go,

Laughing all the way.                           (Hand on stomach and laugh.)

Bells on bobtail ring,                           (Pretend to drive sleigh.)

Making spirits bright.

What fun it is to ride and sing

A sleighing song tonight.  (Chorus)

Here’s a book to go with the song:

www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2007/12_Dec/pg00.html

One teacher said that she made four copies of songs and then put them at the listening center with the book.  Fluency research would say that’s the perfect way to provide children with repetition and encourage them to track as they sing.   Add a pointer with a jingle bell, Santa, or other symbol to make it even more fun.

Sleigh Riding – Have children sit on the floor facing the same directions.  Demonstrate how to hold the person’s waist in front of you.  As you sing the song sway forwards and backwards to the beat as if riding a sleigh.

Jingle Bells – Let children thread several jingle bells on a pipe cleaner.  Twist the ends together to make a bracelet children can shake as you sing.

Jingle Bell Painting - You will need an empty cheese ball container or similar cylinder shape with a lid.  Cut a piece of paper so you can roll it and put it in the cylinder.  Take two jingle bells.  Drop one in red paint and the other in green paint.  Use a spoon to transfer the bells to the can.  Put on the lid, then shake up the can as you sing “Jingle Bells.”  Take out the paper and you’ll have a jingle bell painting!

S A N T A

(Tune:  “BINGO”)

There is a jolly bearded man          (Put arms out in front of you

And Santa is his name-o.                  like Santa’s tummy.)

S – A – N – T – A,

S – A – N – T – A,

S – A – N – T – A,

And Santa is his name-o.

He lives at the North Pole…                  (Clap instead of saying “S.”)

His wears a suit all red and white…        (Clap for “S” and “A.”)

He makes toys for girls and boys…         (Clap for “S,” “A,” “N.”)

He drives a sleigh with 8 reindeer…       (Clap for “S,” “A,” “N,” “T.”)

He’ll visit you on Christmas Eve…           (Clap for all letters.)

Here’s the link so you can download this book:

www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2007/12_Dec/pg00.html

S–A-N-T-A  - Write a different letter on five sheets of paper.  Draw a hand on the back of each sheet. Choose five children to hold these as you sing the song.  Explain that as you sing the song, when you turn over the letter and see the hand they should clap.

Santa Star – Give children red stars and a few cotton balls.  Can they make a Santa out of the star?  Add their name, date, and a piece of yarn for a hanger.  This makes a great ornament for them to take home and hang on their tree.

THE GIVING BOOK

Mercy me!  What to do with all those advertisements and catalogs!  Here’s an idea you will love!  And, it might encourage children to think about others rather than themselves.

Encourage your students discuss why they like to give gifts to others.  How does it make them feel when they do something special for someone they love?  Explain that they will each get to make a book of things they would like to GIVE to others.  You can use construction paper or cut wrapping paper into 8 ½” x 11” pieces.  Lay two sheets of white paper on top of a piece of wrapping paper.  Fold in half and staple.  Provide children with catalogs and store advertisements.  Let them cut out objects they would like to give others and glue them in their “Giving Books.”  Encourage them to label the presents with the recipient’s name.

 Adaptation:  Use a gift bag to make a giving book.  Cut the front and back off the bag.  Cut paper the size of the bag and give a sheet to each child.  After children draw or cut out pictures of presents they would like to give, staple their pictures in between the front and back of the bag to make a class book.

CHOIR OF ANGELS

This is an easy idea if you need a quick costume for a school program.  Cut the rim off a paper plate.  Attach a red construction paper bow.  Cut a slit so it can open and be placed around the neck.  Now, your students can shine their halos!

FREE GIFT WRAPPING

Wrapping Paper – With tissue paper, paper plates, paint, and cookie cutters you’ll be all set to create your own wrapping paper.  First, fold a paper towel and place it on a paper plate.  Pour paint on the paper towel.  Let children dip the cookie cutters in the paint and print on the tissue paper.

*Let children paint with pine boughs grocery sacks or newspaper to create wrapping paper.

*Use fruits or vegetable prints to create one of a kind wrapping paper.

 Gift Tags – You’ll need card stock, an ink pad, fine tip markers, and ribbon to make these gift cards.  Cut card stock into 2” x 5” rectangles.  Fold in half.  Children press their thumb on the ink pad and then print on the front of the card.   Let them add details with markers.  Punch a hole and tie on a ribbon.

 Greeting Cards  - Let children use fingerprints or handprints to make “one of a kind” holiday cards.  They can also make a colorful collage by gluing bits of

wrapping paper to a blank card. 

A TASTE OF THE SEASON

Snowman Soup – You’ll need instant hot chocolate with miniature marshmallows, zip sandwich bags, wrapped candy canes, and red ribbon to make this treat. 

Put the package of the instant hot chocolate in the zip bag.  Tie on a candy cane with these directions:

         Here’s a little snowman soup –

         Complete with stirring stick. 

         Add hot water, sip it slow.

         It’ll warm you up real quick!”

Hint!  This would be a great gift for school helpers and volunteers.

Wreath Sandwich - You will need bagels, cream cheese, green food coloring, and fruit loops to make this snack. First, dye the cream cheese green. Spread it on the bagel and add red fruit loops for berries.

 Menorah Snack - Children will need a small banana, pretzel sticks, and a piece of red licorice to make this menorah. Peel the banana and insert a piece of red licorice in the middle. Insert 4 pretzel sticks (candles) on either side.

 Reindeer Sandwich – You will need bread, peanut butter, pretzel twists, raisins, and a red M & M to make this yummy sandwich.  Cut the bread into two triangles.  Spread peanut butter on the bread and then decorate with raisin eyes and a red candy nose.  Break pretzels in half and add for antlers.

Note!  If children have peanut allergies spread with cream cheese or another topping.

WOE is me! 

A week ago I was invited to do a workshop at the Lehigh Carbon Community College in PA.  Several teachers gave me great ideas, but when I looked for my notes today they weren't in my suitcase!!   I did find a few suggestions from my friend Mary Ann DiSapio who had attended a SMART Program in Minneapolis.  She showed us some simple jumps, helicopter spins (arms out and spin around), pencil rolls (roll in the floor), balance beam, and crawling activities.  I definitely want to learn more about this!  

Where are my notes?

DECK THE ROOM

How about using handprints to make a wreath or tree for your classroom door?  

Hint!  Children could also dip their hands in green paint to make these decorations.