Joshua's class had a super fun 4th Grade Holiday party at school. The room moms put this plan together:
10:00 – 11:30 AM Watch “The Polar Express”
11:30 – 12:15 PM Read the book The Polar Express.
Discuss differences/similarities between the book and the movie.
Whole Class Craft: Make candy cane ornaments to take home.
Polar Express Activities, optional
12:15 - 12:45 PM Lunch in the classroom, snacks, and Hot Cocoa
12:45 - 1:15 RECESS
1:20 – 1:40 PM STATION ONE
1:45 – 2:05 PM STATION TWO
2:10 – 2:30 PM STATION THREE
Kids will begin stations at their own tables. When stations are complete, the 'bells' ring and students will move clockwise on table over to the next station. At least one adult will need to be at each station to conduct the activities.
2:30 PM GRAND FINALE: Mr. Wilford participates in Paper Icicles!
2:35 PM Students prepare to go to specials.
Station One: Soldiers' Night Before Christmas
Read Soldiers' Night Before Christmas by Trish Holland and Christine Ford.
Play Minute-to-Win-It game, Card Cliffhanger
Set up Christmas Cliffhanger by placing an open Christmas card on a table, close to the edge. Stand the card horizontally so it looks like a little tent. Then, stand at the opposite side of the table. The object of the game is to blow on the card to move it to the very edge of the table so that it is left hanging over the edge without falling off. No hands! You have one minute to accomplish your task.
Once all of the kids have completed the game, they can each take one card, write a holiday message to a Soldier, then put it into an envelope with their name in the return address. We will mail these to deployed Soldiers.
MATERIALS: book, Christmas cards, pens/pencils
Station Two: The Great Reindeer Rebellion
Read the book The Great Reindeer Rebellion by Lisa Trumbauer. Have the kids make their own reindeer noses for the game by tying yarn to a pom pom.
Play Minute-to-Win-It game, Reindeer Nose Dive.
This is a fun game for all ages. Before the game starts, tie a large red pom-pom to a length of red ribbon. To get the player ready, he/she should don reindeer antlers (this is optional but really adds to the spirit of the game) and dangle the ribbon with the attached pom pom from his/her mouth. Put a little dab of petroleum jelly on his/her nose. When the timer starts, he/she must swing the pom pom to land and stick on his/her nose using only his/her mouth and body - no hands.
MATERIALS: book, 20 pom poms, 20 strings/yarn, Vaseline
Station Three: Pirate's Night Before Christmas
Read the book A Pirate's Night Before Christmas by Philip Yates.
Take a Pirate IQ test then create your Pirate Name.
Play Minute-to-Win-It game, Walk the Holiday Plank
Prior to game start, contestant is in a standing position behind the tree ornament holding the gift box. When the clock starts, contestant may start fanning the tree ornament with the gift box. Contestant and gift box may not touch the tree ornament at any time or the game is over. Contestant must stop fanning when 60-second time limit expires. To complete the game, contestant must get the tree ornament in the designated end zone (“at the end of the plank”) within the 60-second time limit. The tree ornament must come to a complete stop without exiting the designated end zone ("the plank").
MATERIALS: book, pirate test, colored tape to mark off the 'plank' on the floor, at least 2 plastic ornaments (balls, should be the same), gift box lid
WHOLE GROUP ACTIVITY:
Play Minute-to-Win-It game, Face the Cookie
When the clock starts, player may grab the first cookie and place it on the forehead. The cookie must remain in contact with the face (i.e. player may not toss the cookie from the forehead and catch it in the mouth). If a cookie falls, player may reset an intact cookie on the forehead for the next attempt. To complete the game, the player must get one cookie to his/her mouth within the 60-second time limit.
Grand Finale: Mr. Wilford playing Paper Icicles!
Set up the streamer rolls at the player's feet with the player holding 1 end of 1 streamer roll in each hand. When the clock starts, player may begin unspooling the streamers. Player may not kick, throw, or grab the spool directly. If the spool breaks, the player may pick up the end of it and continue. To complete the game, both rolls of streamers must be unspooled and off the ground within the 60-second time limit.
Extra Time options:
Read a different version of "The Night Before Christmas" aloud to the class.
10:00 – 11:30 AM Watch “The Polar Express”
11:30 – 12:15 PM Read the book The Polar Express.
Discuss differences/similarities between the book and the movie.
Whole Class Craft: Make candy cane ornaments to take home.
Polar Express Activities, optional
12:15 - 12:45 PM Lunch in the classroom, snacks, and Hot Cocoa
12:45 - 1:15 RECESS
1:20 – 1:40 PM STATION ONE
1:45 – 2:05 PM STATION TWO
2:10 – 2:30 PM STATION THREE
Kids will begin stations at their own tables. When stations are complete, the 'bells' ring and students will move clockwise on table over to the next station. At least one adult will need to be at each station to conduct the activities.
2:30 PM GRAND FINALE: Mr. Wilford participates in Paper Icicles!
2:35 PM Students prepare to go to specials.
Station One: Soldiers' Night Before Christmas
Read Soldiers' Night Before Christmas by Trish Holland and Christine Ford.
Play Minute-to-Win-It game, Card Cliffhanger
Set up Christmas Cliffhanger by placing an open Christmas card on a table, close to the edge. Stand the card horizontally so it looks like a little tent. Then, stand at the opposite side of the table. The object of the game is to blow on the card to move it to the very edge of the table so that it is left hanging over the edge without falling off. No hands! You have one minute to accomplish your task.
Once all of the kids have completed the game, they can each take one card, write a holiday message to a Soldier, then put it into an envelope with their name in the return address. We will mail these to deployed Soldiers.
MATERIALS: book, Christmas cards, pens/pencils
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| Our favorite Soldier reading Soldier's Night Before Christmas |
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| Answering questions about being a Soldier |
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| Card Cliffhanger |
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| Card Cliffhanger |
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| Card Cliffhanger |
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| Card Cliffhanger |
Station Two: The Great Reindeer Rebellion
Read the book The Great Reindeer Rebellion by Lisa Trumbauer. Have the kids make their own reindeer noses for the game by tying yarn to a pom pom.
Play Minute-to-Win-It game, Reindeer Nose Dive.
This is a fun game for all ages. Before the game starts, tie a large red pom-pom to a length of red ribbon. To get the player ready, he/she should don reindeer antlers (this is optional but really adds to the spirit of the game) and dangle the ribbon with the attached pom pom from his/her mouth. Put a little dab of petroleum jelly on his/her nose. When the timer starts, he/she must swing the pom pom to land and stick on his/her nose using only his/her mouth and body - no hands.
MATERIALS: book, 20 pom poms, 20 strings/yarn, Vaseline
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| Reading the Great Reindeer Rebellion |
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| The Great Reindeer Rebellion |
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| Reindeer Nose Dive |
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| Reindeer Nosedive |
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| Reindeer Nosedive |
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| Reindeer Nosedive |
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| Reindeer Nosedive |
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| After the Reindeer Nose Dive |
Station Three: Pirate's Night Before Christmas
Read the book A Pirate's Night Before Christmas by Philip Yates.
Take a Pirate IQ test then create your Pirate Name.
Play Minute-to-Win-It game, Walk the Holiday Plank
Prior to game start, contestant is in a standing position behind the tree ornament holding the gift box. When the clock starts, contestant may start fanning the tree ornament with the gift box. Contestant and gift box may not touch the tree ornament at any time or the game is over. Contestant must stop fanning when 60-second time limit expires. To complete the game, contestant must get the tree ornament in the designated end zone (“at the end of the plank”) within the 60-second time limit. The tree ornament must come to a complete stop without exiting the designated end zone ("the plank").
MATERIALS: book, pirate test, colored tape to mark off the 'plank' on the floor, at least 2 plastic ornaments (balls, should be the same), gift box lid
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| Reading the Pirate's Night Before Christmas |
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| Listening to the Pirate's Night Before Christmas |
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| Walking the Plank |
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| Walking the Plank |
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| Walking the Plank |
WHOLE GROUP ACTIVITY:
Play Minute-to-Win-It game, Face the Cookie
When the clock starts, player may grab the first cookie and place it on the forehead. The cookie must remain in contact with the face (i.e. player may not toss the cookie from the forehead and catch it in the mouth). If a cookie falls, player may reset an intact cookie on the forehead for the next attempt. To complete the game, the player must get one cookie to his/her mouth within the 60-second time limit.
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| Joshua demonstrates Face the Cookie |
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| Face the Cookie |
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| Face the Cookie |
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| Face the Cookie play-offs |
Grand Finale: Mr. Wilford playing Paper Icicles!
Set up the streamer rolls at the player's feet with the player holding 1 end of 1 streamer roll in each hand. When the clock starts, player may begin unspooling the streamers. Player may not kick, throw, or grab the spool directly. If the spool breaks, the player may pick up the end of it and continue. To complete the game, both rolls of streamers must be unspooled and off the ground within the 60-second time limit.
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| Mr. Wilford plays Paper Icicles |
Extra Time options:
Read a different version of "The Night Before Christmas" aloud to the class.
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| Yummy snacks for the kids |
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| Loved joining Joshua for his Holiday Party! |
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