1-2-3 Come Do Some Christmas Writing With Me

I truly believe that if you give an interesting writing prompt to students, or toss in a bit of craftiness, or make it a bit like a game, you'll grab their attention and they'll want to get down to the business of writing.

With these things in mind, I designed 4, rather creative, writing prompt packets for December. First up is my "Spin a Winter Story Story" wheel.

These 14 story wheels are easy-peasy for you, as you don't have to constantly think up seasonal writing prompts, and highly motivational for your kiddos. 

My students imaginations kick into high gear, creating some really awesome work.

So that you can use them every year, simply print, laminate, trim and attach a paperclip with a brass brad.

Children choose one, or several, of the 14-winter story wheels, then spin 3 to 5 times.

They incorporate those items into a short story or paragraph on the worksheet.

For more writing practice, I've included a "Spin a sentence" worksheet, as well as one where students spin 7 times, give those pictures a one-word name/description and then alphabetize those words on the worksheet. 

Next up is "How to Dress an Elf", where children practice giving directions. My students LOVE the crafty aspect of this writing prompt; completed projects make a super-cute bulletin board too.

Encourage students to use transitions, ordinal numbers + adjectives when they explain how their elf gets dressed.
I’ve also included a set of transitional words on mini cards.

For that finishing touch, we used opalescent white glitter, flat-backed jewels and pom poms to add a bit of pizzazz to our completed “elves”.

If your students enjoy The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, they're sure to get excited about this next creative writing activity.

Diary of a Wimpy Elf includes templates to make a “top secret” file-folder diary, a variety of diary pages, clip art badges to decorate their diary cover with, plus a selection of incentive “stickers” that they can earn.

I’ve also included 30 writing prompt ideas to jump start your students' minds. 

Finally, "Stuff It!" is a personal favorite and literally stuffed with lots of Common Core.

For the writing prompt portion of "Stuff It", students gather in groups of 3-4 and exchange their decorated paper stocking with each other.

Everyone in the group "stuffs" a Christmas compliment into their classmate's stocking, by writing something nice about that person. Encourage the use of adjectives.

These completed projects also make a nice, self-esteem building, December bulletin board, which is particularly appropriate if your school does the "Bucket Filling" program.

The other writing prompt option, is for students to "stuff" their stocking with a list of things they'd like to find in their stocking, if money was no object, or you could also write a realistic one.

Along with the writing prompts, students can also stuff their stocking with words that begin and end with the ST blend. 

 I've included an alphabetical list of 92 words that begin with st, as well as a list of 64 words that end with the st blend, plus matching mini-word cards.

There's also a set of 6 worksheets that are played as timed games, as well as an "I Spy a Shape" whole-group assessment game, plus a "Shapes on a Roll" dice game.

Today's featured FREEBIE is A Letter to Santa with a twist.

Instead of children asking Santa for something they want, they write on behalf of someone special to them, that they think deserves a present. 

Introduce the activity to older students with "If there really was a Santa, and he really could bring a special gift..."

I've included my sample that you can share to help explain what you want your kiddos to do.  Completed projects make a sweet "Christmas is Caring" bulletin board too.

Well that's it for today.  My feet have hit the floor running! I have lots more shopping to do, and our tree's still not up! 

Wishing you a day filled with energy, and lots of peaceful moments to breathe in the joy of Christmas preparations.

"May peace be your gift at Christmas, and all the year through." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some ST Blend Activities With Me

The "Stuff a Stocking" packet, includes a variety of quick, easy and fun ways to help students practice words that begin and end with the ST blend.

For one activity, children color and trim a stocking, then stuff it with words that have the st blend in them, by writing the words on the front of their stocking.

The packet includes an alphabetical list of 92 common words that begin with st, as well as a list of 64 simple words that end with the st blend. 

Before sharing the lists with your students, as a whole group, have them brainstorm to see how many words they can think of. 

Write the words on the board, and have students look up any words that are new to them, jotting them down in their writing journals.  This is a great vocabulary building activity, and perfect for Daily 5 word work. 

For another whole group activity, I've included matching mini-word cards to pass out to your students, so that they can "stuff" either a  teddy bear stocking with beginning st word cards, or stuff a moose stocking, with words ending with the st blend.

To be able to "stuff" the paper stockings, laminate & trim them.  Cut a slit under the cuff portion, and attach a large Ziplock Baggie to the back.

Call out an st blend word from your list. (Before hand, highlight words that you want to review with your kiddos.)  The child holding that card shows it to the class, everyone reads the word, and then that student "stuffs" the card through the opening of the appropriate stocking.

To help build vocabulary, ask children to define the words. When you're done with the game, simply zip the Baggie and tuck in your file.

For yet another activity, students choose 3-5 cards and write sentences incorporating the word cards that they picked. To practice alphabetizing, have students write their word cards in alphabetical order.

I've included a worksheet for this, which would be a terrific Daily 5 word work activity as well. Click on the link to view/download the "Stuff it!" ST Blend Packet.

Thanks for visiting. It's time for me to get to the grocery store.  The cupboard is indeed bare, as I hate going out in the hustle bustle of December.  

The inclement weather and crowds are a bit overwhelming to me, and I'd much rather be curled up by the fire, sipping eggnog and making sketches of stuff I want to design.  Wishing you a warm and cozy kind of day.

"Christmas Time: Snowy climes and silly rhymes, a make-believe sense of time, when the old become young and the young walk the line." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some More Creative Christmas Writing With Me

I like to dream up writing prompts that I think my students will get excited about doing.  With that in mind, I designed "Wishful Thinking". It's a unique twist on the practical "What I want for Christmas" or "Dear Santa" writing activities.  Here, money is no object (woo hoo) so the sky's the limit of what 5 super-fabulous gifts students can ask for.  

While they're "day dreaming" and jotting down a list of things, have them prioritize and put their "wish list" in the order of what they'd like the most.  Encourage them to be specific and use some adjectives.  Make a rule that they can't ask for a zillion gift cards or money.

They glue their final draft to the inside of a construction paper square, folding the corners over to "close" their "gift".  Add extra pizzazz, by having students glue a square of Christmas wrapping paper to the back of their square of construction paper.

For that finishing touch, top with a bow.  Completed projects make a terrific bulletin board.  Click on the link to view/download the Wishful Thinking writing prompt.

Continuing with writing, using a different twist, I made up a unique Dear Santa letter. Instead of students writing a letter to Santa about the things they'd like for Christmas, they choose someone they think should get an extra special gift from Santa, and write a persuasive letter on their behalf.

I've included a completed sample for you to share, or make one up of your own to help jumpstart your students' creative juices. Click on the link for the unusual Dear Santa letter. 

If you still want your kiddos to write the more common letter to Santa, click on the link for a fill-in-the-blank template that's perfect for little ones. 

"Welcome To My House" is an interesting and fun writing prompt. Students decorate their door, trim and glue it to a sheet of white paper that they also trim. Inside, they write their final draft completing the writing prompt: "Welcome to my home for Christmas..." 

Encourage students to use plenty of adjectives that involve their senses, to help describe what a visitor might see, hear, and smell, as they enter their home.

I've included a completed sample to help you explain the lesson. Have older students type their final draft. 

Students who don't celebrate Christmas, can simply write a "Welcome to my home" for another celebration or holiday. 

If you're doing a Christmas Around The World theme, students can choose a country, do a bit of research, and then write from that point of view, welcoming visitors to their home in France, Mexico etc.

Hang the doors on a bulletin board, with the caption: "Come on in, for some creative winter writing."  Click on the link to view/download the Welcome To My House packet.  

Finally, make writing a game, and you're sure to get your students' attention. 

There are several ways to play this Christmas Writing Prompt game.

The teacher decides how many spins students should take. 

There are character spinners, as well as "stuff" spinners.

Each item a child spins, must be included in their writing. 

Students can write a short story, a paragraph or even make up several sentences. 

I've included worksheets with headers, for them to write on. There's also a worksheet entitled "Spin and alphabetize".

Children can play independently doing their own work, or they can write with a partner or in a small group, collaborating together to make up a story.

For those of you who homeschool, or teach in a Christian school, I've included two nativity spinners.  PK kiddos can simply spin and tell what the picture is, and why it's important.

When everyone is done, have them share their story with the class.  Click on the link for the Spin A Christmas Story Writing Prompt Game.

Since writing is a hot button for me, I have a lot of writing prompts on my site.  So if you're looking for more, click on the link. They are easily adjustable for a variety of ages.

That's it for today.  I hope you found something to get your kiddos excited about writing.  I've barely made a dent in decorating, so I'm off to the basement to haul up some more Christmas magic.  Wishing you a joy-filled day.

"Of all the Christmas gifts you give, the most enduring will be those special moments of love and laughter. May the light of Jesus shine in your heart and home this holiday season."