Christmas is magic, children (and adults, too) love this time of the year. Children also love stories, stories are magic as well. Is there anything better than the two together?
The story in the worksheet (find the worksheet here) is about Santa Claus and what he does to make Christmas special for everyone, but it also involves many different language sets and structures, so teachers can easily revise or teach something new before the holiday break.
Here’s a step by step Christmas story time activity that teachers can use with children from year 1 (with some help from the Italian language) to year 5.
Enjoy and... MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Step 1
You can start by eliciting some previous knowledge about Christmas and Santa Claus in English. Ask the children what they know about Santa Claus:
- do they know his English name?
- Where does he live?
- What does he wear?
Step 2
Pre-teach (or revise) some of the vocabulary from the story: North Pole, reindeer (remember it’s always reindeer, even if there’s more than one!), Santa Claus, sleigh...
Pre-teach or revise the structures and vocabulary that are part of the story but not directly Christmas related: clothes, to put on, Saxon genitive, to climb down...
Step 3
Read the story to the class. Don’t show them the pictures yet, but get the children involved by asking questions and get them to repeat the words.
Explain (or translate, with younger children) what they don’t understand and make sure that the story is clear for everyone.
Step 4
Print the worksheet and cut out the pictures and the sentences. Divide the class into groups and give them copies of the story with the words and pictures mixed up. Ask the children to colour all the pictures, then the children put the pictures and words in the correct order.
Step 5
Get the children to retell the story.
The story can also be turned into a simple play.
With older children, you can get them to rewrite the story as in a play with Santa Claus as the main character, a narrator, the reindeer and maybe a few elves and a couple of children who find the presents on Christmas morning.
Then the children can dramatize the play they themselves have written: they will love it!
Referenze iconografiche: OPOLJA/Shutterstock
