How To Keep Students Engaged Before a Holiday Break
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated Nov 14, 2023
how to keep students engaged before a holiday break
The holiday season is upon us, which means that there are only a few short weeks left before students (and teachers!) have a much-needed break from school. However, before the break, there is still work to be done! Below are a few tips on how to keep students engaged before a holiday break.
Get them Moving
It’s no secret that kids have a lot of energy. And while sometimes that energy can be disruptive, it can also be harnessed and channeled into productive learning. When possible, incorporate some physical activity into your lessons. This helps students burn off some excess energy and stay focused. For example, you could start each morning with a quick brain break or do some desk yoga together as a class. Or, if you have access to a gym or outdoor space, consider holding class outside for a change of scenery. Physical activity has been shown to improve concentration and focus, so it’s a win-win for everyone!
My favorite way to get students up and moving in the last few days before the break is with this fun figurative language scavenger hunt. First, laminate the figurative language cards and hang them up around your classroom, hallway, or outdoor space. Each card contains a quote from a classic holiday tale featuring an example of figurative language.
Next, pass students a clipboard and recording sheet. Have students “hunt” around for the cards, and record their answers on the recording sheets. It is a super fun way to incorporate some movement and rigorous holiday fun into your ELA lessons!
Grab a copy of this fun activity by clicking here or on the image below!
To delve deeper into holiday literature, check out our post on Holiday Short Stories for Middle School, which can be a great source of engaging content for your language lessons.
Additionally, to enhance your students’ reading skills, our guide on Building Reading Comprehension Strategies offers valuable techniques that can be integrated into your daily lessons, especially when working with complex texts.
Make it Fun
As teachers, we know how important it is to make learning fun. If students are enjoying themselves, they’ll be more likely to stay engaged and motivated. Of course, this doesn’t mean that every lesson needs to be a party. However, there are small ways to make learning more enjoyable. For example, you could incorporate games into review sessions or let students listen to music while they work on individual projects. If you’re feeling really festive, you could even decorate the classroom together! A little bit of holiday cheer can go a long way.
This “How to Catch an Elf” STEM activity is a super fun way to keep students engaged (and having fun!) before Christmas break. After reading the classic story (or listening to it read aloud here), students use their creative skills to develop and build their own Elf Traps! Full instructions to complete the activity is included, as well as a fun writing activity – it makes a great bulletin board display!
As an added bonus, it also contains a COMPLETE STEM Challenge notebook. This is great because you can use it with any STEM Challenge, all year long!
Grab a copy of this fun STEM Challenge by clicking here or on the image below!
Keep it short and sweet
During the holidays, everyone’s schedules tend to fill up quickly with family gatherings, gift shopping, and travel plans. As a result, it can be tough for students (and teachers!) to stay focused on schoolwork. One way to combat this is by keeping your lessons short and sweet. If students know that they only have to focus for a brief period of time, they’ll be more likely to stay on task until the bell rings. You could also try breaking up longer assignments into smaller chunks so that students don’t feel overwhelmed by all the work they have to do. By taking things one step at a time, students will be able to power through and get everything done before the break begins.
The holiday season is always an exciting time of year—but it can also be hectic and stressful. As we approach the end of the semester, it’s important to keep students engaged in learning so that they don’t fall behind before the break begins. By incorporating physical activity, fun elements, and short/sweet lessons into your classrooms, you can help keep students motivated and on track during these last few weeks of school!
For more festive ideas, explore our collection of Christmas Activities for Middle School, perfect for keeping the holiday spirit alive in your classroom.
For more strategies on maintaining student interest, check out our tips on Ways to Boost Engagement in the classroom, which can be particularly helpful during busy times like the holiday season.
Looking for more Ideas about how to keep students engaged before a holiday break?
Check out these blog posts from Creative Classroom Core:
Christmas Activities for Middle School
Holiday Short Stories for Middle School
Check out this post from my teacher buddy, Tanya G Marshall the Butterfly Teacher!
15 Ways to Keep Students Engaged before a Holiday Break
Looking for a fun freebie?
Click on the image or button below to download these fun printable holiday cards!
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