December 18, 2012

All Aboard the Polar Express


We are so lucky to get to devote a whole day out of our last week before the break to The Polar Express! We all dress in our jammies, watch the movie, eat donuts and drink hot chocolate, and do fun activities and even get a special surprise!
**By far my most favorite day of the year.**
At the beginning of December, I had each student write a letter to Santa.  We mailed them off in an envelope mailed to the North Pole and sent it to the office to be picked up by the mailman.
 
 
After watching The Polar Express, our Principal's delivered a special package (still cold I might add) that was from the North Pole! Who could it be other than Santa himself!!
 
{Early that morning, we spray it with glitter, sprinkle water on the package, and stick it in the freezer!} 
 
Inside was a personalized letter addressed to each child, and a bell just like the bells the kids riding The Polar Express in the movie received. Pure madness broke out in my classroom. Kids were cheering, smiles aglow, nothing less than *true magic*!  They were most taken back by the fact that both their letters and bells were still cold!!!
 
Making this HUGE secret happen is pure teacher magic!
 Our entire 1st grade team writes and personalizes letters to each child in our class, types them up and prints them out on cute Christmas themed paper. Again, we spray them with glitter, sprinkle water, and freeze. With the help of our administrator's we pull off a little bit of, as the kids say, the BEST. DAY. EVER!
 
I have bundeled together the 21 letters I wrote to my firsties.  They are editable and can be customized to fit each and every one of your students. It's up for sale in my  TPT store.  All you have to do is add your child's name and there you have it!
 
{Click on the picture below.}
 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Letters-from-Santa-457854
 
 A little "Christmas magic" is always fun!
 
 

1 comment:

  1. You have had a very similar December as I have. This is my first year teaching 1st grade (after 8 years in 3rd) and I am LOVING it! I used many of the same books this year as you, but because I was creating things all month I didn't enjoy it as much as I would've liked. I am excited for next year since I won't have to start from scratch as much. I really like so many of your ideas - I will have to remember to come back to these posts next year (maybe in October or November) to add to what I did this year. So fun!!!!

    Melissa
    First Grade Smiles

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