Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love. – Hamilton Wright Mabie
December is an exciting time for our learners. Around the world families gather and are encouraged to spread cheer by enjoying special dishes, decorating, exchanging gifts, and singing songs. Our students celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other holidays. In our classes we can get students to use free web tools and apps to create digital gifts or share their traditions. Our students can learn how different cultures celebrate various holidays in December and experience how others around the world celebrate the holidays. Below, find activities, resources, and free web tools/apps to spread cheer. You can also download my slide presentation, Merry Learning Activities for December.
Celebrating and Learning During the December Holidays from Shelly Sanchez Terrell
- Skype or video conference with classes worldwide to teach each other songs, carols, finger chants, or rhymes.
Find music activities and resources here.Find classes to connect with on Skype for Education, Epals, Skolinks, PenPalSchools, and eTwinning. - Students can modernize the lyrics to the 12 days of Christmas or any holiday carol, then create a music video with apps like Funimate (iOS/Android), Video Star (iOS), Touchcast (iOS), and Musical.ly (iOS/Android). Find more resources here.
- Learners can create digital books for friends and family, cook books with holiday recipes, or share their customs and traditions. Recommended book creation tools, include StoryBird, Little Bird Tales, Issuu, Flipsnack, and Book Creator. Check out my post, Creating Digital Books as Gifts for Others, for more resources.
- Students can create stories, play games, track Santa, and more on the North Pole site.
- Larry Ferlazzo has several resources and lesson ideas to learn about Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.
- Jerry Cybraryman Blumengarten has also listed various resources and lesson ideas for celebrating December holidays.
With the following web tools and apps students can create and send holiday greetings, books, slideshows and videos to friends and family. The following apps have templates, backgrounds, stickers, and fonts to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza!
- Buncee (Web/iOS)- Create animated greetings, digital books, posters, and presentations. Buncee has a large library of stickers, backgrounds, audio, images, animation, and videos.
- Magisto (Web/Android/iOS)- Upload images, pick a template, and choose a holiday soundtrack from their library to make a 1 minute video.
- Kizoa (Web)- Create beautiful photo slideshows with music and holiday templates.
- YakItforKids (iOS)- Add mouths and make your drawings or photos talk! You can create a slideshow of images and use their holiday stickers.
- Chatterpix for Kids (iOS)- Add mouths and make your drawings or photos talk! Only one image but you can decorate with holiday stickers and animations.
- Fotobabble– (Web/iOS)-Create and share photos with your audio narration.
- RedStamp (Web/Android/iOS)- send free e-greeting cards with various free holiday templates and add your own photos.
- Christmas Fun HD (iOS)- Students get into the Christmas spirit with interactive sing alongs, dress up games, painting activities, peek-a-boo games, interactive stories and so much more!
- Letters to Santa (iOS)- kids write unlimited letters to Santa Claus who responds.
- Light My Fire (iOS)- Students learn about Hanukkah and get to light a virtual traditional Hanukkah lamp.
- Jingle All the Way (iOS)- Interactive book with games, puzzles, and more for kids!
- Piano Mi (iOS)- teach children how to play holiday songs on a virtual keyboard they get to interact with.
- Talking Gingerbread Man (iOS)- talk to the Gingerbread Man and he repeats your words in a funny voice. Record a funny video to send to friends.
Challenge: Get students to celebrate the holidays with one of these resources.
cross posted at teacherrebootcamp.com
Shelly Terrell is an education consultant, technology trainer, and author. Read more at teacherrebootcamp.com.
