Activities to Use With the Story Dramatize the story with one child being Teeka and eight children as reindeer. In the beginning of the story, Teeka is very rough with the reindeer. At the end of the story, she has changed her approach. Take turns being Teeka and the reindeer. Discuss how it felt to be yelled at by Teeka.
Materials:
4" X 5" white or beige paper (at least two pieces per student)
scissors
spoons or craft sticks
small containers to hold ingredients
paring knifeIngredients:
whole wheat bread
peanut butter
raisins
red apple slices
pretzel sticks
gum dropsDirections:
Give each child a piece of 4" X 5" piece of paper. Ask them to figure out how they will divide it to make four triangles. Let them experiment. Do not show them how to do this. Allow plenty of time. When they have solved the problem, let them cut their slice of bread in the same way. Spread peanut butter on two of the triangles. Decorate with raisins for eyes, a slice of red apple for the mouth, a gum drop for the nose, and pretzels for the antlers.
On a cold Christmas Eve, a family gathers their supplies, piles into a pickup truck, and drives out to Luke's Forest, where they greet their favorite tree like an old friend. Full color.
Word Pictures
Read one of Fred Gwynne's books about word play, such as The King who Rained. Talk about homonyms and descriptive phrases. Have students make drawings to illustrate theses phrases from Polar Express:
"apron of steam"
"train standing perfectly still"
"large pocket watch"
"took his outstretched hand"
"He cupped his hand around his mouth"
"it broke my heart to lose the bell"
"train gave a sudden lurch"
"crashed his whip"
"elves cheered wildly"
"huge city standing alone at the top of the world"
"Beautiful sound"
"Polar Express raced northward"File Folder Game
Describe it
Students match adjectives from the story with the nouns they describe: hissing steam, squeaking metal, hot cocoa, dark Forrest.lean wolves,quiet wilderness, barren desert, small box, little sister, loud blast, magical sound, silver bell, huge city, frozen sea.A Class Book entitled:
"Comforting Friends"
This book could be in the shape of hugging arms. The children in the story were really concerned about the boy who lost the bell. After discussing this, have children write about times when they confronted friends or were comforted by friends.Parts of Contractions and Compound words File Folder Game:
"Ring Out"
Using two sides of a bell pattern. Paste a side on each part of the folder. Paste the words on one side of the bell and use Velcro to place the contractions on the other side. If you wish to do compound words: glue the first part of the word on one side of the bell and use Velcro to place the second half of the word on the other side.
Compound Words:
outside, snowflakes, downstairs,outstretched,northward,nightgowns
Contractions:
I'd, let's, couldn't, that's, It's, I've
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UNIT ON REINDEER
http://www.teachers.net/lessons/posts/747.html
Link
To A Reindeer Unit
Rudolph
the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) VHS
Rudolph
The Red-Nosed Reindeer -- Burl Ives; Audio CD
RUDOLPH
THE RED NOSE REINDEER GAME new WIN 95/98/MAC
Olive,
the Other Reindeer Book and Doll
Rudolph
the Red Nosed Reindeer : The Christmas Hero (Special Edition Coloring Book)
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SNOWY UNIT
Snow
Theme
More
Snow Activities
Snow
& Snowman Theme
Winter
Snow
Fun Unit
Winter
Snow Themes
A
Winter's Solstice - Relax With Your Class
Big
Snow
Make
a Snowflake - After reading about snowflakes, click on a location
at the bottom of the screen to make your snowflake.
Brian's
Winter
Winter
Activities (PreK+) - Circle, Craft and Activities Card File - Also contains
summer links.. scroll on down for a bunch of winter activities!
Winter
Math (K+) - art; counting by 1's, 2's, 5's and 10's
Snowman
Math Unit (2+)
Snow
Dance with Your Class
Everything
for Winter : A Complete Activity Book for Teachers of Young Children :
Activities for December, January, and February
The
Snowman (Coloring Book)
The
Snowman Storybook
Cut
and Tell Scissor Stories for Winter : Scissor Stories for Winter
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DECEMBER
UNIT
December
Units
Christmas;
A Thematic Unit
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Penguins
Unit
Penguins
Unit
A
cute site with penguin stories written by elementary school kids.
The
Penguin-cam at Seaworld!
The
Penguin Thematic Unit Page
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Lake/4482/penguinwelcome.htm
Scramble
Squares: Penguins
Baby
Penguin Puppet
The
Arctic (1) - literature, poetry, great activities, and links for studying
the arctic and its animals
Penguins
: Theme Unit Developed in Cooperation With P.R.B.O. International Biological
Research
Penguins
: A Thematic Unit/Workbook (Thematic Units Series)
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Gingerbread
Man Unit (1) - "Your class will enjoy a tasty unit all about gingerbread.
This unit is loads of fun, no matter what time of year you choose to complete
it!"
Gingerbread
Man Books
Gingerbread
Man Activities
Your
class will enjoy a tasty unit all about gingerbread. This unit is loads
of fun, no matter what time of year you choose to complete it!
Spanish
version of the Gingerbread Man
Sizing
up the Gingerbread Man... Measurement activity
POEMS
AND SONGS
Easy-To-Make
Gingerbread House
The
Gingerbread Boy (Puffin Easy-To-Read, Level 2)
Gingerbread
Houses : A Complete Guide to Baking, Building, and Decorating
Gingerbread
Houses for Kids
Cut
It into Gingerbread Men - Ice Cream Gingerbread Men
Easy
Gingerbread Homemade Ornaments
Gingerbread
Boy Fun Page
Word
Search To Print
Pegasus
: The Gingerbread Man (Set of Unit Guide, Teacher's Manual, & Workbook,
Kindergarten)
Christmas
Games
Poetry
Christmas
Unit
How
the Grinch Stole Christmas
by Dr.
Seuss
The
Grinch wants to stop Christmas, so he steals all the Christmas presents
and trimmings, but somehow he can't stop Christmas from coming
When his snowman comes to
life, a little boy invites him home and in return is taken on a flight
high above the countryside.
A study of the book The Mitten, is a great way to warm up those cold winter days. M Is for Mitten : A Michigan Alphabet
The Mitten (K+) - Jan Brett's printable masks for the animals in the story
