Reindeer Theme Ideas

Reindeer Facts

Usually only male deer have antlers. Both male and female reindeer have antlers. Reindeer have their antlers for several months; then they fall off. New ones grow back later.

Reindeer live where it is cold and snowy. They have special fur that keeps them warm. Next to their skin, reindeer have thick, woolly fur. During the summer, the fur thins out so the reindeer will be cooler.

Reindeer have hooves that spread out when they walk on them. They are used to find food beneath the snow.

Reindeer travel in large herds from place to place to find food.

Reindeer live near the North Pole

Reindeer are closely related to caribou

The Wild Christmas Reindeer

Activities to Use With this 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.

Invite another class over and read the book to them. Dramatize the book; wear reindeer antler hats.

Click Here For a Grade 2 Matter Lesson using this book!

Classroom Activities

Have your class make this popular craft called reindeer food. We have made FREE template for you to use with the craft.

Click here to view and print the template for this craft.

Place the following in a ziploc bag or another type of baggie.

1/2 cup of oatmeal and a 1/2 a cup of sugar.

You will see the recipe call for glitter, we have replaced the glitter with sugar. This way if your students place the recipe on the ground, then they will not harm the animals.

Tell you class that this recipe will help santa find the way to their house.

The tag below is found here…  in our winter do it yourself kits!

Will Santa Come Tonight?
The book is written by Joan Dinan and illustrated by Mai S. Kemble.  Joan, wrote the book to  share a family tradition that came about from her teaching second grade for twenty years! Joan states that,  “As Christmas approached, no matter how good a child was, every second grader was always concerned that they had been “good enough” for Santa to come.   So each year, I would have them write letters to Santa sharing all the ways that they had tried to be good.  After we mailed the letters, the children were directed to sprinkle Enchanted Reindeer Treats on their lawn right before they went to bed on Christmas Eve, because everyone knows that the “glow of the crystals in the moonlight and the aroma of the oats” will guide Santa’s reindeer directly to your home.  Voila!  In all my years of doing this, it has NEVER failed!”

The book is wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated.  Perfect Read Aloud for Preschool aged children all the way up to any true believers.   The book starts out with a little girl and her mother stringing popcorn to hang on the tree.  The little girl ask her mother if Santa will come tonight.  The mother explains that he will come because she has been a good helper.  The book continues with the girl asking the same question more and more enthusiastically.  The mother answers each time and states a new reason Santa will come.  The fun and happy illustrations compliment the text with many examples of holiday happenings and positive behavior.   Perhaps, your very own children will get a few ideas of the good deeds they do that will encourage Santa to come to your house this year.  I love that this story highlights the positive behavior in children.  As the story ends the mother explains the magic of the Enchanted Reindeer Treats.

The illustrations show the family out sprinkling the treats for Santa’s Reindeer.  Finally, when all is quiet you see a beautiful picture of Santa and the Reindeer in front of the child’s home.  I guess the magic of the Enchanted Reindeer Treats did their trick for this little girl!  They can do the trick for your favorite kiddo too…

Magic Reindeer Treats, Will Santa Come?
Read the book to your class.  It will really get them thinking about the ways they have been good this year.  Brainstorm some ideas as a class and then write letters to Santa.
I created three free Santa letter forms you can use to create your letters.
Free Santa Letter Templates

 Click Free letters to Santa Templates to download the set!

If you are looking for a great Christmas gift for each child, video each classmate reading the letter and set it to DVD.  Click here to see an example of one I did for my son’s second grade class years ago.

Attach a candy cane and some reindeer food to the DVD and you are set!

Reindeer Sandwiches
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 knife

Ingredients:
whole wheat bread
peanut butter
raisins
red apple slices
pretzel sticks
gum drops

Directions:
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.

Provide books and have your students do reindeer research. Can they find the answers to these questions?

Where do reindeer live?

Reindeer belong to what family?

What do reindeer eat?

Are reindeer good swimmers?

What do we call a female reindeer?

What do we call a male reindeer?

What is a baby reindeer called?

List Santa's reindeer.

Why was Rudolph's red nose needed on Christmas Eve?

I am going to be reading to my class Olive the other reindeer. Then I am going to let my students make reindeer puppets by using a lunch bag and turning it upside down. I will have the students to trace their hands for the antlers. Then I am going to put my second graders into groups and they are going to make up a puppet show using their puppets. Later on I will make reindeer food for the students using oatmeal, popcorn, and bird seed.I will attach this poem on the bag

Reindeer Food
Tis the night before Christmas and every year you feed Santa Claus. Now
feed his reindeer.

1. Wait until Christmas Eve
2. Open the bag. sprinkle reindeer fod on the lawn.
3. Hop into bed.
4. Listen for Santa.
5. Close your eyes.
6. Watch the sugar plums dance.


Thanks,
Eileen

Great Goodies For Your Unit-
Click on title to learn more!


Great Books For Your Unit-
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My Favorite Reindeer Poems and Songs!

The Reindeer Pokey

(tune: Hokey Pokey)

You put your antlers in.

You put your antlers out.

You put your antlers in,

And you shake them all about.

You do the Reindeer Pokey,

And you turn yourself around.

That's what it's all about!

You put your hooves in....

You put your red nose in...

You put your fluffy tail in..

You put your reindeer body in..

Call Rudolph

Eight little reindeer pulling Santa's sled

One fell down and bumped his head.

The elves called Santa and Santa said,

"Can seven little reindeer pull my sled?"

(count down until one...)

One little reindeer pulling Santa's sled,

He fell down and bumped his head.

The elves called Santa and Santa said,

"Call Rudolph!"

Santa's Reindeer

One, two, three, four, five little reindeer,
(Point to one finger at a time.)
Stood by the North Pole gate.
"Hurry, Santa," called the reindeer,
(Put hands around mouth to call.)
"Or we will all be late."
(Look at "watch.")
One, two, three, four, five little reindeer,
(Point to one finger at a time.)
Santa said, "Please wait!"
(Put hand to ear, listening.)
"Wait for three more little reindeer,
(Hold up three fingers.)
"Then we will have eight."
(Hold up eight fingers.)

Other Sites With Great Ideas
A Special Thanks to Donna For Sharing Some of Her Favorite Links

Fun Things to Print

Fun Places to see

Name That Reindeer-See if YOU know all of their names!

www.teachingheart.net

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