When you think of holidays, you probably think of the winter holidays in December, but there are also some not-as-well-known special days that you can recognize to keep your students engaged! Take a look at the below list of days to celebrate in December as well as some activities that you can engage in with your students.
December 7th: Pearl Harbor Day and National Letter Writing Day
On December 7th, discuss the origins of the United States entrance into World War II. To remember and honor this influential day, use this powerful lesson from The Department of Education of the National D-Day Museum. The lesson can be improvised to fit the needs of your students and be extended across subject areas.
December 7th is also National Letter Writing Day! After engaging your students in a lesson on the attack of Pearl Harbor, you can celebrate the days before email by having students hand write letters to soldiers to thank them for their service. This will be an excellent activity to close out your lesson on WWII.
December 12th: National Poinsettia Day
This day honors Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first American Ambassador to Mexico who died on December 12, 1851. He brought poinsettia plants back from Mexico and grew them in his garden in South Carolina. Celebrate the day with your students by making an origami poinsettia or by learning more about the current American Ambassador to Mexico, Roberta S. Jacobson.
December 15th: Bill of Rights Day
President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared December 15th Bill of Rights Day and called upon the people of the United States to observe the day by displaying the American flag on all public buildings. In your classroom, this is a perfect day to discuss the rights and freedoms we enjoy in our country. Check out this online game for students in grades 2-6. The Constitution Center also has a video available online that you can use with older students.
December 18th: Bake Cookies Day
Although there is no official proclamation for this day, calendars reference it, and who doesn’t love a reason to celebrate (and eat!) cookies? This is a perfect day to talk about, write about, or read books about cookies. Preschoolers and kindergarteners will enjoy singing songs about cookies. Older students can practice real-world math skills while manipulating cookie recipes. Make sure you build in time at the end of the lesson to enjoy your students’ cookie masterpieces. Yum!
December 21st: Winter Solstice Day and Crossword Puzzle Day
December 21st is a major day to celebrate because it means the days are getting longer and we are inching closer to summer! This would be an excellent day to review geography and remind students how South Americans are celebrating summer today. Education World has a bunch of fun winter solstice activities that you can revise to fit all grade levels and subject areas.
After your recognition of winter solstice is complete, you can celebrate Crossword Puzzle Day by challenging your students to a crossword puzzle that you made just for them! To make the activity really special, give clues that are specific to your students’ interests and include their names in the puzzle! Extra points for you if you are able to add clues relating to winter solstice, too!
December 27th: Make and Cut Out Snowflakes Day
Since school is probably not in session on this day, you might want to celebrate this one right before students leave for winter break. Get out the scissors and glitter paper and have everyone make snowflakes! Put them in your windows before leaving for the break so you will come back to a nicely decorated classroom. Check out some books about snow and snowflakes, and use this as an opportunity to reinforce each of your students’ unique qualities.