Holiday fun

I know holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and celebration, but I just couldn't get around to correcting all these activity books and notebooks during the school year. Well then. Here's to recharging for 2016! :)

Happy holidays!

Lady dear, if Fairies may

For a moment lay aside 

Cunning tricks and elfish play, 

'Tis at happy Christmas-tide.

We have heard the children say - 

Gentle children, whom we love - 

Long ago, on Christmas Day, 

Came a message from above.

Still, as Christmas-tide comes round, 

They remember it again - 

Echo still the joyful sound 

'Peace on earth, good-will to men!'

Yet the hearts must childlike be 

Where such heavenly guests abide: 

Unto children, in their glee, 

All the year is Christmas-tide!

Thus, forgetting tricks and play 

For a moment, Lady dear, 

We would wish you, if we may, 

Merry Christmas, glad New Year!

Lewis Carroll

Greeting card made by one of my first graders with my humble assistance

Christmas rant

Why can't first graders write yet??? /Grinch mode on

Wintertime in my classroom

This school year has mostly been about young learners for me. I still teach two groups of pre-intermediate students but most of my students are ages 6–10. This also means my classroom is stacked with pictures, posters and other projects from my students.

This is how I approached the topic of winter with my first graders:

• We listened to The Little Magician story and acted it out. I made the story up myself and it goes something like this:
  
  
  Once upon a time there was a little magician. He had no mother, no father, no sisters, no brothers and no friends to play with. The little magician was sad and lonely.
  
  
  One winter's day the little magician was sitting in front of his house when suddenly it started to rain. (RAINDROPS!) The raindrops were very friendly to the little magician. »Let's play!« they said. So he played with the raindrops.
  
  
  After a while the little magician thought of something fun. He waved with his magic wand and turned the raindrops into snowflakes. (Abracadabra, one, two, three - SNOWFLAKES!) The snowflakes were very friendly to the little magician. »Let's play!« they said. So he played with the snowflakes.
  
  
  After a while the little magician thought of something fun. He waved with his magic wand and turned the snowflakes into a snowman. (Abracadabra, one, two, three - SNOWMAN!) The snowman was big and white and fun! He was very friendly to the little magician. »Let's play!« he said. So the little magician and the snowman played together.
  
  
  After that day, things were different for the little magician. Whenever he wanted company, he just waved with his magic wand and he had friends. The little magician was never sad and lonely again. The end.

• We sang the Snowman song. As for the snowman puppet, I made it myself while attending the course on puppets (see ZGUČAN).

I'm a little snowman, short and fat,

here's my scarf and here's my hat.

(melody: I'm a Little Teapot)

• As a CLIL activity, we made paper snowflakes. I'm sure you know how to do that but just in case you forgot, here's a Youtube tutorial.

We had lots of fun doing it. All that's left for us are some Christmas activities next week and then, finally, winter break!!! 

My school's contribution to the Christmas spirit of Ljubljana