Well... almost nothing!
Teachers in Australia are entering the final week of school before the Christmas and summer break. Rooms are being packed up and cleaned, books and work folders are being sent home. You may be teaching on the last day of school, with hardly a thing left in your classroom!
I will mix a few of these 'minimal equipment' Christmas themed activities, with other organised lessons and school activities to get through my last day or so!
One student comes to the front of the class. Students (as a combined group) have 20 chances to deduce a mystery word. Ask the student to think of a Christmas themed word and write it on a piece of paper before his/her turn commences. The student that successfully identifies the word is the new player to come to the front.
Ho (Ho Ho)
Played like Buzz, students sit or stand in a circle. They begin counting in sequence - each playing calling out one number. When any multiple of 5 comes up, the number is replaced by the word "Ho". Play continues as quickly as possible. If a player hesitates too long, misses a "Ho" or gives the wrong number, he/she sits down and the game restarts at 1.
Christmas Minute
Students use a scrap of paper and write as many Christmas themed words they can think of in one minute. At the end of a minute, ask students to read out their words and they can score one point for each correct word. To challenge older students, give them a focus letter - e.g. how many Christmas words, beginning with 'S' can you think of?
Melting Snowman
Play to rules of hangman, but instead of drawing a man, use a Snowman drawing. Also the snowman is drawn on the board before the game commences, and part of the snowman is erased for each incorrect answer. Students must guess the word before the snowman has melted away.
Ball-Flake-Ball
Play Tic-Tac-Toe but use snowballs and snowflakes!
Santa Comes at Midnight
Each student draws a clock on a scrap of paper. They may commence by circling the '1 o'clock'. Students take turns to roll 2 dice. They may roll only once per turn and add the total of the 2 dice. The aim of the game is to roll the numbers from 2-12 in order, circling the times on the clock as they roll each number. Once a student has circles 12, he/she may be declared the winner!
Christmas is the 25th!
Students play in pairs. Students take turns to roll 5 dice. If a 2 or a 5 appears in the roll, the player scores 0. If no 2 or 5 is revealed, the player may find the total of the 5 dice and write this down on a scrap of paper. Players keep rolling and adding to their total. The first player to reach at least 100 points is the winner.
What other ideas do you have for a minimal and fuss free last day in the classroom?
It is almost Day 3 of the 13 Days of Christmas Giveaway! Head over to 'A Tale of Two K Teachers' soon to find a special freebie!
