Between juggling report cards and navigating class celebrations, December flashes by in a whirlwind of stress. But here’s the silver lining: December brings with it the magic of the holiday season. In this post, I’ll unveil five fun December read alouds for first grade. Each book is coupled with an engaging activity. Hopefully these ideas alleviate the December stress and infuse your classroom with the spirit of the season. Let’s turn the chaos into moments of literary joy and excitement!
5 December Read Alouds for First Grade
The Magic Dreidels
Every year, I weave a touch of Hanukkah magic into our classroom with some special read alouds. A top pick among my students is The Magic Dreidels: A Hanukkah Story by Eric Kimmel. The tale follows Jacob, who lands in a whirlwind of latkes and gelt thanks to his magic dreidels. However a sneaky neighbor, tricks him into giving them away. Fear not, though, as the magic dreidels find their way back to him by the end. As an added bonus, the book wraps up with a guide on playing the dreidel game. This is an excellent intro for students new to the tradition.
Now, here’s a fun twist you can do with this story: dive into some creative writing magic. Ask your students this question—if they had a magic dreidel, what would they want it to spin out? Watch their imaginations ignite as they write down their ideas.
Santa’s Stuck
In Santa’s Stuck by Rhonda Growler Greene, Santa finds himself in a chimney conundrum. It is up to the animals in the house to try to get him out. Students giggle at the plot and it’s a fantastic story for brushing up on story elements like characters, setting, problem, and solution. After reading this merry book, you can bring the story to life with this fun project by First Grade Wow. Your students will get to write about their ingenious plans for freeing Santa from his chimney dilemma.
The Littlest Elf
The Littlest Elf by Brandi Dougherty is a cute story that many first graders can relate to. In the book, Oliver the elf is on a mission to get his first job. However, he keeps getting told, “You’re too little” to do most of the elf jobs. Luckily, in the end, Oliver finds his perfect job.
After reading this book, you can poll your students about their dream elf job- decorate, make toys, or bake treats. Once the choices are in, have the students create their very own graph and elf toppers. The best part of this activity? You can dive into the data discussion afterwards. This activity will allow you to integrate this December read aloud into a merry math adventure!
Gingerbread Girl
The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Ernst is a delightful twist on the classic tale that your kids may not have stumbled upon yet. This sassy cookie is on a mission to carve out a better fate than her brother. She runs away from many who want to eat her. It all leads up to a surprising ending that will have your students grinning.
After reading this story, dive into a sweet and engaging math activity: the gingerbread glyph. It’s the perfect complement to your gingerbread cookie read-alouds, promising both student engagement and a sneak peek into the world of statistical analysis. Watch your students transform their gingerbread cookie inspired creations into statistical math magic in no time!
Too Many Tamales
In Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto, Maria helps her mom whip up a batch of tamales for Nochebuena. While making the tasty tamales, Maria is intrigued by her mom’s ring and tries it on. Unfortunately, the ring goes missing and Maria is convinced it’s inside one of the tamales! With the help of her cousins, they try to find the ring by eating all the tamales! Luckily, the ring is found and the family has fun making a new batch of tamales all together.
After reading this story, you can have your students work on sequencing and retelling as they recount the story to their peers. To incorporate some math, you can put your students in small groups. Next, give them a “price list” of ingredients for making tamales. Pose math-related questions that align with the price sheet for students to solve. It makes for a great real-world math exploration activity. And here’s the grand finale—a delicious wrap-up to their efforts with a tamales-tasting event right in the classroom. Let the flavors of learning and fun mingle in this delightful, hands-on experience!
As we wrap up this post on these festive December read alouds, picture the joyous moments these stories will create in your classroom. From the magic of holiday traditions to the whimsical adventures of gingerbread characters and the heartwarming tales of little elves, each book opens a door to a world of imagination and connection. As you share these stories with your eager young learners, may the spirit of the season infuse your classroom and add a sprinkle of holiday magic.
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