Wintertime Learning Opportunities: Cost-free Frosty Lessons and Engagements
Winter is a magical time, filled with traditions, celebrations, and learning opportunities. Here are eight resources that offer free winter holiday lessons and activities suitable for various age groups and educational purposes. These resources cover cultural, traditional, scientific, and language arts content, making them perfect for enhancing students' knowledge during the winter season.
Winter Theme Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten
This resource provides printable activities themed around winter topics such as snowflakes, weather, and arctic animals. These activities support language arts and science learning about winter environments. The printables include literacy (alphabet, oral language, emergent reading), math (counting, number recognition), patterning, memory games, shapes, color recognition, and coloring pages. [1]
Winter Holidays Unit Study (Free Sample)
This unit study covers global winter holidays and celebrations, including Christmas around the world, Hanukkah, Diwali, and Midwinter festivals. For each holiday, it provides an overview, history, customs, and traditions, plus traditional craft tutorials and recipes. This resource promotes cultural understanding and traditions and is designed for all ages, with downloadable free samples available. [2]
Holiday Math and Literacy Activities for Upper Elementary
This collection of free activities includes math projects like "Holidays Around the World" that combine cultural learning with math skills, logic puzzles, STEM challenges like Christmas tree building, and literacy projects such as holiday-themed mini-books. These activities integrate cultural, scientific, and language arts elements. [3]
Winter Break Learning Activities
Suggestions for winter break learning activities include reading books, cooking or baking to learn measurements and following directions, and visiting museums with winter or cultural exhibits. For example, creating scavenger hunts in museums can enhance cultural and historical learning relating to winter and holiday traditions. [4]
Winter Holiday Word Search Activity
This free printable word search and other puzzle activities themed around winter holidays can support vocabulary building and reading comprehension, making them ideal for language arts practice during the holiday season. [5]
Science Buddies: Why Are Skis So Long?
Science Buddies provides a lesson called "Why Are Skis So Long?" that can be conducted without snow or cold temperatures. This lesson explores the physics behind the design of skis and allows students to experiment with different ski lengths to find the most efficient design. [6]
Weather for Kids: Winter Weather Activities
Weather for Kids offers a collection of experiments, videos, lessons, projects, and games related to weather, not limited to winter. These resources are perfect for students to learn about various weather phenomena and how they impact winter. [7]
The History Channel: Kwanzaa
The History Channel provides a detailed article on the history, principles, and symbols of Kwanzaa. This resource is a great way for students to learn about this important cultural celebration. [8]
National Geographic Kids: Winter Solstice
National Geographic Kids offers an article on the winter solstice and its importance. This resource provides students with information about the shortest day of the year and the longest night, as well as the cultural and historical significance of the winter solstice in various cultures. [9]
Online Hanukkah Activities
Online Hanukkah activities, including digital Dreidel games, crossword puzzles, and coloring pages, are available for learning about Hanukkah history and rituals. These resources are perfect for students to engage with the traditions and culture of Hanukkah. [10]
Snow Crystals.com
Snow Crystals.com is an educational website about snowflakes, created by Kenneth G. Libbrecht, a professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology. This resource provides students with detailed information about the formation of snowflakes and the science behind their unique shapes. [11]
The New York Times: How Nature Comes Alive in the Winter
The New York Times offers a lesson plan titled "How Nature Comes Alive in the Winter". This resource explores the ways in which nature adapts to the winter season and provides students with opportunities to observe and document changes in their local environment. [12]
PBS Learning Media: Why Do We Have Seasons?
PBS Learning Media offers a lesson titled "Why Do We Have Seasons?" for grades 3-12, shareable to Google Classroom. This resource provides students with an understanding of the Earth's tilt and how it affects the seasons. [13]
The National World War I Museum and Memorial: Christmas Truce of Winter 1914
The National World War I Museum and Memorial offers an online exhibition on the Christmas Truce of Winter 1914. This resource provides students with an opportunity to learn about a significant historical event and the spirit of peace during wartime. [14]
Best Valentine's Day Lessons & Activities, Best Free Martin Luther King Jr. Lessons and Activities, and AI Starter Kit for Teachers
These additional resources offer lessons and activities related to Valentine's Day, Martin Luther King Jr., and the use of AI in the classroom. These resources provide students with opportunities to learn about these important topics and engage with technology. [15]
References: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15]
Interactive winter activities are ideal for supplementing a student's learning during the holiday season. A resource offers printable activities themed around snowflakes, weather, and arctic animals, promoting language arts and science learning. Another resource covers global winter holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, and Midwinter festivals, involving traditional craft tutorials and recipes. A collection of free activities includes math projects, STEM challenges, and literacy projects, combining cultural learning with math skills.
Winter break learning activities can be educational and engaging, such as reading books, cooking or baking, visiting museums with winter exhibits, and even conducting scavenger hunts in museums. Free printable word search activities support vocabulary building and reading comprehension during the holiday season. Google Classroom is one of the methods to share lessons like the "Why Are Skis So Long?" physics experiment or the "Why Do We Have Seasons?" lesson plan from PBS Learning Media.
Learning about cultural festivities such as Kwanzaa and the winter solstice on resources like The History Channel and National Geographic Kids can broaden students' understanding. Online Hanukkah activities, including digital Dreidel games and crossword puzzles, immerses students in the traditions and culture of Hanukkah. Educational websites like Snow Crystals.com provide detailed information about snowflakes and their unique shapes. The New York Times offers a lesson plan titled "How Nature Comes Alive in the Winter," exploring the impact of winter on local environments.
Finally, resources like Best Valentine's Day Lessons & Activities, Best Free Martin Luther King Jr. Lessons and Activities, and the AI Starter Kit for Teachers offer additional lessons and activities related to these important topics, giving students opportunities to learn about them using technology.
