Pass the Present
The last week before vacation is always full of special
activities in our school. Classrooms are
making crafts, celebrating and having parties.
Teachers are doing Secret Santa, we have sing-a-longs and Christmas
movies planned. It is always a fun week
for the students and staff.
An activity that I am planning to do this year is pass the
present. I purchased small gifts, candy
and one larger gift to give out to my students.
I put the small gift and candy in a small gift bag. I wrap the larger gift first. Then I place a gift bag on the outside and
wrap it again. I do this until all the
gifts are wrapped alternating the color of the paper I use. This year I am
making 2 of them. One I am using when I
push into Kindergarten and the other with my students who I see in my
office. The present I am using for my
office is going to be filled with small rewards (erasers, stickers, piece of
candy) and not a gift bag.
When I go into Kindergarten we are going to play pass the
present. We are going to form a large
circle on the floor. I am going to
review left and right with the class, then I am going to set a timer for 15-30
seconds. We are going to pass the
present to the left or the right until the timer goes off. Whoever is holding the present when the timer
goes off is going to open the outside layer of the present. We do this until everyone gets a
present. If someone is absent I plan to take a
layer off before we start.
In my small groups I will be using it
for the last five days before vacation as a reward at the end of the session. I am going to write
numbers on Popsicle sticks. Each student
selects a stick and we are going to open the present from the smallest number to the
largest. I am having students unwrap all week until the final gift is selected.
Each student will get to open the present more than one time, which is why I am
using small rewards.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I
hope that 2015 has been a year filled with joy and happiness.