Posted in Christmas Books

UPDATED: I am going to be adding in the specific crafts and activities as I make my final daily plans. I will post these Christmas book lists back at the top of my blog as I finish each one.

So, I've been thinking...so many WONDERFUL Christmas books and so LITTLE time!  Here is my courageous idea of the week...share with me if you think it will work. I have about 60 Christmas books of my own...with maybe 25 of them (at least) that I could do a lesson, craft, unit, SOMETHING with.

So, I'm pondering reading 1 of these books per day and doing an activity with each book each day. These would also be the books I would wrap and let them open 1 each morning for our school day activities. Am I crazy? A lot of the ideas I have seen are online...and I plan to give you all the links and such...but I just can't see doing 1 book for a whole week and only getting to 3-4 of the gazillion books out there...so these are my thoughts. Tell me if you think I can do it.

I'm going to give you a few books at a time with the links to ideas or units I have found...so far, I'm just doing books I actually have on my shelf. I am not sure if I'll have time for extras, but if so I'll add those last.

(Whew, update...I'm not even halfway through my pile of books! And look at all these fabulous ideas! I did want to mention that I don't type all this up to show off or look like I have it all together. I enjoy the planning, but more than anything, I need to begin getting MY act together...and I am one that needs to have it all typed up. So, I'm hoping that by putting my plans all together, it will help me sort out what I can do and not do in December. And maybe my plans will help someone else! Plus, I just plain ole' LOVE the Christmas season, so getting into all these fun books is just FUN for me! Remember, though, not to stress during December...Jesus is the reason for the season!)

This is the Star -- here is what Elizabeth Foss says about this book on her website. (I have linked you to her entire Christmas/Advent study.)

 This is the Star  by Joyce Dunbar is a lovely story of the birth of Jesus that builds on itself. The book works well as a read-aloud because it is rhythmic and employs rich, poetic language and gorgeous illustrations that hold the older listener while younger listeners absorb the story. (This one pictured is not the one I have, but same author, mine is a red cover.) The day we read this, I think we will do a star craft - I haven't searched for one yet, so if you find one, please let me know! Also, any other books that are about the star we will read on this day to.

 

 

Star Craft:

See pictures HERE of a star craft. Paint popsicle sticks any color you like, glue together in a star shape. We may add glitter to ours as well! Then you can add ribbon and hang on your tree! This is a simple craft that the girls will love! So, that makes us all happy - simple for mom, paint and glue for the girls!

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The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey -- I actually found this movie at the bible book store last week! So, that will be an exciting addition to our Christmas this year! I remember the book being a little bit longer, so we have not read it yet, and I think this year we will probably just watch the movie. (I haven't previewed it yet, but I plan to do so.)

There is a unit on homeschool share for this book as well, found HERE.

Here is what Elizabeth says about this book:

A picture book that is suitable for older children is The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey. Toomey is a widower who has become sad and reclusive since the death of his wife and son. A seven-year-old boy and his widowed mother are persistent in offering their friendship as Jonathon carves a creche for them. The carving of the creche is a story within the story and there is a joyous miracle on Christmas day. This is a tear-jerker that gives me chills every time I read it. It is not sappy and overdone but truly touching. This is the perfect picture book for children in the middle grades who might consider themselves too old for picture books. The book was written by Susan Wojciechowski. Illustrations are rich, realistic watercolors by P.J. Lunch. If there is a seven-year-old boy in your life, you must have this book. The rest of us should find a seven-year-old boy and buy the book so that we can live the story through the eyes of the child. 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Legend of the Candy Cane was a book that I wrote a unit for last year...we spent a week with this wonderful book last year! I would at least like to read it and do a fun candy cane craft with it this year! 

HERE is the unit found on homeschool share with lots of ideas!

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Another book that we have had on the shelf, but have not read yet is called Jacob's Gift by Max Lucado. Jacob’s Gift  tells the story of a carpenter’s apprentice, Jacob, who is competing with the other apprentices to determine who will be chosen to help build the new synagogue. Jacob loves working with wood and pours his heart and soul into a beautiful feeding trough. He falls asleep just as he finishes only to be awakened by brilliant starlight and a tough decision. Jacob truly learns that “when you give a gift to one of God’s children, you give a gift to God.”  

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When It Snowed That Night is a complilation of beautiful poems written to help us remember to slow down and remember the true meaning of Christmas. I enjoy finding books of poetry for the different seasons and holidays, so when I found this one recommended by Elizabeth Foss at the used book store, I snatched it up!

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The Miracle of 34th Street with illustrations by Tomie DePaola is another recommended on the Real Learning site, with Elizabeth Foss. I also found this one at a used book store! This one would definitely be a read-aloud, so I will have to contemplate which chapter books and longer books I want to do this month. I have several I will be thinking about. We might get to 2 of them, but I doubt if it will be more than that.

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The Little Drummer Boy is another Christmas favorite! I believe we have this one on video too! This version by Ezra Jack Keats is so simple, yet so wonderful! We will read this book and discuss what WE can bring to the King! I also thought of finding various versions to this song to listen to!

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The Legend of the Poinsetta is another one in the Real Learning Advent Unit. Little Lucida did not have a gift for the Baby Jesus. All she could find was a handful of weeds. But because she gave from her heart, the weeds turned into beautiful red flowers. This is a story about the Christmas plant - the poinsettia. I think this would be a lovely week to take a poinsettia to someone! Maybe mamaw in the nursing home? Maybe a neighbor? I believe we will also get one for our table as well! 

HERE is a page about the poinsettia with a craft as well.  

HERE is another page all about poinsettias, with crafts and links on it. She also mentions the Mexican legend that the poinsettia was known as the Christmas plant because it reminded them of the star of Bethlehem.

Use THIS poinsettia coloring page and print out several poinsettias for your child to paint. Another idea was to use torn tissue red tissue paper to glue on the poinsettia.

THIS is a REALLY neat ABC coloring book for Christmas. The picture for P happens to be one of the prettiest poinsettia coloring pages I found. Some of them just weren't so pretty. Anyway, I love all the pictures in this coloring book...but you could print off the P page and just cut out the poinsettia part.

Here is an idea that Elizabeth had for the poinsettia:

Narrate what you learned about Christmas plants and make a poinsettia covered brad-book for your lapbook.  Copy  a poinsettia picture from de Paola’s book, laminate it, trace it onto several pages of lined paper.  Write narrations on the lined paper and “bind” them behind the laminated illustration with a brad.

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Yet another book I found at the used book store that I am excited about is by Jan Brett. Her version of The Night Before Christmas is beautiful, of course! Don't you just love ALL of her books? Since this is such a widely known and famous poem, I plan to find several versions of this book (I think I have 3-4 on my shelves alone.) and compare the illustrations. I know for me, the Jan Brett version will be one of my favorites! But I would like for the children to see the other versions too. Elizbeth suggests making this poem your poetry memorization for the month.

This might also be a good time to discuss Saint Nicholas. I hope to find a few great books about him (seems like I tried last year and didn't have much luck! Elizabeth does mention several good ones on her page, I just don't own any of them yet!

HERE is the BEST Saint Nicholas page - with crafts, stories, ideas, everything you need to learn about this saint and also to have a fun celebration on his day, Dec. 6th. Or maybe like Saint Nicholas you would like to "adopt" a needy family anonymously and bless them this holiday season! I probably will make an entirely separate post about the things I plan for Saint Nicholas...but that is for another day and another time. :)

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And while we're on the subject of Jan Brett, we can't let a Christmas season go by without reading Gingerbread Baby! And of course, it has become tradition in this household to build a gingerbread house together! My girls and I just LOVE this tradition and doing this together! And, well, there are just TONS of ideas out there for this book...so I believe I will let you google this one yourself if you want to delve further into this one. Elizabeth also offers some ideas for this book. One idea is to read the different versions of this story and compare, maybe even do a Venn diagram. 

HERE is an online gingerbread house for your child to decorate for some computer time!