Happy Holidays!
I love this time of year! My first graders have Santa on their brains after making Rudolph and each writing letters to him. We mailed them in a huge red envelope to the North Pole and we're hopeful that Santa, or his elves will answer their letters before we leave for Winter Break....
In early December, or late
November, I teach my students how to write friendly letters for my Santa Letter
Project. Students always enjoy learning
how to write a letter when they are allowed to write to Santa!
I begin by sending an initial
letter to my parents explaining the Santa Letter Project and ask if any of them
have the time to act as Santa’s elves by answering Santa letters that the
students have written. In this letter, I
also ask that they complete a permission slip either allowing their child to
write a letter to Santa if their family celebrates Christmas, or write a letter
to someone of their choice if they do not celebrate Christmas.
Next, I ask for parent volunteers to answer student letters as one of Santa's elves. When I have my volunteers, I send them a letter with explicit directions for answering student letters. When students write their letters to Santa, I allow them to ask a question they've always wondered about, but have never gotten an answer. In my letter to volunteers, I have a list of typical questions that students have asked over the year as well as answers to each question. It's important that questions are answered exactly the same so children won't question the authenticity of the elves!
Once Santa letters are completed, students make Rudolphs.
Once completed, I attach student letters to Rudolph and mail them to the North Pole. I let the students see me address the envelope I create out of red butcher paper. I even have a special delivery label and giant stamps! I make sure to tell my students that because Santa is so busy at this time of year, I do not know if their letters will be returned before we leave for Winter Break.
Then a couple of days before our Winter Break party, I put the Rudolphs with return letters in our school freezer. During our party, I ask the office staff to call my room about 15 minutes before the party ends. My students answer my class phone so it's adorable when a student is told to tell Mrs. Terry that she has a Special Delivery package from the North Pole. You can imagine their excitement when they carry back a package that is freezing! They are thrilled and so are the parents.
This project is really fun and worth doing!
Next, I ask for parent volunteers to answer student letters as one of Santa's elves. When I have my volunteers, I send them a letter with explicit directions for answering student letters. When students write their letters to Santa, I allow them to ask a question they've always wondered about, but have never gotten an answer. In my letter to volunteers, I have a list of typical questions that students have asked over the year as well as answers to each question. It's important that questions are answered exactly the same so children won't question the authenticity of the elves!
Once Santa letters are completed, students make Rudolphs.
Once completed, I attach student letters to Rudolph and mail them to the North Pole. I let the students see me address the envelope I create out of red butcher paper. I even have a special delivery label and giant stamps! I make sure to tell my students that because Santa is so busy at this time of year, I do not know if their letters will be returned before we leave for Winter Break.
Then a couple of days before our Winter Break party, I put the Rudolphs with return letters in our school freezer. During our party, I ask the office staff to call my room about 15 minutes before the party ends. My students answer my class phone so it's adorable when a student is told to tell Mrs. Terry that she has a Special Delivery package from the North Pole. You can imagine their excitement when they carry back a package that is freezing! They are thrilled and so are the parents.
This project is really fun and worth doing!
I s
