The holiday season can be a challenging time as we all anxiously await winter break. However, I’ve found these fun Christmas activities for the high school English classroom to be a great way to celebrate the season.
While many students in my high school English classes do not specifically celebrate Christmas, I’ve realized that using a variety of holiday activities keeps everyone entertained while still learning.
These are my favorite holiday/Christmas activities for high school English that keep my students learning while also having fun! Try using a few of these easy but engaging activities to keep your students focused during the final days before winter break.
1. Have students create a gingerbread house for a character.
Who doesn’t love a gingerbread house!? This activity is my favorite because I can re-use it year after year. It works with ANY novel! Students are given a gingerbread house template, and then they design it based on their chosen character’s overall vibe in the text. They’ll decide how their character would decorate their yard, what their character would have in the windows of their home, and even what their doormat might look like!
This is a great way to celebrate the holidays with high school students while still covering the standards. Students will select a character (or you can select a character for them) and create a gingerbread house for them based on careful analysis of the text. This activity gets students thinking about theme, direct characterization, symbols, and more!
2. Let students design a snow globe based on a story or novel.
This is one of my all-time favorite Christmas activities for the high school English classroom! I love it because it can also work with ANY text – even informational text. So, you can use it with a Christmas-themed short story OR incorporate the activity with a novel/short story/poem that you’re already reading in class.
During this holiday activity, students will be creating a snow globe for a text of their choosing (or one that you assign!). Students will fill out a writing planning sheet, draw or color a symbolic snow globe of their favorite story, and use literary elements to set the scene.
3. Encourage students to learn about a little winter folklore: The Yeti!
The month of December is a great time to show students all of the cool winter folklore from various cultures! BUT, Let’s be honest – December is also a month for much-needed test prep. This activity is perfect because it tackles both winter folklore AND those hard-to-hit test prep activities.
Students will read about a winter staple, the Yeti/Abominable Snowman! They’ll read about how the story of the Yeti can teach us valuable lessons about other cultures and ourselves. Your high school English students will answer critical thinking questions and even dive into a high-interest research project!
Another thing I love about this is that it could also be used as a sub-plan. Everything students need for reading, critical thinking, and test prep is included!
4. Have students practice writing skills while they reflect on the holiday season.
I like to combine the fun of the holiday season with a few bursts of writing activities! I have even done a 12 days of Christmas writing activity with my high school English students. They like the fact that these prompts encourage them to reminisce, create, and even find humor in the holiday season. I’ve also found that using these writing prompts is a great way to sneak in some test prep right before exams in December or January.
5. Enjoy a classic short story and a short film about giving.
This Christmas activity for high school English always makes my heart so happy. Even my toughest students have their hearts softened by this sweet story all about giving, unconditional love, and contentment.
My students always enjoy this classic short story because it’s easy to follow and includes a paired short film that makes the story come alive. The story and the short film push students to practice important standards like writing about themes and discussing figurative language.
6. If all else fails, check out a Christmas movie for high school English students to analyze.
Hear me out—a unique Christmas film for high school students to analyze is Edward Scissorhands! It packs a lot of punch and has it all – symbols, motifs, characterization, and so many themes to choose from!
If you need a little extra razzle dazzle for a surprise Christmas observation from your admin, pair it with Ray Bradbury’s “All Summer in a Day.” You can talk about important topics with both the film and the short story, such as conformity, friendship, and compassion. Create a Venn diagram and compare the two, or simply enjoy a guilt-free Christmas movie watch party as students analyze the film.
I love doing any kind of creative project with my high school English class, especially during the holidays, so let me know if you’ve got anything to add to the mix!
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