Jingle All the Way
This is your monthly “Spark” newsletter for all things arts integration. At Partner Learning we believe in art being at the core of learning and we know this requires the support of a collaborative partner. This is the season of giving and this holiday we give you our final newsletter for 2023 that includes more arts-based ideas or “gifts”. *NOTE: These are teacher-facing resources, be sure to preview materials before sharing with students.
NOTE: These are teacher-facing resources, be sure to preview materials before sharing with students.
Adapting the Gingerbread Man
Check out this first grade team from Tritt ES that directed students to adapt the Gingerbread Man story and work collaboratively in small groups to create an Adobe Express video for the story. Link here to see an example!
Engineer & Design a Nutcracker
Check out these Nutcrackers designed in a 3rd grade classroom at Compton ES.
10 Ideas for Holiday Countdown
1. Draw a favorite holiday story but include yourself in the picture.
Embellish the picture with a framed border to make the piece special.
2. Make a list of 5 places you visit during the Holidays and then create a folded card pop-up of each scene.
Simple pop-ups are not difficult. If you are unfamiliar with the process, check out these ideas.
3. Create a short video and highlight/interview each family member about their excitement for the holidays.
4. Create an abstract collage of colors that make you think about the holiday season.
Construction paper can be cut or torn. This is an opportunity for students to display/ arrange colors of their particular faith or family customs.
5. Create a 6-panel storyboard in graphic-novel style depicting a favorite holiday activity.
Graphic novels are very popular and this activity will provide students the opportunity to put themselves into the story. They can use graphic novels to reference for style.
6. Write a magical holiday story and include pictures.
For those students who say they cannot draw well, this activity will provide an opportunity to be creative, even if their drawings are photos or stick figures.
7. Write, and sing a song about your past holiday experiences.
You can challenge your students with fun lyric parameters such as rhyming patterns.
8. Create tessellated art on construction paper using shape and color.
Use seasonal shapes such as leaves, pine cones, vines, or fruit. The number of shapes you use depends on your grade level as tessellation is the focus using shape and color.
9. Finger-paint a seasonal mood.
Ambitious… yes! But definitely memorable and fun for early elementary classrooms.
10. Make a customized card for a family member.
Reflective New Years Ideas
2023 is coming to an end and we will all soon be ringing in the New Year. A new year calls for new resolutions and goals for us to complete in 2024! Have your students get reflective and start the new year the right way; by implementing some of these 19 new years resolution ideas! Click here for the ideas.
Foundational Ways to Scaffold Student Learning
Here is a collection of research evidence-backed tips to help students cross the bridge from confusion to clarity. This is a fantastic article published by Edutopia.
Check out this podcast by one of our own (Amy Myers, arts integration liaison at Still Elementary):
Grade 2 & 3: 3rd Wednesday of each month
Grade 4 & 5: 4th Wednesday of each month
