Winter Lesson Plans for Teaching Nonfiction Reading Skills
It’s the holiday season and students and classrooms are filled with energy and excitement as winter break draws near.
Harness this excitement with a collection of festive content from our archive designed to keep students engaged and active in their learning throughout December. Explore our content and lesson ideas grouped by topic and subject below.
Exploring Winter Holidays
Initiate a research-based inquiry with students to broaden their understanding of diverse cultural celebrations.
Activate background knowledge with this video on holidays before sending students off on their research.
- Video: Curious About Kwanza?
- Video: A Christmas Story
- Video: The Story of Hannukah
Science and STEM Exploration
The Structure of a Snowflake
- Introduce students to the creation and structure of snowflakes using this video: What is a Snowflake?
- If snow is expected, extend this lesson outdoors for a hands-on experience, observing and analyzing real snowflakes up close.
The Science of Colds and Seasonal Patterns
Build knowledge about viruses and their prevalence in winter months with the video and article below. Encourage students to find evidence in the article to show how changes in temperature can affect the spread of viruses.
- Video: What is a cold?
- Article: Why do people get more Colds in Winter? Groundbreaking Research is ‘on the Nose’ (December 8, 2022)
A Debate: Environmental Impact of Christmas Trees
Have students read the article: Sellers, Growers Bark About Which Are Greener: Fake or Real Christmas Trees (December 23, 2022). Organize a classroom debate dividing the class into two sides: real vs. artificial tree. Have students craft their arguments using evidence from the text to support their claims.
SEL Focused: The Season of Giving
Use the articles below to engage students in a discussion about acts of generosity and kindness.
Guide reflection and discussion with questions such as:
- What does giving mean to you? How would you define generosity?
- How do acts of generosity positively impact both the giver and receiver?
- How do acts of kindness or giving positively impact communities?
After reading the articles, encourage students to brainstorm and develop their own giving plans for the holiday season. Ideas could include acts of kindness, volunteering, or supporting a cause that is important to them.
- Act of Kindness Sees Two Boys Hailed as Halloween Heros (December 5, 2023)
- In the Netherlands, Nothing Says Happy Holidays Like Free Food (December 23, 2022)
- Ho! Ho! Ho! — Santas Go Dashing Through the Snow to Help Kids (December 8, 2021)
- Giving Back Brings Big Benefits For Donors (December 19, 2021)
- “Mr. Thanksgiving” Brings Good Cheer and Holiday Feast to 3,000 Each Year (November 24, 2021)
Explore more SEL teaching strategies with The Juice.
Economics: Analyzing Holiday Shopping Trends
Build critical thinking and analysis skills by having students explore the economic impact of holiday shopping trends and consumer behavior using the articles below.
Students can use the infographics in the articles to further identify trends and make predictions for the future.
- Black Friday, Cyber Monday Anchor Record-Breaking US Shopping Week (November 29, 2023)
- Candy Canes Become Yet Another 2021 Pandemic Casualty (December 22, 2021)
- Save a Bundle: Cut Down Your Own Christmas Tree (December 1, 2021)
- During a Pandemic Christmas Season, Tree Sales Soar (December 8, 2020)
- E-Commerce Leaps Into 10-Year Time Machine, Boosting Holiday Sales (December 28, 2020)
Looking for more content to engage your students or supplement your curriculum? Take advantage of our extensive database by navigating to the search tab.
