Between the sparkle of snow and excitement of the gift-giving season, it can be challenging to maintain the structure of the school day and sustain student attention. This year, embrace the unpredictability of the winter holidays and lean into Learn360’s winter magic with 12 days of classroom conversation starters.
1. Would you rather be a polar bear or a penguin?
Before your students make a decision, learn all about polar animals with Learn360. Explore a bear life cycle with Science Kids: Bears – Varieties, Life Cycle, Hibernation (Item #279995, 2022) and compare and contrast with Penguins from Science Kids (Item #276193, 2021). Check out Learn360’s content from The Mailbox® for even more polar animal resources. With Day-to-Day Plans: Penguins (Item #211626) and Polar Animals (Item #211704), your students are sure to form an opinion. After viewing BBC’s Penguins: Meet the Family (Item #241063, 2020), we suspect that many students will opt to be the iconic winter bird.
2. Would you rather live in a house made of ice or a house made of gingerbread?
Complement your STEAM curriculum and get building with Houses—Nina & the Neurons: Get Building (Item #128930, 2017). Support your Architects of the Future (Item #282900, 2022) and learn how to design blueprints and build homes. Explore How an Igloo Keeps You Warm (Item #204986, 2017) and Gingerbread House (Item #144917, 2017), and compare and contrast the properties of the materials.
3. Would you rather have extra dessert or extra screen time?
We know that extra screen time can be a tempting offer, but your students may think twice after viewing BBC’s My World Kitchen series. Explore recipes around the world while learning about holidays in other countries. From Dougie’s Essex Yule Log (Xmas)—My World Kitchen (Series 4) (Item #276774, 2022) to Disa’s Swedish Kardemummabullar—My World Kitchen (Series 4) (Item #276772, 2022), these delicious desserts are sure to make your students’ mouths water. If there still voting for screen time, we recommend an extra showing of Alma’s Movie Night (Item #282023, 2022)
4. Would you rather meet a talking reindeer or meet a talking snowman?
Light up your students’ imagination and blur the line between fact and fiction. Learn all about Changunak Antisarlook: The Reindeer Queen (Item #281863, 2022) and her beloved reindeer— ’Tis the Season for Reindeer! (Item #211532).Then, explore the world of PBS’s Molly of Denali in Going Toe to Toe with a Dinosaur/Sassy Ladies on Ice (Item #280765, 2021). With classic snowman stories in both English and Spanish, The Missing Snowman (Spanish) (Item #282277, 2021) and The Snowman—Garden Tales (Item #276710, 2021), your students are sure to start chatting away.
5. Would you rather catch snowflakes on your tongue or make snowflakes out of paper?
There’s nothing more exciting than the first snowfall of the season. Channel your students’ excitement with Investigating Weather (Item #184397, 2018) and rekindle your love for the season with Bert and Beth and the Snowflakes (Item #168816, 2017). With The Mailbox®’s Frosty Fun: Math and Literacy (Item #211691) resources, your students will be inspired to become the next great Snowflake Photographer (Item #147956, 2017).
6. Would you rather go ice skating or snowshoeing?
Embrace winter sports this season and spark a conversation about learning new skills. Consider watching Alma on Ice/Junior’s Lost Tooth (Item #282028, 2021) and discussing the importance of Grit (Item #277152, 2021). Whether your students are avid winter sports competitors or complete novices, they are sure to enjoy Molly of Denali’s adventures in By Sled or Snowshoe/The Shortest Birthday (Item #280767, 2022) and to be Welcoming Winter! (Item #211697) in no time!
7. Would you rather drink hot chocolate or apple cider?
There’s nothing quite like coming to school in your pajamas and curling up on the classroom rug with a hot beverage and movie. Discover your students’ preferences with Hooray for Hot Cocoa! (Item #211696) and Winter Writing Graphic Organizers (Item #211692). Then surprise your students and learn something new with a viewing of How Did Edison Invent Christmas Lights? (Item #205109, 2018).
8. Would you rather shovel snow or rake leaves?
The holidays are a perfect time to remind your students of the importance of being kind and looking out for your neighbors. Brainstorm ways to help one another this season with I Dig Being Kind (Item #279702, 2021). Get your students’ ideas flowing with Gifts of Kindness (Item #275054, 2021). Start a “random of acts of kindness” holiday countdown at your school, and watch the holiday cheer spread throughout the institution!
9. Would you rather have a red nose or a carrot nose?
Get your students giggling with humorous images of carrot noses and red noses. Sneak in some learning on nutrition with Curiosity Time with Libby: Veggie Power (Item #274955, 2021) and The Mailbox®’s Day-by-Day Plans Vegetable Garden (Item #211658). Then add in some STEAM challenges with Odd Squad’s Reindeer Games Part 1 (Item #239961, 2014). Challenge your students to see if they can use LED lights to make a circuit and light-up red nose.
10. Would you rather travel to the arctic or have an adventure on safari?
Have an arctic adventure with PBS’s Molly of Denali in Molly and the Great One (Item #280768, 2021) With The Mailbox®’s Learning Centers for Winter (Item #21169), the chill of the arctic is sure to sound appealing. Then join Nala on Safari and learn all about her adventures on safari. Learn all about Hippos (Item #282311, 2021) and African Lions (Item #282302, 2021). Be prepared, young adventurers could be debating this question for hours!
11. Would you ride on a horse-drawn carriage or a dog sled?
It wasn’t too long ago that people were relying on horse-drawn carriages and dog sleds for transportation. Blow your students’ minds with a historic look at Travel and Transport (Item #277095, 2021) and learn about the origins of dog sleds with Seward’s Folly to Alaska (Item #276168, 2021). Then embrace the adventure of travel with Molly of Denali in Puppypalooza Part 1/Puppypalooza Part 2 (Item #280763, 2021). Whether it’s practicality or nostalgia, get your dog-loving and horse-loving students debating all day!
12. Would you rather have a pet owl or a pet wolf?
Every child dreams of opening a present to discover a new pet. Let your students’ imaginations run wild considering all the pets to unwrap. Dive into The Mailbox®’s Animals in Winter (Item #211413) resource and consider the merits of each pet. Inspire students to conduct research with Owls: Wise and Wonderful—Science Kids (Item #276192, 2021) and Science Kids: Dogs – From Gray Wolf to Man’s Best Friend (Item #279991, 2022)
This winter season, start your school day off with a conversation starter and embrace the opportunity to discuss, laugh, and learn with your students. From our homes to yours, Learn360 wishes you all the best this holiday season!
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