Are you looking for a last-minute way to celebrate Chinese New Year in your classroom? Check out these Chinese New Year reading and writing activities that include printable zodiac symbols, as well as these simple Chinese New Year crafts to help your students celebrate this cultural holiday!
Here are a few great ideas that you can do with your primary school classes during the buzz and anticipation that inevitably happens during the build up of breaking up from school for Christmas.
Each Christmas decoration below also includes a list of the suggested items you will need to make them.
Oranges are traditional for many during the Christmas season, in appearance as well as practice. By drying out orange 
slices in the oven, you can make a variety of individual Christmas decorations perfect for the Christmas season.
Slices on their own can be fixed to create door wreaths, hung from doors in a pendant-like fashion, or used to decorate Christmas trees when combined with simple loops made from string or pipe cleaners.
You can even create orange skin spirals using a vegetable peeler, making sure not to cut the piece away from the rest of the orange prematurely - 4 to 5 rotations usually look best. These can then be hung as decorations in their own right using string tried to one end (carefully punch a hole using scissors) or combined in numbers to create decorative hanging mobiles.
You will need 1-2 oranges per a student, craft glue, ribbon or coloured string and scissors. For slicing the orange or cutting spirals it will be necessary to use a sharp knife or instrument and we highly recommend an adult or teacher do this on their behalf.
Our natural surroundings are full of great beauty once you know where to look!Endless sources of inspiration will be revealed to you and your kids for creating fun, crafty, Christmas decorations in your classroom this Christmas.
Pine Forests are abundant in many locations and ideal places to collect pine cones for use in creative projects such as this simple Christmas craft. The cones respond to both heat and moisture. Store them in a warm, dry place to cause the cones to arc open into their familiar shape. Your kids can paint them green to turn them into Christmas trees or white for snowmen. Coat them in glue and sprinkle with glitter to make mystical eggs, but first soak them in water to cause them to close again.
If you don’t live near any forests, you can look at what’s available from your local park or even the school yard. Twigs blown from trees, acorns, or even holy sprigs if you’re lucky!
You will need: Pine cones (enough for 1 each), craft glue, paint brushes, paint and beads as desired.
During the Christmas season, snowflakes are never really far away! A number of craft stores and general hardware stores will sell pipe cleaners pre-coated in a layer of shimmery tinsel, or your students can create a similar effect yourself with simple glitter and glue. For a more modest snowflake, normal pipe cleaners can be covered in white tissue paper.
Take 1 of the pipe cleaners, and then overlap 2 more pipe cleaners bending them around the center of the axis in order to fix together a star shape with 6 spokes. Take an additional 2 pipe cleaners and cut them down to size into 2 inch strips. Bend these small strips in the middle to form triangle shapes. These can then be glued at intervals along each of the 6 spokes to create a variety of flake like patterns, each one as individual as the students in your classroom!
You will need: pipe cleaners (5-6 per student), scissors, glitter & glue (optional), string and soft craft tissue paper (optional)
Painted jars make great candle lanterns with some fun and simple customizations. Before starting the craft, ask your 
students to start collecting clear glass jars and ask them to bring them in to store in your classroom.
You will need to pre-purchase a selection of brightly colored ceramic paints or tinted glass varnishes to use for this craft - take a look around your classroom to take inventory of paint that you already have.
Let your students loose when it comes to painting a particular pattern or using a variety of color, though you might like to suggest Christmas themes. Once your students have painted and created a unique design they are happy with, the jars can be fired off in a regular oven to set the paint.
Once this is done and the jars have been allowed to cool, you can create a cradle and handle so that these Christmas lanterns can be carried round. This will vary depending on the size of the jar, so you may wish to help them with this step. Cut enough wire to create a ring that snugly fits the circumference of the top part of the jar, where the lid grooves are and tie this off, cutting off any excess wire. Taking a second section of wire, bend in the middle sufficiently enough to create a simple handle and fix each end to the ring at opposite ends of the jar by wrapping the wire round.
You will need: 1 or 2 glass jars (per student), ceramic paint, paint brushes and soft coated craft wire.
This article was written on behalf of Christmas Trees and Lights who sell a selection of artificial Christmas trees and Christmas fairy lights.
This fun math activity will keep your students busy this summer!
Ms. Robin teaches students how to save and count coins.
Teacher
Students
Your students will love making snowman paper bag puppets. Sing songs, like Frosty the Snowman, or act out a winter play.
Tuck a bit of yarn underneath the hat for hair or draw a flower on a piece of paper, cut it out and glue it to the hat.
Use glue to add silver glitter to the snowman's body.
Create a puppet theatre and puppet show.
Students will love creating their own winter scenes and stories.
First, they make a winter scene in a shoebox. Then, they can use the free templates (under "To Create a Book") for a story web, draft, and finished book explaining their winter scene.
To Create the Book
To Create the Shoebox Winter Scene
Students create a winter scene inside a shoe box. Glue the glass (ice) to the bottom of the box. Then, glue cotton balls all around the edges of the glass. (If you don't have a mirror, color some paper light blue.) Completely cover the bottom of the shoe box with cotton balls leaving the ice visible.
Draw any buildings, houses or mountain scenery you would like on the back of the shoe box using crayons or colored pencils. You could even use glitter for extra sparkle.
Draw small people and animals onto a piece of paper. Draw a line around the people or animals. Use this line as a guide to cut out your character after you draw a 1/4 inch box underneath each character. Fold this little box back and glue it to the bottom of the box to keep your character in place. If it needs extra help standing up, poke a toothpick behind the character and through the cotton balls.
Character Suggestions:
Use this story web to brainstorm ideas.
Write a draft underneath the web.
Then, write the story in the book. Share it with friends as they look at your winter scene.
Play dough Christmas ornaments are perfect gifts for parents. Here are a few ornaments students can create using the easy, no-bake, play dough recipe provided.
Here’s a simple and quick recipe for play dough. The recipe does not require cooking. You can add glitter and food coloring for extra sparkles and colors, or keep it out.
[caption id="attachment_4015" align="alignright" width="298" caption="Glitter play dough is perfect for making crafts. You can also keep it in a plastic bag and re-use it."][/caption]
Ingredients:
Be creative and design your own Christmas ornaments. The printable template makes it easy to get started. Parents will love these precious ornaments, and they will be treasured for years.
The Candy Cane Reindeer Ornament can be used to decorate the classroom Christmas tree. Students can also bring them home and give them as gifts.
