Ho Ho Holiday Center Ideas for Upper Elementary

Written by Emily Upton - Posted Dec. 6, 2023

It's that time of year, isn't it? Those sleigh bells are ringing, you have to remember to move that freaking elf every day, and the smell of hot chocolate (or chai lattes) lingers in the air...you've almost made it to winter break!

And, let's be honest. Your students are NOT thinking about math right now. They're thinking about how to finagle their way onto the nice list and counting down the seconds until winter break. Luckily for you, I have ideas to keep visions of *schoolwork* dancing in your students' heads until that last day of the year! This blog post is a roundup of resources and freebies for your upper elementary centers to help keep your kiddos on task and learning this winter season! Let's plan those centers so you can get back to rewatching Home Alone while your cat tears down the garland you painstakingly hung (just me?).

Click on the images below to check out the resources.

READING CENTERS

Looking to engage your readers in a jolly good time? These no-prep reading activities will get your students referring to the text for evidence and foster cross-curricular connections in your ELA classroom! 

One of the most popular lessons around the holiday season is learning about traditions around the world. This reading and writing activity will give students a global perspective as they learn about major winter holiday celebrations in different countries. There are printable, digital, or bundled options!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I use this as an independent reading center during December and the kids love learning about Christmas all over the world."

If you've been around here for a while, you know I LOVE combining timeline practice, reading comprehension, and the holidays! This resource is a great way to get your kiddos learning a bit about the history of this delicious winter treat. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"My fourth-grade class used this digital assignment as a follow-up to our holiday unit. They were fascinated learning about the true history and longevity of gingerbread! I plan to use it again next year."

Do you know how the tradition of decorating a tree for Christmas began? Find out with your students by using this no-prep resource for your reading center! Print-and-go is my jam, and students love the color-by-code approach to reading comprehension.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "The students love anything that doesn't seem like 'work' and this resource made them learn and have fun." 

MATH CENTERS

Math centers can have a Holiday-themed spin while still reviewing important content! Check out these math resources that are sure to keep your little snowmen focused during centers.

Can your students collect all of the cookies to break out of the 10 locks? This math trivia game is super fun with 30 multiple-choice questions about trivia related to Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, and the general holiday season. The best part? It's self-checking and the game is included in 3 different versions!

This self-checking game is a great way to review adding fractions with unlike denominators! As students answer the questions, the images to the right change. Students know that they have all of the correct answers when the 4 images match!

Early Finisher Option: Greg Tang Puzzles

I absolutely love these seasonal challenge puzzles from Greg Tang! While I wouldn't use them as an assignment because there's no way to check if students completed each part, these are GREAT early-finisher activities! They're also differentiated by grade level. Click the link above to check them out!

SCIENCE CENTERS

If you teach science, these engaging project and activity ideas are a must! 

Teaching about physical and chemical changes? Engage your students with this project where they compare and contrast the changes that gingerbread and sugar cookies go through while baking! After reading the passages and completing the differentiated graphic organizers, your students will create their own cookie sheets. This project includes a rubric to help you get your grading done quick!

Rudolph the red-nosed...science project? Teach your students all about reindeer adaptations, life cycle, food chain, and more with this fun project! It includes 6 reading passages and 2 differentiated graphic organizers. The final reindeer craft would make a great hallway display for the winter season! Make grading super easy with the included rubric and suggested daily lesson plan.

Get your students up and moving with this scavenger hunt related to animal adaptations in the North Pole! With 10 mini-reading passages about different animals and plants, your students will practice looking for details in a text as they re-read each text to hunt for the correct answers. Includes a detailed teacher guide to make set-up a breeze.