STEM Challenges with a Holiday Twist: Make December Magical in Your Classroom

December in the classroom can feel like a bit of a whirlwind - students are buzzing with excitement, schedules are packed, you are juggling lessons and Christmas programs, while trying to insert some holiday fun. So how do you keep learning meaningful without losing the festive spirit? Enter holiday-themed STEM challenges! These hands-on activities are the perfect way to use that energy for creativity, problem solving, and teamwork.

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) isn't just about equations or experiments. It is also about critical thinking and innovating. What better time to spark curiosity than during the most magical season of the year? 

 Why does Holiday STEM work?

• It Keeps students engaged during a time when attention spans are short.
• It encourages collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving
• It brings joy to learning - because who doesn't love building something festive?

---

STEM Challenge Idea: Build a Christmas Tree

This one is a favorite of mine because it combines engineering with holiday cheer. Here’s how easy it is set up:

The Challenge

With your team, build the tallest Christmas tree possible using only the supplies provided. 

Materials

• Large green popsicle sticks
• Clothes pins
• Colorful pom-poms or bells

Steps

1. Ask and Imagine: How will you add height to your tree? How will you make it stand on its        own? How will you make it hold the decorations?

2. Plan: Sketch a quick design. Add details. 

3. Create: Start building your tree! Students should test to make sure it can stand and make        adjustments as they go.

4. Improve:  How can they make it sturdier? Stronger? Add ornaments for fun!

Learning Connections

• Engineering: Balance and structure
• Math: Measuring height
• Science: Stability and gravity

Want to add more challenge? Up the competition - whose tree can hold the most weight (like small bells) without falling?

If you would like a unit, all about Christmas trees, that includes this STEM challenge, you can find it right here or click on the cover page below.

The Week Before Thanksgiving and a Fun Thanksgiving Tradition

Are you looking for a way to celebrate Thanksgiving with your classroom during the week before Thanksgiving? Here's some of my Favorite ways.

The History Behind Thanksgiving

Have your students learn the history behind this special, truly American tradition. I created a small booklet of articles about the traditions we hold dear during this time. Students can read about these traditions, answer comprehension questions, and then there are extension activities for the students to further their learning. 

Click here to find this resource. 

Turkey Pardoning Simulation 

Get your students writing with a courtroom simulation of the famous turkey pardoning ceremony. Students will dress their turkey in a costume to attempt to escape the dinner table, write a persuasive speech about why their turkey should be pardoned, and deliver it to your classroom "courtroom" to await a ruling

You can find this fun activity right here. 

If you, as teacher, can wear a black graduation robe and find a wooden hammer, even better! You are instantly a convincing judge for your classroom courtroom.

Thanksgiving Art Meets Teambuilding Challenge Activity

Why not throw in a teambuilding challenge with an art spin? In one of the challenges, teams of students will create Macy's Day Parade balloons. This one is a lot of fun. Three challenges are included...this is a spin off of the TV show Chopped, but with an art twist.

Be sure to grab this one over here. 

Thanksgiving School Tradition

We started a fun Thanksgiving tradition about three years ago at our school. That tradition is to celebrate the final day before Thanksgiving break with a school-wide celebration in Charlie Brown style. We share a feast, like Charlie Brown and his friends did. We serve toast, popcorn, jelly beans and pretzel sticks. While we enjoy our "feast" we watch the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving movie. It is a fun tradition and a great way to start off the holidays. 

Math Block Series: Football Season Classroom Fun

Football season is in full swing, so why not bring some football fun to your math classroom. I love to shake things up by doing a huge football transformation every year. Usually, I do this transformation during the opening week of football, or I will wait until the end of the season for the Superbowl. 

Here are a few ways to add a bit of football fun. This time of year, it is easy to find football themed bowls, tablecloths, and decor. Snag it up now if you plan to do a transformation! 

I use footballs marked with A-D for team questions or quizzes. Students listen to the question, run up and grab the correct letter (for the answer) and if they are correct, they receive a point for their team. You can use this with any content area. 

Use a simple football tablecloth for a game. Students move a pawn down the field as they solve math word problems that are written on  jerseys (for added fun).  When students reach the other side, they score a touchdown. 

Printable math games and activities are sure to spark a little more fun with this football theme. You can even leave the games for a week or more in math centers for extra practice after your football day. 

Look at your local bakery. I have found different football items that I have used over the year. One year I found cookies, I have also gotten the Reece's football shaped peanut butter cups. Sometimes I find little football-shaped candies that taste like candy corn. It is fun to have a treat to pass out at the end of the day or activities. 

 Mat

A football theme is a lot of fun, while still bringing the learning. Check out the links below if you need some football resources for your football themed day!

Football Themed Games

Football Math Worksheets & Activities

Math Block Series: Christmas Came a Little Early

Is it too early to begin thinking about and planning for Christmas in the classroom? I would say, absolutely not! Christmas is just around the corner and I know how busy things are between Halloween and Christmas, so no, it is not too early. I am already thinking about spicing up my math centers with some Christmas-themed games. Here's a sneak peek at one of them. 

An Up Close look at my Division Game

Practicing division is much sweeter when it is a candy/cookie themed game. I call this game Oh Christmas Tree. I created it for math centers. It can be played with partners or even with a small group of up to 4. Simple to prep, this game gets cut out and if you choose to laminate, it can be a game you have your students play from year-to-year. You could even have a parent volunteer do the cutting for you. 

How to Play the Game

The game is easy to play and can be taught to students quickly. To start, each player will take a tree cookie board and some pom-poms. You could definitely use other counters if you do not have poms. Place the round candy cards upside down, or in a bag where you cannot see them. Take turns drawing a candy card (without looking). If a student draws an equation, they will simply solve the equation and if they are correct, they will place a pom-pom over one of the dots on their tree. If they do not get it correct, their turn ends without adding a pom-pom. If a student draws a solid candy card, they will read and follow the directions on it. Some cards say remove one pom-pom. They will take one off their own card. If they draw a card that says remove one pom-pom from another player, they will choose another player who will then remove a pom-pom. If they draw a card that says add one pom-pom, they will add a pom-pom to your tree. 

Be sure to check it out over here!

Sign up for my email list to get more ideas and a freebie!