December is a busy month. Keep the learning going, while having lots of fun – and avoiding teacher burn out! – with our grab-and-go teaching units for December.
Ready-made thematic units for the holidays
Make your teaching easier in the busy holiday month using our ready-made thematic units.
All our thematic units are based on hands-on activities which makes them super fun and engaging for your children, and routed in best-practice teaching methods so the learning sticks.
Every unit is all planned for you, and comes with accompanying printables to make your teaching even easier.
Think of me as your teaching fairy godmother and take your pick from our grab-and-go teaching solutions this winter.
Here’s our collection of grab-and-go thematic units to teach in December.
The Nativity thematic unit
Our key Christmas Unit, from the Play Academy’s Festivals curriculum pathway, is our Nativity Unit. This Unit includes artist-drawn puppets/colour-in nativity scene characters and printable Bible verse cards, that your children can use year after year.
In this Nativity teaching unit your children can:
:: learn about the Nativity and create their own Nativity book or small world scene
:: learn about Mary and Joseph’s journey, and explore junk modelling
:: learn about the shepherds role, and explore loose parts
:: learn about Jesus’ birth
:: learn about the three wise men, and complete their book / re-tell the story in their small world
Play Academy members can download this Nativity unit with all the accompanying printables here.
Not a Play Academy member yet? Find out more and pick your first unit here.
Candy canes thematic unit
For a secular celebration, your children will love our Candy Canes Unit.
In this unit your children can:
:: make candy cane art
:: try a candy cane science experiment
:: enjoy candy cane sensory play
:: play candy canes math games
:: make extra-delicious candy cane snacks and treats
Play Academy members can download this Candy Canes unit with all the accompanying printables here.
Not a Play Academy member yet? Find out more and pick your first unit here.
Winter Solstice thematic unit
For a nature-based celebration in December, use our Winter Solstice Unit.
In this solstice unit your children can:
:: learn about the Solstice and make winter lanterns
:: go on a ‘signs of winter’ nature walk
:: learn about the Northern Lights and make skyline art
:: fill your windows with suncatchers or math stars
:: make a winter play-land for storytelling and imaginative play
Play Academy members can download this Winter Solstice unit with all the accompanying printables here.
Not a Play Academy member yet? Find out more and pick your first unit here.
New Year thematic unit
Round off the year with our New Year activities for children.
In this New Year Unit your children can:
:: learn about New Year celebrations and enjoy new year fizz sensory play
:: make a homemade calendar
:: complete their unique What A Year! journal page
:: make noise makers and fireworks
:: set New Year’s resolution goals
:: make a wishing wand or make a poster of their Word of the Year.
Play Academy members can download this New Year unit with all the accompanying printables here.
Not a Play Academy member yet? Find out more and pick your first unit here.
Ice and Snow thematic unit
From the Play Academy’s Math & Science curriculum pathway, your children can learn about the Arctic and Antarctic in our Ice & Snow thematic unit.
In this Ice & Snow Unit your children can:
:: learn about snow
:: make puffy paint, salt or tortilla snowflakes
:: learn about the Arctic and Antarctic and make a mini book
:: play with a penguin small world
:: play penguin letter games
Play Academy members can download this Ice & Snow unit with all the accompanying printables here.
Not a Play Academy member yet? Find out more and pick your first unit here.
Gingerbread thematic unit
For a cosy winter themed unit based, use our Gingerbread Unit. These lessons plans work perfectly alongside the traditional tale of The Gingerbread Man.
In this Unit your children can:
:: bake and taste gingerbread cookies
:: explore non-standard measuring with gingerbread men
:: make ‘first bite’ surveys and graphs
:: take part in the build-a-bridge STEM challenge
:: make 3D gingerbread houses or gingerbread men art projects
Play Academy members can download this Gingerbread unit with all the accompanying printables here.
Not a Play Academy member yet? Find out more and pick your first unit here.
Choose from over 50 ready-made thematic units
The Play Academy gives you over 50 grab-and-go thematic units which integrate perfectly with your curriculum. They’re carefully planned to introduce each topic and give children a range of hands-on lesson plans that really engage them in learning and developing cross-curricular skills and ideas.
Each unit is clearly laid out, showing you how to introduce and lead each lesson, so you can pick up your chosen unit and be ready to teach.
You can use individual units and also group units together to build a year-round pathway of cross-curricular leaning based around extended themes including Festivals, Science and Math, Art, and Nature.
Your teaching is about to get a whole lot better and easier!
Take a tour of the Play Academy and choose your first thematic unit here.
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