Elves Featuring The Elves and The Shoemaker
One of my favorite tales to teach young children is the story of the Elves and the Shoemaker. It is a great way to sprinkle a little dust into the season if you are unable to talk about Christmas in your school, or as a juncture from storybook elves to North Pole elves if you are.
I like to get at least 3 versions of any book that we will be studying so that we are able to do a compare and contrast activity as we read. I also love to bring in the non-fiction aspect into all themes. Here are a few videos that show the work of a cobbler.
Kids love the nonfiction connections. Especially when the connection brings in science or social studies.
The next thing I think about when teaching a theme is gathering some great songs! This song, which is included in our Elf unit, is one of my student's favorites! It is simple, yet so much fun to sing! Our unit contains a 5-day lesson plan to incorporate this song into your classroom.
The song Cobbler Cobbler Mend My Shoe is also a lot of fun. My students love this version that uses the song Johnny's Hammer for the melody. It is fun to act out using our hands, feet, and even head as a hammer. You can listen to that version here.
Kids also love the kinesthetic link of singing and dancing to this traditional Danish Dance called The Shoemaker's Dance.
Another fun tune simple to sing at transitions, is called "We are Elves." It is a great sing/song tune that can easily have more verses added by yourself and/or the students.
Our games and activities provide opportunity to excite students to learn academic skills with some elf-style flair.
The playhouse is a great and easy place to set up learning experiences. I purchased a cheap, small tree and a few non breakable ornaments to allow for decorating and un-decorating, then I made a few felt hats and aprons, found an old Santa costume, and added some kitchen tools, some play cakes, candies, cupcakes, and other play sweets. The kids LOVE this kitchen, and I LOVE to listen to the language that is developed as the students bake the elfish goodies.
The supportive material to use with all of our thematic units is organized on planner sheets to assure the theme covers all aspects of the curriculum.
I make, laminate, and file each activity so that any prep is a one-time prep. After use, all items are carefully filed, ready to go year after year.
All of the activities are standards-based and have been used successfully with thousands of kindergartner, preschool, and homeschool students.
Here are a few examples of the many games and activities that are included in the unit.
Literacy
The Elves and The Shoemaker Storytelling Activity.
The Little Elves Poetry Activity: 5 Day Plan
A sample of the literacy lessons and worksheets that are included.
Math
A sample of the included math lessons and worksheets.
Writing
Materials included to get kids writing.
Guided Reading - Social Studies - Art
Guided Readers that kids love, easy to make art portfolio sample, songs to sing, and a visit to your classroom from the kindness elves.
This project is included in our North Pole Theme. Kids love becoming elves. Template and instructions are included.
This reader's theater is a highlight to top off this fun unit.
This unit is stuffed with academic learning, and always leaves the students begging for more! As with all of our products, they are available at Teachers Pay Teachers or here at our Squarespace Store.
Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
Product Description
This Elf Themed Unit can be used at Christmas Time or as a unit to enhance the traditional tale, "The Elves and the Shoemaker." Your classroom or homeschool students will love this Elf Adventure!
Activities Include:
Shared Reading Activities:
The Elves and The Shoemaker: Retelling Story and Story Cards, Thinking Map, Story Element Page, Venn Diagram
The Little Elves Poem: Five Day Activity Plan
Literacy Lessons:
Back to the Pole: Blending and Segmenting
The Elf Dance: Alphabet Fluency or High Frequency Word Fluency
Santa’s List: Reading Nonsense Words or Naming Sounds
Elf Inventory: Writing Letters for Sounds or Spelling Words
Independent Activities:
Elf Hunt: Finding Letters in Alphabetical Order
My Little Alphabet Book: Matching Upper and Lowercase Letters
Math Lessons:
Elf Convention: Counting Forward From Numbers Other Than One.
Elf Roll Call: Adding a Number to Make Ten
The Elves’ Tree: Matching Quantity to Numbers
Independent Activities:
Find the Elves: Writing Numbers
The Elf Friends: Comparing Written Numerals
Packing Presents: Ways to Make 10
Social Studies
The Elf Door Activities
Guided Reading Books
The Little Elves
Elf Writing
I Can:
Write A Story
Make A Card
Write A List
Write A Letter
Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
Product Description
This North Pole thematic unit is classroom tested, aligned to core standards, and packed with great activities. It is divided into areas of literature, music, art, literacy, math, social studies, science, creative writing, word wall, and guided reading. The activities are clearly written, easy to use, and need limited amounts of preparation.
Contents include a planning Guide and tips for unit use and the following activities!
Literacy Activities:
Present Rhyming: Producing Rhyming Words
Baking With Mrs. Claus: Increasing Alphabet Letter Naming Fluency
Baking Cookies: Sight Words
Ornament Crackdown: Fluently Naming Alphabet Letter Sounds
Park a Reindeer: Distinguishing between similarly spelled words
Santa's Bag: Matching Beginning Sounds
Math Activities:
Buying Ornaments: Counting Pennies to Equal a Given Amount
The Elf Challenge: Comparing Numbers
Reindeer Games: Ordering In An Ordinal Sequence
Present Panic: Fluently Naming Numbers 1-20
North Pole Number Hunt: Writing Numerals Matching Quantities
Elf Roll: Matching Quantity and Numbers
Art Projects
Christmas Tree Collage
Paint A Reindeer
Become Santa's Elf
Shape Santa
Draw a Reindeer
You've Been Framed
Writing Prompts/Word Wall
The North Pole
All About Elves & Reindeer
Dear Santa
North Pole Word Wall
Songs/Fingerplay Posters
Here is the Chimney
Old Santa
Santa and the Elves
Santa Says Ho Ho Ho
Christmas Kitchen
Reindeer Snack
Peppermint Dough
Graham Cracker Reindeer
Guided Reading Books
The North Pole
Related Products
Gingerbread Orchestrated Reader's Theater
The Christmas Train Kindergarten
The Christmas Train First Grade
Christmas Around the World Mega Bundle (Parts 1,2,3 and 4)
Christmas Around the World Part 1
Christmas Around the World Part 2
Christmas Around the World Part 3
Christmas Around the World -- The Scrapbook Part 4
Christmas Themed Writing Activities
Christmas Alphabet Sound Flashcards
Christmas Addition Problems Fluency 0-5
Christmas Class Play: The Bear's Great Adventure
Santa Gets Dressed Phoneme Segmentation Fluency PSF
Santa's Mail Write the Room Alphabet or Sight Words
Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!Bring guided reading to a new level by using "Partner Plays" also called "Reader's Theater." These books have simple, adorable scripts, that will increase student's ability to read with expression and fluency. Perfect for your emerging readers!
Set includes chair covers or headband art for character costumes.