Thematic Unit: The Polar Express

There is nothing like wearing pajamas to school and drinking a hot cup of cocoa! Who doesn't love Polar Express Day at school? It has always been a day that I have looked forward to sharing with my students.

I now have scaled back from the days of my old school where we borrowed the trolley from the State Fair, decorated it with lights, and sang Christmas Carols around the town. My now-a-days Polar Express day, however, is just as fun!

I always ask my students to wear their pajamas on this special day. I love to begin the morning with this great musical video that summarizes the story of The Polar Express in a beautiful way.

After the story I read the original book by Chris Van Allsburg. Here is an affiliate link to the book. I use the beautiful keepsake jingle bell to keep with the book as my own special childhood Polar Express Bell. I actually did have a bell in my childhood that I found in the winter out by the milk barn; it was magical and I cherished it for years. This bell and book reminds me of those special memories. We then make our own jingle bell necklaces using the craft bells and a little yarn.

The remainder of the day that follows is filled with academic leaning in a fun, play-based way. My students love the games and activities included with my thematic unit.

This Kindergarten Polar Express Unit Includes the following games and activities.

The First Grade Polar Express version includes all of the above activities adjusted to a higher level for the first grade learner (or for higher level kinders).

These jam-packet units are available at Teachers Pay Teachers or you can purchase them directly here.

Polar Express Thematic Unit

$8.00

Polar Express First Grad Thematic Unit

$8.00

Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!

This Christmas Express Train unit is strategically linked to the common core standards. It divided into areas of literature, music, art, literacy, math, worksheets, science, kitchen, creative writing, word wall, and guided reading. The activities are clearly written, easy to use, and need limited amounts of preparation.

Level 1 is for Preschool and Kindergarten Classrooms. For Advanced Kindergarten, First Grade, or Special Education Support, you will like level 2.

These Christmas Train activities are classroom tested, fun, and gives students a break from typical worksheets.

Contents Include:

Literacy Activities:

Word Train: Decoding Real and Nonsense Words

Christmas Train: Reviewing Early Reading Skills

Jingle All The Way: Identifying Digraphs and Blends

Cocoa Cocoa: Segmenting Words

Train Syllables: Comparing Syllables to Vowel Sounds

Santa’s Bag: Identifying Vowel Sounds

Math Activities:

Santa Express: Using subtraction to compare numbers