Winter means cold weather that includes ice and snow in many parts of the world. A winter center incorporates winter words such as ice, snow, cold and sled into kindergarten or first grade spelling lists. Students write winter stories with the spelling words. Teachers include books about winter such as "It's Winter" by Linda Glaser, "Snowballs" by Lois Ehlert and "Animals in Winter" by Henrietta Bancroft in the center for pre-K through second grade students to enjoy. Second and third grade students learn why weather conditions change and how it affects the world around them.
A Christmas center in kindergarten through third grade could explore Christmas traditions around the world. Students learn about yule logs, kings' cakes, why gifts are given and who Saint Nicholas was. Students explore the kind of Christmas traditions in the southern hemisphere where it is summer instead of winter. Math assignment papers use elves, wrapped gifts, wreaths and Christmas trees as counters or in story problems. Writing assignments include writing about your favorite Christmas, making a list of Christmas presents you would enjoy giving to family members and sharing your family's holiday traditions.
Winter includes holidays other than Christmas, such as 12th Night, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, St. Lucia Day and the Winter Solstice. Pre-K through third grade students learn about the holidays of other cultures. Students learn to identify holiday symbols such as a menorah, dreidel, the Unity cup, Kinara, Fanooz, crescent and star, crown and moon. Students read books about the winter holidays such as "The Rugrats' First Kwanzaa" by Greene and Garcia,
"Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah" by Susan L. Roth, "Night of the Moon: A Muslim Holiday Story" by Khan and Paschkis and "The Shortest Day" by Pfeffer and Reisch.
Arts and crafts provide lots of fun in any season, but hold special possibilities in the winter. Students can create holiday pictures and decorations for the classroom. Beads, foam letters and symbols and crayons allow children to make gifts for family members and friends. Students learn to weave Kwanzaa mats in their exploration of this African holiday.