There is an extra feeling of excitement in the air at Christmas time. Use the excitement your students already feel to motivate them to practice their reading skills in a fun file folder game. Cut out 12 Christmas trees of green construction paper. Cut the tops off of each tree and glue all 12 tree bottoms to the folder, six per side. Write sight words, word families or words your class is currently working on on the tree bottoms. Draw or print a matching picture for each word on the tree tops. Laminate the folder and tree tops for added durability. Challenge your students to match the picture to the correct words.
Many young children are intrigued by outer space and the possibility of aliens. Have a little outer space fun with your students while they practice their math skills. Draw and cut out the outline of 12 spaceships about 4 inches tall on blue construction paper. Write an addition equation on each spaceship. Draw and cut out 12 aliens on green construction paper. Write the answer to each equation on the aliens, one per alien. Laminate the folder and aliens. Instruct your students to match each alien sum to the correct spaceship.
Allow students to check their own math work by creating windows to peek through in a file folder game. On a blank sheet of white paper write or print 15 equations. On another sheet of paper write or print 15 answers to the equations placing each answer in the same spot as the corresponding equation on the new paper. Glue the equation sheet to the cover of the folder. Use a knife to cut three sides of each equation creating a window. Line up the answer sheet and glue it to the inside of the folder so the correct answer lines up with each open window. Let the playing and math review begin.
File folder games are a great way for students to independently review skills. For Chip Soup, place about 30 chips in a ziplock baggie and staple the bag to the folder. Add two dice to the chips in the bag. Inside the folder, draw a large bowl and decorate the folder's edge with sketches or stickers of soup ingredients. Tell your students to roll the dice and place that amount of chips into the bowl. Roll the dice again and add that many chips to the bowl. Have your students count what the total is. Have them clear the bowl and start making chip soup again.