This holiday writing activity will help your students stop and think about all of the things that bring them joy.
We often talk about JOY during the holiday season. But we don’t always take the time to teach students what this means.
Step 1: Brainstorming
To help my students get started thinking about this, I give them a brainstorming sheet. On this paper they must list people, foods, things, hobbies, and places that bring them joy. There are ten blank spaces under each header. This will help them think of a list of 50 things that bring them joy.
Step 2: Display
Poster: There are several ways students can display their lists. One is in poster format. My students are third graders, so the extra spacing here allows most of my students to fit their writing inside easily.
Mobile: To make a mobile, you’ll need a hanger for each of your students, some string (I used fishing line) and a hole puncher. Students cut, write, and color on each of the letters to spell JOY, then create their mobile by attaching their work to the hanger.
Students could also cut out the JOY letters and use them to create posters, locker decorations, bulletin boards, etc. The options are endless!
Other Ideas
This year, I plan to put a spin on this and have students brainstorm ways to spread joy. If you would like to use this activity in your classroom, you can check it out here!
Looking other fun holiday ideas? Check out my Christmas Skip Counting activity here.
