It’s time to start feeling festive as December arrives, bringing with it Christmas cheer, lots of excitement, and time for reflection.
Puffin Virtual Visit with Nick Sharratt
Author and illustrator Nick Sharratt will be giving a reading of his FIN-TASTIC new festive story, Oh No! Shark in the Snow! during the final Puffin Virtual Visit of the season. Your class can join in and discover more about the Shark in the Park series, and draw-a-long to illustrate the most amazing pictures. Register now and download the free extract and resources to get your class excited about this FREE event.
Grief Awareness Week
Taking place from the 2nd-8th December, this annual event is run by the Good Grief Trust with the aim of raising awareness of the impact of grief and the support available for those who have been affected by bereavement. This year is particularly poignant, and can be an opportunity to encourage empathy in the classroom, starting conversations about how we can help each other through difficult times. One Hundred Reasons To Hope curated by Danielle Brown and illustrated by Adam Larkum is a collection of stories inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore and the incredible every day heroes who showed courage and community, everyday kindness and perseverance during the pandemic, and will inspire children to do the same.
Diverse Libraries: webinar series
Starting on the 9th December, the National Literacy Trust are running a series of webinars focused on exploring different topics and providing inspiration to help you ensure that your library collection and the reading experience you offer is diverse and inclusive. Supported by Penguin Random House and Libraries Connected, Webinar One: Bringing Diversity to Your Library Collection, will explore ways to reflect on and make additions to library collections in order to better reflect a diverse society focusing in particular on books by writers and illustrators of colour. Find out more and register your free place here.
Christmas Jumper Day
Wear your Christmas Jumper on the 10th of December and raise money for Save the Children as part of this annual event designed to raise much-needed funds for children all over the world. Not only a great way to get into the festive spirit, it’s a good reminder that not everyone is as fortunate as we are, which is especially important this time of year. Find out how you and your class can get involved here.
Christmas Resources
For more festive inspiration in the classroom, look no further than our Christmas-inspired resources. Start with our festive reads booklist, featuring everything from a naughty elf, to The Snowman, to Wimpy Kid snow day disasters!
Set off on a magical Christmas Eve adventure in Tom Fletcher’s The Christmasaurus and use the supporting KS2 resource pack with three fantastic lessons focusing on creating characters, writing rhymes and celebrating difference.
Inspired by a Christmas classic, discover what happens when George stumbles on Marley's Curiosity Shop in The Miracle on Ebenezer Street by Catherine Doyle. An enchanting adventure, bring the magic to life in your classroom with our KS2/KS3 supporting resource pack, with activities exploring themes of family, kindness and Christmas.
Whatever you are doing in your classroom to celebrate this festive season, we’d love to hear about it!
Please contact [email protected] with 'Inspiring Ideas' in the subject line.