Title – Five Christmas Senses

By – Elaine Engerdahl

Primary Subject – Language Arts

Grade Level – Kindergarten/Preschool

Brief Description

Christmas is an ideal time to introduce younger children to the use of their five senses. The poem below can be used in a shared reading experience. Applying the follow-up activities is a valuable learning opportunity.

MY FIVE CHRISTMAS SENSES POEM



I see the Christmas tree

And children on Santa’s knee

I smell the cookies I make

And the Christmas cake

I hear bells ringing

And children singing

I taste the Christmas sweets

And all the other treats

I feel the Christmas toys

Made for girls and boys

WE LOVE CHRISTMAS

A picture version of the poem can be found at

Objectives

• Children will understand the concept that the use of their five senses is important in their daily lives.
  
• Children will gain a better understanding of phonemic awareness by being introduced to the rhymes within the poem.
  
• Children will be able to apply what they have learned through reading the poem and the related follow-up activities.

Materials Needed

• Overhead transparency or chart paper to transfer
  
  My Five Christmas Senses Poem
  
  for a shared reading experience.
  
• Computer access, PowerPoint and projector (optional)

Lesson Plan

The teacher will present the poem

My Five Christmas Senses Poem

for shared reading. The poem is used to discuss the five senses and introduce rhyme as a phonemic awareness activity.

Follow-up Activities

Find other words that rhyme with the ones in the poem (similar word families).

Make a predictable chart with the children finishing the sentence

Example:

At Christmas I taste turkey. (by Sarah)

At Christmas I see lights. (by Rebecca)

The sentences the children dictate can be printed or typed and placed in the Writing Center. The child glues their sentence on a piece of paper and illustrates it. This can be made into a class big book.

These illustrations and sentences can also be scanned and made into a powerpoint presentation. Using the projector the children can read their sentence or sentences to their parents for an entertaining evening. Combine this with singing Christmas songs. (Wonderful variation to the Christmas Concert idea.)

E-Mail

Elaine Engerdahl

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