It’s the holiday season and your class is so excited about the holiday break! But you still have to teach even to the last minute before they leave for the rest of the year. When I sit down to plan my year, I like to plan my procedural writing unit around this time. It’s really a fun writing unit and the holiday season offers many fun writing prompts and holiday activities! My students love this holiday procedure writing activity!
Don’t Skip Procedural Writing!
Upper grade teachers will thank you! I promise! Procedural writing is the unit that is swept under the rug sometimes. You’re a bit behind on other things, so it wouldn’t hurt to just skim over it, right? Wrong. Procedural writing not only helps our writers understand the order of something, but it also introduces them to sequencers. Sequencers are words that help keep the flow of instructions like first, next, then, and last.
Holiday Themed Procedure Writing
Do your students know how to wrap a gift? Sure, it seems easy to walk someone through it using words. But it’s harder to explain it in writing.
After my students decorate the picture of the gift, it’s time to start writing the steps. There are some great ways to make this activity more interactive.
Many first and second graders haven’t wrapped a gift before. Bring some empty boxes, wrapping paper, tape and scissors to each group of tables. Allow your students to practice wrapping a gift before assigning this activity.
After your class writes the steps of wrapping a gift, have your students staple the first page on top of the steps. Then cut each dotted line, stopping at the solid line.
To wrap up the activity, students can test a partner’s instructions by wrapping a gift following the instructions that are written. It’s funny to see my students’ reaction when the gifts are ‘wrapped’. Allowing your students to end the lesson like this is a great reminder of how important it is to write clear instructions!
You can grab this FREE how-to writing resource along with other holiday writing prompts: how to decorate a tree, make hot chocolate and build a snowman. Just click the download button below.
