The Polar Express

Every year during the month of December we teach one of my favorite's unit: The Polar Express based upon the book by Chris Van Allsburg. 

 (Photo Credit: http://bit.ly/1jSby5s)

The week before the unit we send the students home with golden tickets that tell them about our Polar Express day. The students show up to school dressed up in their pajamas. Our whole day is focused around the book. First we read the book The Polar Express on tape.

(This isn't the exact audio I use. I use a book on CD read by Liam Neeson)

 Then we do hot chocolate addition and subtraction using mini marshmallows as manipulatives. We write in our journals about Christmas related topics. Then we enjoy hot chocolate while we listen to the book being read on a video via the SMART board from the Barnes and Noble Read Aloud Section

While reading the book twice in one day might seem a bit redundant, repetition is important for younger students. At the end of the day they each receive their own gold bells to take home to see if they still believe in the magic of Christmas. 

 

(Photo Credit: http://bit.ly/1jSbEtM)

 Our polar express day takes a lot of work because the students come to school so excited that day (and full of lots of energy), but in the end the hard work is worth it to see how much fun they had during the day.