Celebrating Grinch Day in the classroom is so much fun! I have put together Grinch Day activities that make learning fun on those difficult days leading up to the holiday break! If you are a tired teacher looking for educational activities to keep your students engaged this holiday season Grinch Day has you covered!
What is Grinch Day in the Classroom
So, what is Grinch Day exactly? It is kind of like a mini classroom transformation (if you want it to be). You engage students and cover content while everything follows the theme of the story How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Easily Set the stage with some printable classroom decor included in my Grinch Day resource. Add a few green table clothes to cover desks and tables. Don’t forget to invite the students to wear green or a Grinch themed outfit. Start by reading the story to your class. Then, engage your class in learning fun activities all day! Ending the day with a movie and Grinch snacks they made themselves doesn’t hurt either!
Grinch Day Activities
LITERACY:
- Read and discuss the story
- Identifying character traits
- Summarizing Fiction
- Figurative Language – Similes
- Word Work
STEM CHALLENGE
- Engineer a new tree for Cindy-Lou
CRAFT
- Make an easy cut & paste Grinch Heart Ornament
GRINCH No-Bake COOKING
- Students follow 3 Recipes to make no-bake green Grinch themed snacks.
ENJOY!
- Finish the day of learning and fun by eating the snacks they made while watching the Grinch movie!
PREP & PLANNING MADE EASY!
- Teacher Lesson Plans and directions written out for each activity
- Parent Letters for donations and dressing up
- Printable Classroom Decorations (Posters and Banner)
Grinch Day Literacy Activities:
I start Grinch Day by reading the story How the Grinch Stole Christmas to my class. As I read I stop to discuss the story and monitor their comprehension.
After we read the story I teach /review the reading strategy: summarizing. I like to use SWBST (Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then) to help students summarize a fiction story. We build an anchor chart (with pre-made labels) and fill it in together to summarize the story of the Grinch.
Next we identify and discuss character traits. The story How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a great opportunity to discuss what different characters think, say, and do. We focus on the Grinch and revisit the text to again make a shared anchor chart. After students help make a web to describe the Grinch’s character traits I give them a chance for some independent practice using evidence to tell about the Grinch.
The fun continues as we work on figurative language. I do a quick mini-lesson on what a simile is. Then, the students always enjoy coming up with similes to describe the Grinch.
The Grinch themed word work is customizable to what ever spelling words and sight words students are currently working on. The children enjoy making magic Grinch words in ornaments using a white crayon and green or red markers to make their words magically appear on the page.
For our Grinch writing, my students are asked to come up with ways they could make the Grinch grin. It can’t feel good being mean and grouchy all of the time. Writing and drawing about what they would do to make the Grinch grin is a fun writing activity that keeps students engaged in learning and fun.
Grinch Day STEM Challenge:
As you know when the Grinch stole Christmas he took everything, even sweet Cindy-Lou’s Christmas tree. Students are challenged to use materials given to them (items you most likely have on hand in your classroom) to build a Christmas tree for Cindy-Lou that stands on it’s own. This fun Grinch Day STEM activity will have kids using their best team work to try and save the day!
Grinch Day Craft:
A super simple Grinch themed craft is to have students cut and paste to make a Grinch heart. I have made printable templates that I copy on to colored paper to make this craft as independent as possible. Or, you can make a Grinch-Heart example and give students red, green, and white paper and let them be creative and try to create a Grinch Heart Ornament on their own.
Don’t Forget the Snacks!
Last but not least I end my day with Grinch Day non-bake cooking. Before the day I ask families for some donations (parent letter included with my Grinch Day resource). I like to set up my room in 3 cooking centers. I have other adult volunteers help with this activity, 1 adult at each center is ideal depending on the ability of your students. Each center is set up with the ingredients, materials, and recipe. Students rotate around centers in an organized way (I use a timer and verbal cues). Before rotating to the next center students place the food they’ve made at their desk.
Relax and Watch the Grinch movie!
I usually save Grinch Day for the last day before our holiday break. The perfect way to end our fun-filled day is letting the kids enjoy the Grinch treats they have made and watch the Grinch Movie. I happen to love the newest version of the Grinch Movie, but the classic cartoon version of the book is also great and is only about a half hour long! If time allows I lead a compare/contrast discussion about the book versus the movie.
Grinch Day Activities Are My Jam!
I really love having a Grinch themed day in my classroom each year. I hope you feel inspired to do the same! If you need resources to have your own Grinch Day in the classroom you can find everything I use here. I’ve even included lesson plans/tips for the teacher for each activity to make your planning as easy as possible.
If you loved this be sure to check out my Gingerbread Man STEM Activity.
