Every little kid loves to write a letter to Santa. Do you still remember writing your lists? I do! I loved to slip it into the mail box when I was done. Do you wonder where all the letters addressed to Santa end up?
I had heard of a company one time that was collecting all the letters and writing kids back. How fun is that?!
Have you noticed that kids will not really write a letter to Santa but just list the items that they want.
It’s just:
Dear Santa,
I want
a new skateboard
computer
iPhone
American Girl Doll
Legos
video game
They just list it out. There is nothing wrong with just listing it all out, but I think that kids have lost the skill of letter writing and persuasion. Also, doesn’t it sound greedy?
There is no better time to teach letter writing and persuasion writing (or Opinion Writing) than Christmas Letters to Santa. You now have a captive audience wanting to learn the best methods of convincing Santa to buy their number one gift item.
Please Note: If you have a child who doesn’t believe in Santa or doesn’t celebrate Christmas, stay tuned for some alternatives.
Here is how it works:
Students write out their list and then they pick their favorite item on the list. (It doesn’t have to be a toy) Next, the students create the reasons they need to have this toy or thing. Students are given talking time with classmates and story maps to help them think through it. These aren’t just generic reasons, but they are given true thought. It is time to prove and persuade Santa that they really need this toy!
Once student complete their rough draft they work on editing with a peer and then their final draft is written on Santa Paper, where they get to decorate their own Santa.
Isn’t this better?!!
What if I have a student who doesn’t believe in Santa?
For students who do not believe in Santa there is a Christmas Tree paper that they can use to write to their parents, a friend, or relative. The students will follow the same plans as all the other students, just their final project will be different.
What about the students that don’t celebrate Christmas?
For those students who do not celebrate Christmas, they can do this activity still as well.
They will be convincing someone to buy a gift or something for them. It can even be directed at you the teacher. One suggestion is that they can write you a letter as to why the class needs a certain game or book for the library.
So if you are looking for a way to incorporate writing into your Winter lesson plans, check out these Letters to Santa, they are completely planned out for you and all you need to do is print and teach. Click Here for more information
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