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Classroom Resources

Monthly Themes

Hanukkah

Writing Prompt

Personal Narrative:

Hanukkah tells the story of how a supply of oil that was supposed to last for one day kept a light burning for eight days. Have students write stories telling about times when they did something they thought they couldn't do.

Activities

Grades Pre-K–2: Art
Hanukkah Coloring Pages

Have students choose Hanukkah images to color for the holiday.

  • Candles
  • http://coloringbookfun.com/han/images/candler.jpg
  • Dreidel
  • http://coloringbookfun.com/han/images/dreidlr.jpg
  • Window
  • http://coloringbookfun.com/han/images/windowr.jpg
Grades K–8: Social Studies
Spin the Dreidel

Hold a class dreidel competition to celebrate Hanukkah. Bring in chocolate gold coins or other items, such as pennies, peanuts, jellybeans, or raisins, for the competition. Divide students into groups to play different games. Have the winners from each group play one another until one student emerges as the champion.

Grades 1–2: Social Studies
Pasta Dreidel Decorations

Have your students create Hanukkah wall decorations.

Grades 1–3: Art
Holiday Scrapbook

Have your students look through these “snapshots” of Hanukkah in an online scrapbook that belongs to Sue Ellen from the “Arthur” series. Then have each of them draw a picture illustrating a family holiday moment. Hang the pictures around the room to create a class Holiday Scrapbook.

Grades 1–5: Social Studies
Holiday Stamps

The U.S. Post Office designs stamps for most holidays. Keep one step ahead of the post office and have students design their own holiday stamps.

Grades 2–5: Art/Social Studies
Window Decor

Your students can make window decorations to celebrate Hanukkah. Some of the cutting for this ornament will need to be completed ahead of time, but the rest is fairly easy to accomplish.

Grades 2–8: Language Arts/Social Studies
Word Finds

Have students find words related to Hanukkah hidden in a puzzle.

  • Hanukkah (grades 2–4) (PDF file)
  • http://www.eduplace.com/monthlytheme/december/pdf/hanukkah_easy_wf.pdf
  • Hanukkah Answer Key (grades 2–4) (PDF file)
  • http://www.eduplace.com/monthlytheme/december/pdf/hanukkah_easy_wf_key.pdf
  • Hanukkah (grades 5–8) (PDF file)
  • http://www.eduplace.com/monthlytheme/december/pdf/hanukkah_hard_wf.pdf
  • Hanukkah Answer Key (grades 5–8) (PDF file)
  • http://www.eduplace.com/monthlytheme/december/pdf/hanukkah_hard_wf_key.pdf
Grades 3–6: Art/Social Studies
Hanukkah Craft Projects

For every night of Hanukkah, students can design their own wrapping paper and gift containers.

Grades 3–6: Math
Connect the Dots

Have students use their math skills to discover the image related to Chanukah in this fun holiday puzzle.

Grades 3–8: Social Studies
Holiday Recipes

Have each of your students bring home a booklet of traditional recipes.

Grades 3–8: Language Arts
Holiday Wacky Web Tales

Students can create wacky holiday stories and practice their grammar skills at the same time.

Grades 4–5: Social Studies/Art
Hanukkah Candles

Students can make eight of these lovely candles, one for each night of Hanukkah, to hang in a sunny classroom window or to take home.

Grades 4–8: Social Studies/Art
Clay Menorah

Families use a special candelabra, called a menorah or hanukkiah, to light candles every night for the eight nights of Hanukkah. Students can make a clay menorah for the classroom or to take home.

Grades 5–8: Social Studies
Holiday Quizzes

Test students' knowledge of Hanukkah trivia with this fun online quiz.

Grades 6–8: Social Studies
A Season for Giving

Help students learn the true meaning of giving by organizing a bake sale to benefit a local charity. Students can create posters announcing the sale and bring in baked goods from home. Have the class vote on where to send the proceeds from the sale.

Houghton Mifflin