Narrative, Information & Argumentative Holiday Writing Ideas

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Before your pants are covered in green glitter and your classroom floor is littered with candy cane wrappers, make sure those writing skills you taught during that one unit in that one month are not forgotten! I’ve thought up some fun writing activities for the week before the holidays, plus key terms you can bring up during the super fun activities as well!

Narrative

Keywords: dialogue, characters, setting, conflict, precise descriptions

  • Create a 5 minute paper slide video reenacting a scene from a favorite holiday movie using cell phones (How to Make Paper Slide Videos)
  • Mash up two holiday stories (what would happen if Frosty the Snowman met Rudolph?)
  • Write a holiday song/rap, listen to the classic version of Jingle Bells to get inspiration to change the words but keep the rhythm
  • Write a story from the point of view of famous holiday character
  • Keep a small moment journal over the break and make a Prezi to share when you get back

Information

Keywords: introduction, main idea, key words, supporting paragraphs, linking words, conclusion)

  • Create a 5 minute paper slide video explaining a popular holiday tradition, use History.com  holiday videos as examples
  • Create a presentation with 5 traditions your family has over the holidays
  • Research how certain holiday traditions began and present findings (for example why do people drink eggnog during the holiday season?!?)
  • Write a recipe for a holiday food your family has every year
  • Design your own Christmas card using other cards for inspiration

Argument

Keywords: claim, purpose, audience, main idea, supporting details, evidence

  • Write a persuasive letter convincing Santa/parent to get an extravagant present for the class
  • Convince a skeptic why Santa is real
  • Write a letter to the editor convincing people Christmas is too commercialized
  • Write a speech convincing the owner of a toy shop why you would be the best person to take over someday
  • Convince your the principal to let the class watch your favorite Christmas movie the last day before school gets out for break

About the Author

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Amanda Werner is a full time 8th grade English teacher in the Bay Area. She has been teaching for ten years and still feels like a novice. Every year is a unique and exciting challenge to inspire a new group of students in becoming avid readers and writers. Amanda reads educational literature voraciously and writes about the teaching of writing on her website amandawritenow.com.

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