Poems &
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Literature
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Call Rudolph

Eight little reindeer pulling Santa's sled
One fell down and bumped his head.
The elves called Santa and Santa said,
"Can seven little reindeer pull my sled?"

Seven little reindeer...
Six little reindeer...
Five little reindeer...
Four little reindeer...
Three little reindeer...
Two little reindeer...
One little reindeer pulling Santa's sled;
He fell down and bumped his head.
The elves called Santa and Santa said,
"Call Rudolph!"

Santa's Reindeer

"Come Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Vixen.
Come Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen."
Santa said, "My reindeer number eight.
We need to go. We can't be late!
It's dark this Christmas Eve night.
We need someone to carry a light.
Rudolph, of course you'll be fine.
Now my reindeer number nine."

Reindeer Rhythms

Santa's sleigh is ready to go!
Giddyap reindeer, and walk just so!

Substitute hop, run, tiptoe, skip, gallop, slide, jump, or any other movement.

Reindeer Pokey
(Tune: "The Hokey Pokey")

You put your antlers in. You put your antlers out.
You put you antlers in and you shake them all about.
You do the Reindeer Pokey and you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!
You put your hooves in....
You put your red nose in....
You put your fluffy tail in...
You put your reindeer body in...

Reindeer, Go

Reindeer, go,
Over the snow,
Fast, fast and never slow;
Up and down,
Through the town,
Go, reindeer,
Go, go, go!

Reindeer fly,
Up in the sky
Where stars are twinkling high;
O'er the hill,
Smooth and still,
Fly, reindeer,
Fly, fly, fly!

I'm a Little Reindeer
(Tune: I'm a little teapot)

I’m a little reindeer, ready to fly.
I’ll pull Santa’s sleigh up in the sky.
Christmas is here; we can’t be late.
All the children just cannot wait!

Rudolph! Rudolph!

Rudolph! Rudolph!
What will you do?
You can't guide Santa
If your nose is blue.

Rudolph! Rudolph!
You are such a silly fellow.
Who will know it is you
If your nose is yellow?

Rudolph! Rudolph!
Your way cannot been seen
Through the winter weather
If your nose is green!

Rudolph! Rudolph!
Santa has his sack
But you're not ready
If you nose is black!

Rudolph! Rudolph!
Santa gave a wink
But what will Santa think
If your nose is pink?

Rudolph! Rudolph!
The children are in bed.
And now you know you're ready
Cause your nose is red!!!

Rudolph Fingerplay

Rudolph, the red nosed......
(hands up like antlers)
Had a very shiny....
(point to nose)
And if you ever saw it...
(wooo, wooo!)
You would even say it....
(hands out around face "glowing")
All of the other...
(hands up like antlers)
Used to laugh and call him...
(make "raspberries" with mouth)
They never let poor Rudolph...
(boo, hoo...use hands to wipe tears )
Join in any reindeer games...
(slap legs, clap, hands out, clap)
Then one foggy Christmas eve,Santa came to say: 
(use a deep voice now)
"Rudolph with your nose so bright, Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Then all the ...
(hands up for antlers) loved him
As they shouted out with...
(rah-rah, siss-boom-bah!)
Rudolph the red nosed
(hands up for antlers)
You'll go down in history!

The Wild Christmas Reindeer
by Jan Brett

Shared Reading

The Wild Christmas Reindeer
by Jan Brett
This is a wonderful book for an Interactive Read-Aloud!

Discuss, Teeka's plan, Teeka's problem, Teeka's decision, Teeka's discovery.
Discuss how each reindeer got its name.
Give each reindeer a new name based on their behavior.
Find the traditional names of Santa's reindeer on a wall in the reindeer barn.

Dramatize the story with one child being Teeka and eight children as reindeer. In the beginning of the story, Teeka is very rough with the reinder. At the end of the story, she has changed her approach. Take turns being Teeka and the reindeer. Discuss how it felt to be yelled at by Teeka.

Invite another class over and read the book to them. Dramatize the book; wear reindeer antler hats.

The sentences for this book can be typed and run off onto light blue 9x12 construction paper, two book pages per sheet. A Carson-Dellosa reindeer is a perfect book manipulative.

The Pages:
1. Fly over trees.
(Students draw trees.)
2. Fly under wires.
(Glue 2 brown 'telephone poles', with 2 pieces of string suspended across, glued under the pole tops.)
3. Fly around airplanes.
(Students draw an airplane.)
4. Fly through clouds.
(Spread apart a cotton ball and glue the pieces down randomly.)
5. Land carefully.
(Draw a house with a big roof and chimney. Spread the roof with glue and sprinkle on white glitter for snow.)
6. Oooooooops!
(Half the house is drawn near the binding......just enough to show that the house is there........the reindeer slide off the roof and into the snow below! For the snow below, tape or glue a piece of scrap paper, on three sides, to create a 'pocket', and cover it with cotton balls or white glitter. Now it will look like the reindeer slid off the roof, and is head first in the snow, but we know he's safe in his pocket!)

The Cover:
The cover is made from a bright red 12x18, cut "hot-dog", and folded over so the pages can be stapled inside. "Reindeer Instructions" is run off on bright green, cut with fancy-edged scissors, and glued on the cover. Using tape to reinforce and a small hole punch, attach to the book a 5"-6" piece of red yarn near the bottom of the binding. Attach a reindeer to the other end of the yarn. This reindeer "travels" the book page by page, following the instructions, then landing in the pocket.

Independent Reading

Read Around the Room using poems, pocket charts, and interactive writing of reindeer facts!

Independent Writing

My reindeer is...
If I saw a reindeer fly...

Reindeer Number Problems

Try some activities with number
sentences, or facts using hooves, antlers, eyes, etc.

A Reindeer Glyph

Nose:   Red - I celebrate Christmas
           Black- I don't celebrate Christmas.
Mouth: Smile - I like winter.
           Crooked line - I don't like winter
Antler Branches:
           4 - I am 4 years old.
           5 - I am 5 years old.
           6 - I am 6 years old.
Bow:    Tie - I am a boy.
           Hair - I am a girl.

Math Journals

Illustrate a reindeer story problem in journal and write a corresponding number sentence.

Reindeer Biscuits

Materials:  Dog biscuit, clear lacquer, small wiggly eyes, brown felt/paper, small red pom poms, green ribbon, glue.

Lacquer the dog biscuits ahead of time. Cut antlers from brown felt and attach at each top side of the biscuit. Add eyes and nose in the middle, and then embellish with ribbon. Form a hanger from ribbon or thread.

Reindeer Sandwich

Ingredients for 1 sandwich:
1/2 slice of bread that has been cut diagonally
1 tbs. peanut butter
Pretzel twists
2 raisins or brown M&Ms
1 small round cinnamon candy or M&M

Spread the peanut butter on the bread. Add 2 raisin eyes, a red candy nose, and pretzel antlers.

Write out simple rebus directions for a center activity.

Reindeer Gift Bags

Open a brown lunch bag and attach a red pompom nose near its base. Glue in place eyes made of black and white construction paper shapes. Trace both hands on brown construction paper and cut out the resulting antler shapes. Approximately 2" from the top, attach one antler to the pleat at each side of the bag. Fill the bag as desired; then fold down and staple the top in place. or for a festive finish, fold down the bag top and punch 2 holes near the center of the folded portion. Thread the ends of a curling ribbon length through the holes and through a jingle bell; then tie and curl ribbon ends.

Reindeer Rattles

Materials: dried beans, plastic bags, small white paper
plates, wide craft sticks, tape, crayons, construction paper,
and scissors

Put a small handful of beans in a baggie and close.  Fold the plate in half.   Draw a reindeer face on one side of the folded plate.
Tape a craft stick inside the folded plate.
Put the bag of beans inside the plate and staple shut.
Make antlers and glue on plate.

Hand & Foot Reindeer

Materials: Tan and brown paper, wiggly eyes, and ribbon.

Trace child's foot on brown, and hands on tan. Cut out and assemble the hands as antlers and the foot as the head. Add eyes and embellish with ribbon.

Another Variation: Cut out triangle shaped reindeer faces from brown construction paper. Use garden shears to cut small branches/twigs from bushes to use as antlers. Use masking tape to secure the branches/twigs on the back of the reindeer's face so that they stick up.

Reindeer Puzzle Pin

Materials (for each pin):
3 Small puzzle pieces
Brown, green and red acrylic paint
Googly eyes
Pin back
Glue (tacky or hot)

Directions:
Paint the 3 small puzzle pieces brown. One piece is the face, the other 2 glued behind like antlers. Add googly eyes and paint a red nose on tip of face piece. Add little holly leaves and berries on one of the antler pieces. Glue a pin on the back.

Reindeer Ornament

Materials: Red shiny ornament balls, black felt, wiggly eyes, brown pom poms,white pom poms, red pom poms, green ribbon, low-temp glue gun or other adhesive.

Tie a piece of green ribbon from loop on ornament to form a hanger. Cut out antlers from felt and glue on to ball. Then add a medium size pom pom in front of each antler. Add a larger white pom pom on for the nose and top with a small red pom pom. Add eyes and then add a green bow between the antlers

Reindeer Food

Make a mixture of oatmeal and silver glitter. Put about 1/3 cup in a zip-lock bag for each child with this note attached.

"On Christmas Eve, sprinkle this Magic Reindeer Food on the lawn. The magic glitter shining in the moonlight, and the smell of the oats, will help guide the reindeer to your house!"

More Poems for Your
Reindeer Feed

On Christmas Eve, before you sleep,
Step outside and take a peek.
Can you see them? Are they near?
You don't think so? Never fear!
On the lawn, do this simple deed:
Sprinkle this packet of special feed.

The glow of the stardust,
the smell of oats,
Will draw to YOUR house
those special folks!

They can't miss you now,
there's nothing to fear.
This mix will draw Santa
and his famous reindeer.

Merry Christmas!

On Christmas Eve when Santa flies,
And everything is dark,
He needs a way to rest his sleigh,
So at your house he'll park.

Please go outside on Christmas Eve,
And sprinkle this around
This bag of Magic Reindeer Food,
Ensures your house will be found.

The smell of oats that Rudolph loves,
And sparkling colors bright,
Will show the way for Santa's sleigh,
And keep your house in sight.

On Christmas day when you awake,
In a bright and happy mood,
You'll see that Rudolph found and ate,
your "Magic Reindeer Food."

Merry Christmas!

Reindeer Frozen Pops

Ingredients: Bananas, popsicle sticks, mini pretzels, chocolate chips, candies, peanut butter.

Cut bananas in half, push popsickle stick into banana, dip in melted chocolate, place on waxed paper, and add candy eyes, and nose. Then add pretzel antlers with peanut butter. Freeze, then Eat!!

The Reindeer Christmas
by Moe Price

The Reindeer Christmas tells how it came to pass that reindeer were chosen to pull Santa's sleigh. This book is read daily for a week, and on the 3-5th day, the students are given response papers to practice their writing.

The first paper allows the student to design a new sled for Santa and label the parts. Model a design with jet engines on the back, an umbrella roof, and a refrigerator to hold snacks for Santa!

The elves advertised for help to pull Santa's sled. The second paper gives the students an opportunity to write and draw an advertisement for Christmas help. Brainstorm different ideas....Help Wanted, "Someone to bake cookies", "Someone to make toys", "Someone to wrap presents"

On the last paper, the students can draw different animals pulling the sleigh and write about them. Some ideas are: "It would be funny if turtles pulled Santa's sleigh because it would go slow", or "...horses would gallop", and "...birds would always land in trees"!

Whatever the responses, the purpose of these papers is to offer a format for writing practice.

Rudolph Candy Canes

1- candy cane per person (your choice of color/flavor),
1- brown or any festive color pipe cleaner (for antlers)
2- sm.google eyes
1- sm. red pom-pom (for nose)

Bring pipe cleaner under neck of candy cane & twist to tighten V shape.  Each side can be bent to Z shape, if desired.  Glue eyes to the curve of the candy cane just after the antlers.  Glue pom-pom on the end or just above the end of the candy cane.

*optional: red or other festive colored thin ribbon (for bow tie)and a small jingle bell to be tied onto the ribbon (you may need to hot glue the bow& jingle on).  Clear glue or a hot glue gun works the best.

Just for Fun

Try this tongue twister!
Running reindeer romp 'round red wreaths.

Jan Brett's
The Wild Christmas Reindeer

Caribou & Reindeer Facts

A Reindeer
Activity Page

Vote for Your
Favorite Reindeer

Reindeer Pictures

Lots of Reindeer Links