How to Decorate a Christmas Tree Writing Activity

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We’re in the holiday spirit around here since Christmas music is already on the radio.  My youngest is working on expository writing so I thought I’d make his assignment merry and bright this week.  He loved this “How to Decorate a Christmas Tree” writing activity and I hope your students will, too!

How to Decorate a Christmas Tree Writing Activity

Materials:

• Christmas tree templates
• green construction paper
• yellow construction paper
• brown construction paper
• construction paper in various colors
• scissors
• glue (liquid or stick)
• stapler
• hole punch
• pencil
• markers
• optional: other things to decorate with like stickers, glitter, buttons, ribbon, paint, etc.

Directions:

1. Print and cut out the tree and star templates.
2. Stack the tree templates on top of one another from largest to smallest.  Make sure they meet together towards the top. Staple them together using one or two staples.  (The star will hide the staples.)
3. Brainstorm and plan out what to write.  Beginning at the top, lift the flap and write the first step in decorating a Christmas tree.  Write the next step under the second flap and so on, writing each step on a different flap.  It works best for students to write in pencil first, and then go back over it with a black marker. Don’t ask me how I know! 🙂 
4. Once the writing is complete, it’s time to decorate the tree!  Challenge students to decorate their tree in the same order that they wrote.  It’s up to you what all you want to provide for making decorations.  Pencils and markers are just fine, or you might allow other things like construction paper and a hole punch, stickers, glitter, buttons, ribbons, paint, etc. (Using their fingerprints to make ornaments is a cute idea!) Don’t forget to add the star on top and cut out a small, brown rectangle and glue on for the trunk.

Here’s an example of a tree my daughter made.  She used cotton swabs and paint to make the lights and puffy paint to make the ornaments.  I think it turned out adorable!

This Christmas writing activity is great for students in kindergarten to second grade.  It’s a fun, engaging way to bring writing to life.  My reluctant writer gives it two thumbs up!

Want just the writing without the art?  I recently created a lift-the-flap version of this prompt as part of my Christmas Writing Prompts for K-2 resource on TPT. I’m including it here on my blog to just for you!

Click  to download BOTH Christmas writing prompts for FREE

If you’re interested in more Christmas writing ideas, check out my free Elf Writing Prompts  (includes options for older students) or over 30 Christmas writing prompts for K-2 that cover many author purposes!