[ma-bethany]

in a previous post somewhere, someone had said that they send home 'the polar express' with a child each night. they also include activities for the child to do with his/her family.

i would love to do this with my class. i teach 2nd grade. i know at the beginning of the book the boy questions Santa. Do you think this is an okay book for the kids to read? I think they all still beleive, and i don't want to be the one to get them questioning if he's real or not.

[SC]

A friend of mine taught 2nd grade a couple of years ago, and her class read this book. She didn't have any problems that I know of.

[msharkey]

I teach 1st and I plan on trying it this year as well.

I love the idea of sending a hot cocoa packet with the book and the idea to use Polar express clip art to create addition or subtraction problems with family. It was an earlier post.

What do you plan on sending with Polar?

[Emily]

I teach first grade and have read this book for the last 3 years during our Polar Express Pajama Party. The kids have never questioned Santa Claus as a result of hearing this story. If anything, it sends a powerful message that the magic of Santa Claus is real.

[imacacher]

I too have found that the book creates/recreates the "magic" of Santa for my kiddos--also in second grade.

Be sure to bring in bells for them--they'll all be able to hear the sound, and therefore, that must mean that they all believe. They'll be SHOCKED to find out that you can hear the bells too!

[teacherkathy]

I read the Polar Express the last day before Christmas break with a little drama. When the kids come in from recess, I greet them at the door and hand out tickets I've printed onto card stock with Polar Express/North Pole etc etc written on them. They enter a darkened room that's lit only by little lights that I have up around my calendar area all year (obviously I have Santas, snowflakes, etc. this time of year). I've arranged the chairs into a long row of 2 each side by side, train-style. After everyone is seated, I become the conductor and ask for tickets, and I punch them and hand them back. I serve them hot chocoate and candy canes and when everyone is served, I read the book, with an adult or older kid holding a flashlight so they can see the pictures as I walk up and down the "aisle" of the train.

The older kids who have been in my room in the past walk by on their way into recess that day, and see the darkened room and the tickets in my hand, and they make comments about wishing they were still little enough to participate. So I know it's a hit!

[kitty11710]

Great idea!! Just had to say how much I love it!

[karrie]

The year that the movie came out in the theaters we actually took the entire school (over 600 kids, plus chaperones and teachers) to a nearby theater for a field trip the week before holiday break. It was the best. The whole month of December every class in the school did activities for the book. Even PE, ART, MEDIA and MUSIC did activities. It was such a cool experience for all of the students! We also handed out bells at the end of the day.<!--CHRISTMAS1-->
Karrie