What it is: Who knew that NORAD Tracks Santa? They do! In partnership with Google Earth, now your students can track Santa live starting December 24th. In the mean time, students can enjoy other fun holiday activities on the NORAD Tracks Santa site. There is a count down to Christmas clock, Santa videos, information about Santa (including some history of the original St. Nick), Santa FAQ’s, Santa snack ideas, and Santa’s village where students will find fun Christmas themed games like light the Christmas tree (a logic puzzle), and Christmas memory. Students can also learn about why and how NORAD tracks Santa. This is a fun site for students to explore!
How to integrate NORAD Tracks Santa into the classroom: Because this site uses Google Earth to track Santa, this may be a good time to teach your students how to use Google Earth and some map skills in preparation for tracking Santa. The information pages about Santa and NORAD are great reading and discussion material for the holiday season. Set up your classroom computers with Santa’s village countdown and let students take turns completing the light the Christmas tree challenge over the next few weeks.
Tips: The NORAD Tracks Santa site is available in seven languages!
Leave a comment and tell us how you are using NORAD Tracks Santa in your classroom.
I’m already excited to track Santa this year!