December Read Aloud Lessons & Comprehension Activities for Kindergarten

December Read Aloud Lessons & Comprehension Activities for Kindergarten

Make December read-aloud planning easier with 15 Kindergarten read-aloud lessons featuring discussion prompts, comprehension activities, anchor charts, writing responses and a hands-on STEM challenge.

Designed for an Ontario Kindergarten classroom, these flexible lessons help students practise important early comprehension skills such as:

• Recalling key details
• Recalling information from nonfiction texts
• Retelling stories in sequence
• Making text-to-self connections
• Developing vocabulary
• Comparing stories
• Identifying similarities and differences
• Sharing preferences and supporting them with reasons
• Discussing holiday traditions

The lessons do not need to be taught in order. Choose the books and activities that work best for your class, divide longer lessons across multiple days or use selected activities during whole-group instruction, centres, guided writing or small groups.

Please note that the picture books are not included and must be purchased or borrowed separately.

 

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⭐ 2026 Ontario Kindergarten Curriculum Note

The curriculum expectation codes currently included in this resource are from the 2016 Ontario Kindergarten Program and have not yet been updated to reflect the 2026 curriculum.

However, the core reading-comprehension skills addressed throughout the resource continue to be relevant under the 2026 curriculum. Teachers can continue using the lessons and activities with confidence while the curriculum-reference pages await a future update.

Because this resource was created for an Ontario classroom, it uses Canadian spelling. The holiday lessons encourage students to recognize that different families celebrate different holidays, each with its own traditions and ways of celebrating.

 

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What’s Included

• 15 days of read-aloud lessons
• Discussion questions and comprehension prompts
• Curriculum-reference charts
• Anchor chart samples
• Printable anchor chart cards and pieces
• Differentiated follow-up writing printables
• A gingerbread-themed STEM challenge
• STEM manipulatives
• STEM planning and reflection printables
• Holiday and social studies connections

Writing pages are provided in several formats, including options with and without clip art, tracing supports and Kinder Read Alouds branding, so you can select the version that best supports your students.

 

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December Themes and Books

Week 1: Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

• Hanukkah: Jewish Festival of Lights by Terri Sievert
• Latke, the Lucky Dog by Ellen Fischer
• K Is for Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford
• Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa by Donna L. Washington

Week 2: Gingerbread

• The Gingerbread Man by Louise Martin
• The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst

Week 3: Christmas

• Corduroy’s Christmas Surprise by Lisa McCue
• A Chick ’n’ Pug Christmas by Jennifer Sattler
• Pete the Cat Saves Christmas by Eric Litwin
• Merry Moosey Christmas by Lynn Plourde

 

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Flexible for Your Kindergarten Program

Fifteen lessons are included to reflect December’s shorter instructional month. You do not need to complete every lesson. Pick and choose based on your available books, classroom community, student interests and December schedule.

The optional writing activities can be used for guided writing, independent practice, literacy centres or supply-teacher plans. Responses can also remain entirely oral.

Holiday lessons can be selected and adapted to reflect the families, traditions and celebrations represented in your classroom.

 

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Want to Try a Week for Free?

Download the free Remembrance Day read-aloud week to see how the lessons and activities are structured:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Kinder-Read-Alouds-Remembrance-Day–4453488

 

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Save with the Year-Long Bundle

Get the complete collection of monthly read-aloud lessons and save 30% with the year-long bundle.

Please review the preview and contact me with any questions before purchasing!