Jenga bells!

teacher directions
1. Print game cards (pages 5-16) on cardstock or regular paper. Laminate
and cut.
2. Copy a class set of answer sheets (pages 3-4). Copy back to back.
3. Game can be played in partners or a small group. If you are unfamiliar
with the regular rules for playing Jenga, please see the “How to Play”
section of the manual that comes with the game.
4. Students set up Jenga blocks in a tower. Have them sort the cards by
color and put them into separate piles.
5. When it’s a student’s turn, they roll the dice. For whichever color they
roll, they select a card with that color.
6. They read the question aloud to the group, and everyone in the group
answers the question and records their answer on their answer sheets.
7. Students compare their answers. If the student who rolled the dice
answered correctly, they get to move a Jenga block that matches the
color of their card.
8. Repeat until the tower falls. If it falls, have students rebuild and start
again.
 How to play jenga bells
1. Set up Jenga blocks in a tower.
2. Sort the cards by color and put them into
separate piles.
3. When it’s your turn, roll the dice. For whichever
color you roll, choose a card with that color.
4. Read the question aloud to the group.
5. Everyone in the group answers the question and
records their answer on their answer sheets.
6. Share your answer with your group. If you
answered correctly, you get to move a Jenga
block that matches the color of your card.
7. Take turns with your group until the tower falls. If
it falls, rebuild it and start again!
Jenga bells, jenga bells
jenga all the way!
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

Name: ______________________
Jenga bells, jenga bells
jenga all the way!
25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36.

37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42.

43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48.

Name: ______________________
 yellow yellow yellow yellow
Which word has Which word has Which word has Which word has
the same short the same short the same short the same short
vowel sound you vowel sound you vowel sound you vowel sound you
hear in the word hear in the word hear in the word hear in the word
winter? bells? Santa? holly?

A) ice A) freeze A) scarf A) joyful

B) mitten B) tree B) cap B) shop
C) white C) sweater C) skate C) snow
D) lights D) beanie D) play D) frozen

yellow yellow yellow yellow

Which word has Which word does Which word does Which word does
the same short NOT have the long NOT have the long NOT have the long
vowel sound you vowel sound you vowel sound you vowel sound you
hear in the word hear in the word hear in the word hear in the word
earmuffs? reindeer? train? snowman?

A) fruitcake A) chimney A) blanket A) coat

B) yule B) treat B) display B) roast
C) slush C) cookie C) mail C) frosty
D) flu D) sled D) jacket D) show

© Life Between Summers Phonics: short vowels vs. long vowels

 yellow yellow yellow yellow
Which word has Which word has Which word has
Which word has the same vowel
the same long the same long
the same vowel sound you hear in
vowel sound you vowel sound you
sound you hear in the word
hear in the word hear in the word
the word icy? snowflake?
wreath? hibernate?
A) wish A) eggnog
A) gingerbread A) thaw
B) chilly B) frosty
B) red B) mall
C) shiver C) town
C) greetings C) game
D) bright D) mistletoe
D) melt D) flannel

yellow yellow yellow yellow

Which word has Which word has Which word has Which word does
the same vowel the same sound the same sound NOT have the same
sound you hear in you hear in the you hear in the sound you hear in
the word Yuletide? word arctic? word brown? the word cook?

A) custard A) garland A) polar A) books

B) fun B) flurries B) snowy B) wool
C) blue C) storm C) glow C) boots
D) pudding D) glacier D) sound D) woods

© Life Between Summers Phonics: vowel pairs

 green green green green
The kids cannot wait to Lets go listen to the
Which sentence has a We don’t know if it will
open presents. carolers sing songs in the
word that is missing an snow tomorrow. halls.
apostrophe?
What is the
What 2 words make up Which word in the
contraction for A) There are only a few
things on his Christmas the contraction don’t? sentence needs an
cannot? apostrophe?
list.
B) Their stockings were A) did not
A) cant’ A) lets
hung over the fireplace. B) do not
B) could’nt B) carolers
C) Theyre hanging lights C) does not
C) couldn’t C) songs
from the roof. D) will not
D) can’t D) halls

green green green green

The child should have Which sentence has a On the first night of She didnt buy a ticket to
put on a scarf. word that is missing an Hanukkah, he’s going to the winter
apostrophe? light a candle on the performance before
menorah. they were sold out.
What is the
A) The snowman had a
contraction for should
carrot nose on its face. Which word needs an
have? What 2 words make up
B) The Christmas tree apostrophe?
the contraction he’s?
has ornaments on its
A) shouldn’t branches. A) he is A) she
B) should’nt C) Its the most B) he will B) didnt
C) should’ve wonderful time of the C) he did C) they
D) shouldv’e year. D) he has D) were

© Life Between Summers Contractions

 green green green green
Which word is a Which word is a Which word is an Which word is a
noun? verb? adjective? pronoun?

A) icicle A) lights A) gingerbread A) carolers

B) sing B) blizzard B) reindeer B) elves
C) wrap C) ski C) cozy C) themselves
D) merry D) cold D) bake D) ice skaters

green green green green

Which word is Which word is Which word is Which word is
an adverb? NOT a noun? NOT a verb? NOT an adjective?

A) tinsel A) present A) melt A) sweet

B) soft B) cocoa B) hugged B) sparkly
C) joyfully C) ornament C) family C) penguin
D) cheer D) icy D) snuggled D) bright

© Life Between Summers Parts of Speech

 pink pink pink pink
What does the word Which word makes the
overcoat mean? most sense in the blank?
Which word is a Which word is NOT a
compound word? compound word? A) a long-sleeved shirt We had __________ for
B) a sweatshirt dessert at the holiday
A) snowboard A) snowball C) a jacket worn party.
B) dog sled B) fireplace under your
sweater A) fruitcake
C) frozen C) outside B) snowstorm
D) a jacket worn on
D) ice fishing D) ice hockey C) frostbite
the outside of
D) nutcracker
your clothes

pink pink pink pink

What does the word
Which word makes
firewood mean?
Which word is a Which word is NOT a sense in the blank?
compound word? compound word? A) chopped logs used
My sister likes _______
to make a fire
candy canes the best.
A) Christmas tree A) overcast B) pine trees in the
B) evergreen B) wintertime woods
A) earmuff
C) time to call the
C) jingle bells C) stocking B) gumdrop
fire department
D) North Pole D) gingerbread C) snowfall
D) furniture made
D) peppermint
out of wood

© Life Between Summers Compound Words

 pink pink pink pink
List the words in List the words in List the words in List the words in
order from order from order from order from
weakest to weakest to weakest to weakest to
strongest. strongest. strongest. strongest.

merry, happy, blizzard, snow, cold, freezing, good, delicious,

elated flurry chilly tasty

pink pink pink pink

Which would be the Which would be the Which would be the
Which would be the
strongest word to go strongest word to go strongest word to go strongest word to go
in the blank? in the blank? in the blank?
in the blank?
I ______ all of the The crowd ______ at The warm fire ______
The kids ______ down
food at the Hanukkah the Chinese New Year in the fireplace on
the hill in their sled.
party. Parade. Christmas Eve.
raced, went,
devoured, ate, clapped, cheered, glowed,
dashed
nibbled applauded crackled, burned

© Life Between Summers Shades of Meaning

 purple purple purple purple
Choose the word that Choose the word that Choose the word that
Choose the word that
makes sense in both makes sense in both makes sense in both
makes sense in both
sentences. sentences. sentences.
sentences.
He put on earmuffs Did you see him ____ up The little girl wrote a What____ of treats
because it was ____ the cookies? should they make for
____ to Santa.
They wrapped a ____
outside. Kwanzaa starts with a the holiday bake sale?
I hope I don’t catch a around the snowman’s capital ____. That was so____ of you
____ before Christmas. neck. to give a gift!
letter, note, list, K
snowing, ball, flu, cold tie, gobble, scarf, bowtie type, nice, cool, kind

purple purple purple purple

Which sentence uses the Which sentence uses the
Which word can Which word can underlined word in the same underlined word in the same way
have both of these have both of these way as the first sentence? as the first sentence?
definitions? definitions?
He put a star on top of the The new toy I got for Christmas
Christmas tree. . is so cool!
1.. feeling sad 1) having a sugary taste
A) He drew a star on the
2. a color 2) very nice to others
holiday card. A) It is cool outside so you
should wear a coat.
B) My favorite star is in that
A) bitter A) candy B) The gingerbread has to cool
holiday movie.
B) sweet right out of the oven.
B) silver C) He was the star of the
C) The weather starts to cool
C) blue C) thoughtful Christmas concert. down in winter.
D) white D) yummy D) Rudolph is a star among all D) Spin the Dreidel is such a cool
of the reindeer. game to play on Hanukkah!

© Life Between Summers

Multiple Meaning Words
 purple purple purple purple
Choose the word that Choose the word that Choose the word that Choose the word that
fits correctly in the fits correctly in the fits correctly in the fits correctly in the
sentence. sentence. sentence. sentence.

The Christmas carolers We need more _____ to We sang about ____ We ____ a delicious
sang ______ the keep the warm fire turtle doves in the meal at the Las
fireplace. going. song “The 12 Day of Posadas festival.
Christmas.”
by or bye would or wood ate or eight
to, two, or too

purple purple purple purple

Choose the correct Choose the correct Choose the correct Choose the correct
order for the words to order for the words to order for the words to order for the words to
go in the blank. go in the blank. go in the blank. go in the blank.

1. The _____ was freezing 1. Do you ____ the sleigh 1. He likes his hot 1. A polar ____ has white
in December. bells? chocolate ____ with no fur.
2. I don’t know _____ we 2. Come over ____ to sit marshmallows. 2. Let’s go buy baking
will take a picture with and listen to the 2. We traveled by ____ ingredients because the
Santa or not. Christmas music. to see our family. pantry is ____.

A) whether, weather A) here, hear A) plain, plane A) bare, bear

B) weather, whether B) hear, here B) plane, plain B) bear, bare

© Life Between Summers

Homophones
 blue blue blue blue
Read the sentence below. Read the sentence below. Read the sentence below.
Read the sentence below.
The carolers performed at
Did you rewrite your Justin unwrapped the You have to preheat the
the holiday party.
Christmas list? box of candy canes. oven for the yule log cake.
What does the word
What does the word What does the word carolers mean? What does the word
rewrite mean? unwrapped mean? preheat mean?
A) singing a carol again
A) do not write A) wrapped tightly B) not knowing the words A) not heated
to a Christmas carol B) heat it up again
B) a person who writes B) make it not wrapped
C) a good Christmas carol C) heat it up before
C) write it again C) a person who wraps D) people who sing D) heat it up after
D) write it quickly D) wrapped well Christmas carols

blue blue blue blue

Read the sentence below. Read the sentence below. Read the sentence below. Read the sentence below.

Can you help untie the Santa Claus came swiftly These fir trees are taller This is the softest pair of
ribbon on this gift? down the chimney. than those ones. mittens I could find.

What does the word untie What does the word What does the word taller What does the word
mean? swiftly mean? mean? softest mean?

A) make it not tied A) a person who is swift A) the least tall A) the least soft
B) a person who ties B) not swift B) the most tall B) the most soft
C) has tied before C) in a swift way C) more tall C) more soft
D) tie it again D) has been swift before D) not tall D) not soft

© Life Between Summers

Prefixes and Suffixes
 blue blue blue blue
Which underlined
Which underlined word in the sentence
Which word Which word does word in the
needs a capital does NOT need a
NOT need a sentence needs a capital letter?
letter? capital letter? capital letter?
My favorite time of
A) celebrate A) December My dad came to the year Winter is
B) holiday B) Winter the holiday parade because I love
C) kwanzaa C) Hanukkah with us on friday. getting to stay up on
New Year’s Eve.

blue blue blue blue

Which underlined
Which underlined
Which word Which does NOT word in the sentence
word in the
need a capital does NOT need a
needs a capital sentence needs a
capital letter?
letter? letter or letters? capital letter?

Mrs. claus read a People celebrate

A) santa A) North Pole many holidays around
holiday story to all
B) workshop B) Antarctica the World, such as
of the boys and
C) elves C) Mountains girls. Christmas, Hanukkah,
and Las Posadas.

© Life Between Summers

Capitalization
 red red red red
The family lights the The wind blows hard Water freezes into Mitchell throws
candles on the during a snowstorm. icicles on the roof snowballs very far in a
menorah for Hanukkah. when it’s very cold. snowball fight.
What is the past tense
What is the past tense of the word blows? What is the past tense What is the past tense
of the word lights? of the word freezes? of the word throws?
A) blow
A) light B) blowed A) froze A) throw
B) litted C) blewed B) freezing B) throwed
C) lit D) blew C) freeze C) threw
D) lightened D) frozed D) threwed

red red red red

Which word fits Which word fits Which word fits
Which word fits correctly in the
correctly in the correctly in the
correctly in the sentence?
sentence? sentence?
sentence?
Last Christmas, we _____ Families _____ so happy They _____ chocolate
We ______ a big snowman when the troops came
up super early to open coins called gelt to last
last winter. home for the holidays.
presents. night’s Hanukkah party.
A) build A) feel
A) wakes A) bring
B) building B) felt
B) woken B) broughten
C) builds C) feels
C) woke C) brought
D) built D) feeled
D) waked D) bringed

© Life Between Summers Irregular Past Tense Verbs

 red red red red
How do you Which plural is
Which plural is What is the plural write more than NOT written
written correctly? for wish? one child? correctly?
A) elfs A) wishes A) childrens A) ornaments
B) elvs B) wishs B) children B) stockings
C) elfes C) wishies C) childs C) giftes
D) elves D) wish D) childes D) candles

red red red red

How do you Which plural is
Which plural is What is the plural NOT written
written correctly? write more than
for snowman? one scarf? correctly?

A) familys A) snowmans A) gingerbread

B) familyes A) scarvs
B) snowmens B) scarves men
C) familis C) snowmen B) candies
D) families C) scarfs
D) snowmanes D) scarfes C) loafs
D) cranberries

© Life Between Summers Plurals