How does Santa do it?

This is the time of year when an exciting topic captures our attention.  Today we took time to share some of our Santa theories.  The main question we were discussing was 

How can Santa deliver all the presents in one night?

Ben: I know how he does it all in one night.  He sends one Santa, or probably two Santas in every state.  The elves have magic dust and they’re the ones who put presents under the tree.  Santa is the one who does the stockings because he doesn’t want to get caught. (he explained since the stockings are near the chiminey and he can get away quickly if necessary)

Jaden: Then who eats the cookies?

Taylor: Santa usually looks at the cookies and eats them.

Joey: Santa, before he goes to work he eats the cookies and milk.

Jennifer: Ben, do you mean that there is more than one Santa?

Ben: Yes.

Paz: Then why does the Santa live all the way in the north pole?  If it’s in the north pole then that Santa will do the north pole.

Parker: Different countries have different time.  Some times if this country has night another country could be in morning.

Avery: Yeah, like Africa.

Silas: Oh I get it, ‘cuz like one part of the world has the sun and one part of the world doesn’t.  So first he does the one like, that doesn’t have the sun.

Rainli: Like when we’re awake, china goes to bed.

Ocean: Another suggestion about how Santa does it is the elves get the sled ready and he goes somewhere while the childs are sleeping- he can tell.  He goes to the chimney, eats the cookies, gives the present and he flies away.

Abdullah: How he gets all his work done, he doesn’t mess around, that’s how he gets his work done.

Avery: But there’s fifty states in this country.

Paz: There’s two hundred and something countries.

Christina: I think Santa works every night and every morning.    I think he delivers all the packages like, Santa putting one of the presents under the tree and putting the present in the stocking.  He just puts each one and then he goes to the next house.

Addison: I think that Santa, he kind of controls if it can be like night or day.  I think he can do that ‘cuz he can control it to get it all done.

Many students say no, they disagree.

Parker: Mother nature does.

Paz: How could he do that?  Then he’s controlling the sun and the moon.

Avery: We go around the sun and the other part of the world is facing the sun.

Henry: There’s more than one sleigh if there’s more than one Santa.

Jayden: Each Santa has to have a sleigh and reindeers so they can go around the state.

Ben: How would he fit all the toys in there?

Jayden: There’s a back seat and the toys go there and there’s a bag that’s tied on.

Ocean: We only know the seven reindeer for one Santa. If there were more Santas we would know more reindeer names.

Jayden: They all have the same names for each Santa.

Addison: So if there’s more Santas, ‘cuz I know there is, they don’t need to have to have a sleigh.  If there’s sand in the country he could walk.

Silas: If it’s at night, it wouldn’t be that quick. Walking- it would take more time.

Addison: This kind of Santa, our kind of Santa, needs a sleigh because our state is big.  I’m talking about a place that is small.

Jayden: Then how does he get into the chimney?

Paz: Maybe different countries  celebrate different stuff. Like India celebrates different stuff.  So not all the countries could celebrate Christmas, so Santa doesn’t have to be in all those places.

Addison: Oh, if it’s like a different kind of holiday then different countries celebrate different stuff on different days.

This discussion was over fourty minutes long and at this point we were so invested that we hadn’t checked the time, we had talked into our lunch!  When I said we had to go to lunch the students made a collective groan.  It’s such a lovely feeling to see students debating, editing their own theories after a friend shares an idea and building on each others thoughts.  These students truly love to share ideas and discuss.  

If you read through this, you can see the student's understanding of how our world works and their beginning connection to large concepts such as how many people there are in states and countries and in the world.  They are also thinking about the earth's rotation and the fact that not every culture celebrates in the same way.  These larger concepts become evident when the students feel valued and are in a safe environment to take the risk of sharing their thoughts!

We will have to continue this conversation soon!  

What do you think, how does Santa do it?