Objective: Students will use different problem-solving strategies, and creative writing.
Resources:
Teacher: Teacher copies of Brian Wildsmith's "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
Student: pencil, paper, calculator.

Procedure:
1. Hand out copies of "The Twelve Days of Christmas.
2. Read through the song with the class.
3. Ask students to solve the problem of how many presents were given.

• Use this lesson as an opportunity to explain sequences, in this case 1+12 six times to find the answer.
• Students can research prices of each gift.
• Have students substitute present-day items that they think might be more appropriate.
• Discuss the historical context of each gift from the song.
• Have students write their own rap version of the song.
• Students can do a creative writing exercise describing the consequences of having all these gifts around twelve days or twelve weeks AFTER Christmas.