One of the more overlooked holidays during the school year is New Years. Of course, we are not around our kiddos during this holiday and the Christmas season is in full swing by the time we see our students before the holiday break. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate this holiday like any other with our students!
Beginning a new year is exciting and full of possibilities. Whether you decide to pop in a New Year’s activity before the break or after, I have two activities that are perfect for your classroom! You can talk with your students about their favorite memories from the past year and their goals for the next, all while preparing them to start writing the correct date on their papers! (Phew, isn’t that a chore!) Here are two New Year’s resources you need to grab for your room!
This interactive lapbook is the perfect way for students to recap their year and set new resolutions for the next. Included are six elements they can write or draw about. Resolutions, learning how to make a plan to reach their goals, and finding new aspirations are all part of this activity.
Using the visual directions provided, students can easily work on this activity during small groups or as a whole group project. All you need to create the lapbook is a folder, the printed worksheets, glue, and writing utensils! It is a low-prep project that allows the students to take creative control and practice their fine motor skills while learning. You can read more about this New Year’s project here!
This activity is the perfect lesson to show students the many different ways the New Year is celebrated in other countries. Students will learn about five different countries, including Australia, Kenya, Greece, Brazil, and the Philippines. Provided is a slideshow that correlates with the student’s mini books with interesting and fun facts about each country’s celebrations.
Included in this activity:
• Lapbook pieces with detailed directions on how to assemble.
• Five fold-and-read mini-books (one for each country, only one page each).
• Vocabulary flashcards
• “Happy New Year, From _” writing prompts where students will pretend they are in one of the countries they studied. They will write four things they did to celebrate and draw a picture of each.
• 3 writing prompts with 2 kinds of writing lines for differentiation.
• “How Long Until Midnight?” math pages. To the hour, to the half-hour, and to the minute are all included with two pages of practice per version.
• Coloring pages for each country.
• A world map to track where each country is.
• A 31-Slide PowerPoint that matches words in the mini-books but with real-life pictures.
• 4 pages of teacher notes, suggestions, and prep directions!
As you can see, this project is perfect for easing into a fun New Year’s celebrations lesson after a long holiday break! It is simple and easy to follow for you and your kiddos! You can find more about this project here.
Both of these activities will be perfect to add to your primary or elementary classroom! You can modify them to fit your student’s needs and your schedule. Your students can also keep these as keepsakes to look back on, or you can proudly display them on your bulletin board to show all the cool things your students learn in your classroom!
You can find more resources, including winter-themed activities, at my shop!
