1-2-3 Come Do Some New Year Activities With Me

As schools are coming to a close for a nice holiday break, I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a happy, healthy, safe and relaxing New Year.  I'm posting these popular New Year activities early, because if you're like me, I wanted to have my first day back, planned and run off before I left for a much-needed break.

I also didn't want to have to worry about putting up a bulletin board, so with that in mind, I designed some writing prompt "craftivities".  Completed projects make awesome bulletin boards or hallway displays.  (Easy-peasy and another thing checked off my list.)

Along with millions of others, we enjoy watching the Tournament of Roses Parade.  With that in mind, I made up 6 interesting writing prompts that you can give your students on the day they they return from break.  Quick, easy and fun, the "parade packet" fits in well for your writing block or  Daily 5. 

One prompt is specifically about the parade, and includes a Venn diagram comparing Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to the Tournament of Roses New Year's Parade.   Venn diagrams are a simple way for students to practice comparison and contrast writing.  The other 5 parade-prompts, are generic in nature, so children who don't watch those parades have other options.

Click on the link to view/download the New Year Parade Writing prompts. 

Another prompt, is a Happy New Year craftivity. Run the balloon pattern off on a variety of colors of construction paper.  Students choose one, trim, and complete the 3 writing prompts.  Children add hands to the clock so that it reads midnight.   You can also have older students write a longer prompt on the back of their balloon.  

The photo shows last year's sample, but I've included two patterns with a blank for years (201____ as well as 202____) so that you can use this craftivity in years to come. 

For that finishing touch, tie on some curling ribbon & glue on a school photo. Completed projects look wonderful dangling bak-to-back from the ceiling, or scattered on a bulletin board.  Click on the link for the Happy New Year Writing-Prompt Craftivity to view/download it.

Another simple New Year craftivity that makes a great January bulletin board, is entitled "Past Present and Future." Students reflect on the prior year, jotting down memorable moments from that year, as well as their current activities, goals and hopes for the New Year. 

My sample is also from last year and from a high school student's perspective.  As with the other dated activity, I've included templates through 2024, so you can reuse this idea for awhile as well.  Mount them on a variety of colors of construction paper, scatter on a few snowflakes and you're bulletin board's done.  Click on the link for the New Year Past & Future writing prompt.

Finally, my personal favorite, is a January writing prompt that I call "More or Less."  It's a nice way to review this math symbol as well. 

Have students brainstorm a list of things that they think they should do less of (watching TV, playing computer games, fighting with siblings ...) as well as a list of things that they think they should do more of (studying, reading, exercising etc.). 

Write these on the board to help with spelling.  Students return to their desk and write their own list on the pre-writing paper. 

When they are happy with their lists, they write complete sentences on the greater than and less than symbol pages. 

Have students color the symbols their favorite colors.  When they are done, students trim their papers. 

To turn this into a really interesting January bulletin board, have students trace their foot (with their shoe on).  Offer a variety of colors for students to choose from. 

They cut out their foot, glue on the "More or less I will try to put my best foot forward in the New Year" square, add a photo, name and the year.  Click on the link to view/download the More or Less New Year Writing Prompt packet.

That's it for today.  Thanks for visiting.  I hope you found a few things here that will help launch the New Year with enthusiasm for writing. 

I have a few last-minute things to get for tonight's special dinner, so I'm hitting the floor running.  Wishing you a stress-free day. 

"Remember to enjoy the doing of your "to do" list, and not just the accomplishment of getting it done."