Surviving After Winter Break

Happy New Year to you! I am Jasmine from Buzzing with Mrs. McClain and I'm so glad that you're here.

I'm sure that you are at the end of your Christmas Break/Winter Break. Like many teachers, you may have planned for all of the great things you'll do for the rest of the year, especially for the first week back. Or...perhaps...you haven't! Don't you fret one bit. I'm going to offer you some suggestions to survive the first week back after winter break. I am in love with Pinterest, so all of my ideas were discovered while searching there. I've pulled ideas specifically targeting the New Year. They include crafts, bulletin boards, and writing activities.

Here are 5 things that you can do with your students during the first week or weeks after winter break...

#1-Plan book goals for 2014...pinned by Charity Preston: 

The first idea was originally created for 2013, but it can work perfectly for 2014 too. It is a bulletin board idea to encourage your students to read throughout the year. There are so many ways to modify this for your students and grade level. Of course it would read 14 books in 2014 or maybe another goal that you set for the class or each individual student. Better yet, you can have your students think of their own goals to reach.

#2-Start on the right foot...pinned by Erica Bohrer: 

I like this idea because it is simple yet fun. Erica sells this in her store, but you can certainly create this on your own or have your students create this using a few materials. Students create the front cover and then write down a few things they will do to "get on the right foot." You can have your students create this, and then post it in the classroom or let them put it in their quality binders. It can serve as reminder to them to strive for the goals that they set.

#3-Make resolution wreaths...pinned by Paula Saul: 

This is another New Year's activity that your students can make to share their resolutions. Again, I love how writing is incorporated!

#4-Compare and contrast the U.S. and Chinese New Years . . . pinned by Pam Costello: 

I found a picture of this Venn Diagram and thought that a cool idea would be to have your students research the Chinese New Year and do activities to compare and contrast our new year to theirs. There are tons of things that you can do to extend a study on the Chinese New Year and the U.S. New Year.

#5-Read books about New Year's...pinned by Erica:

What better way to get your students energized for the new year than to read a few books! Search your school's library to see if you have any of these books so that you can read them to your students.

To add one more suggestion for you, I have a freebie in my TpT store that you can do with your students. It's a simple writing activity where your students can discuss their New Year's resolutions.

Thanks for reading! See you next time!