New Year's Classroom Activities

Many people do not maintain their New Year's resolutions, making a record chart one of the most useful classroom activities for students. Give each student one 12x18 inch sheet of white construction paper and one notebook paper. Instruct students to list ten New Year's resolutions on the notebook paper. These resolutions should then be numbered in the order of importance to each student. Teach students how to draw a grid that lists all of their resolutions at once in the order of importance.

One side of the grid should display where students are in completing their goals. This progress measurement can be displayed in the form of numbers, tiered threshold spaces or other types of scoring methods. Students should be able to decipher how to mark off their resolutions to display either where they are now or where they want to be. After completing the grid, allow students to decorate their charts using photos, drawings or embellishments to personalize each paper. A classroom resolution chart can help students stay on the right track when it comes to meeting their New Year's resolutions.

These charts also work to hold students accountable for getting behind when trying to meet goals. Allow the resolutions that students make to vary depending on their desired personal and academic achievements. Resolution charts are one of many New Year's classroom activities that can be made for use at home or school. Teachers with a large number of students may have to determine the best method for displaying these charts if classroom wall space is limited.

The New Year's Book Report Challenge
Incorporate New Year's resolutions into your lesson plan for a fun book report activity. Ask students to write down four important New Year's resolution and four future goals. Instruct students to find two books based on one of their resolutions and future goals. Challenge them to complete two books each week during the month of January. Instruct students to complete a one page report on each book.

These reports should be concluded with a brief review of the material from students who participate in this activity. Instruct students to make an additional list of ten New Year's resolutions for an older version of themselves to achieve one of their four future goals. Do not discourage any resolutions that students make unless they are violent or extremely offensive. This should be among the most fun New Year's classroom activities that help students set goals for their present and future circumstances. Encourage the resolutions of all students, even if some goals may seem outrageous to you.

If a student writes to "Win $1 million" or "Become a superstar" in his or her list of resolutions, provide guidance on selecting books that are relevant to these goals. The only modifications that teachers should make to this book report challenge is helping students narrow vague resolutions into clearer goals. A child who wants to become a superstar could be asked questions such as "what kind of superstar" so that his or her direction in this classroom activity is more precise.