FREE New Year's Activities for the Primary Classroom

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone is rested and ready for the second half of the school year.  January offers lots of special learning opportunities.  One of which is New Year's themed classroom activities.  New Year's holds a special place in my heart because it is a time to focus on goals and can be a clean slate (if you want it to be).  New Year's Day is also my birthday, so I really enjoy extending New Year's past January 1st with my kids at school.
There are loads of free New Year's themed resources out there.  Here are some that I've used in the past and some I'll be using this year.

First up is a new math center I created to go along with my monthly math centers (Baby I's Cold Outside {10 Math Centers for January}).  It is called New Year Number Sense.  It provides students practice with identifying and ordering numbers that are 10 less, 10 more, 1 less, and 1 more than a given number.

The center includes colorful number cards and a blackline master recording sheet.  The recording sheet can be a stand alone activity if you would like.  Click on the picture below if you would like a FREE copy of this New Year's themed math center.

Another free resource I love (that includes some great centers) is Cara Carroll's Happy New Year! packet.  She shared this a few years ago and it's still a go to for me when we return from winter break.  It has activities for time to the hour, basic addition facts, abc order, antonyms, and for making words.  

You can click on the picture below for more details.

Last year we did a little non standard measuring with backed peas.  It turned out really fun, although I'm fairly certain some of my kids ate the uncooked peas.  Not to worry, we had plenty.

Students estimate how many black-eyed peas it will take to measure each picture.  Then students use black-eyed peas to measure.  

For this activity there are color and blackline master options for the picture cards.  There is also a blackline master recording sheet.  If you would like a FREE copy of this packet, click on the picture below.

An adorable New Year's freebie that I just recently came across is from The Glyph Girls (pic is from their blog).  At their Teachers Pay Teachers store they are sharing this colorful craftivity that students can write about their goals for the new year.  

Again, you can click on the picture for more details about this project.

If you are looking for a writing activity along the same lines, but do not have time for a craftivity.   You should check out the First Grade Buddies' New Year's Writing printable.  Students get a chance to write about their accomplishments from the past year and what they want to accomplish this year.  This print and go activity has been updated it for 2015.  You can visit their blog for your own copy.

If you are working on or would like to review number comparisons, you may want to check out my free greater than and less than printables I put together a few years ago.  If your students are like mine, they need constant practice recognizing and comparing numbers.

You can get your own free copies by clicking on the picture below.

Finally, I'd like to share my math word problem mini book for the New Year, Out With the Old and In With the New.  I'm all about using seasonally inspired word problems with my students and this booklet is a perfect way to do that.  

I've updated my New Year's themed math mini book through 2025.  You can have your FREE copy by clicking on the picture.

There are all sorts of fun classroom activities to go along with the celebration of the New Year.  I hope the suggestions above make your planning a little easier.

Best.

One Word Resolution

New Year's resolutions, as a teacher I make them twice a year.  I make them in January and I make them again in July, right before a new school year starts.  I love having a positive goal(s) to work towards.

I'm linking with the super teachers at Primary Powers to share my One Word Resolution.  Mine is Gratitude.

Living with a sense of gratitude is a great path to contentment.  Gratitude for small things, like my favorite kind of pizza and gratitude for big things, like a healthy family, there are so many reasons to have gratitude.  Avoiding comparisons and consciously focusing on what is right in your life leads to gratitude and happiness.

There you have it, Gratitude is my One Word Resolution for 2015.

 

Would you like to share your resolution for 2015?  Stop by Primary Powers and linkup.

Best.

Just a Pinch of Grinch

Just unloading some pics from this week and wow, these past five days have been busy.  Christmas programs, parties, crafts, assessments, the flu, presents, special books, class visitors, and lots of repeating myself.  The week before winter break is crazy, but of course lots of fun.

Some of our time was devoted to the mean one, Mr. Grinch.  Most of my students know the Grinch, so they were super excited when I had "Grinchy Activities" up on our class agenda.  We started the day with a read aloud of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  Then we moved straight to our craft.

Our Grinches were inspired by a Glyph Girls' project I pinned a few years ago.  I love how they turned out.  The kids loved making them and were totally cracked up when they realized their Grinches would not be wearing any pants.
We did these first because I wanted to pop them up around the room to Grinch-it up a bit before our other activities.

After finishing our Grinches, we moved on to a little literacy scoot game I put together.  I placed a Grinch word card at every desk, face down.  Students had to read the word on the card and determine if it has a long vowel sound or a short vowel sound.  Then they wrote their answers on a recording sheet.  When I gave the signal, everyone scooted to the next seat.
Since we just wrapped up the basic vowel, consonant, silent e pattern for all long vowel sounds, this activity was a perfect informal assessment.

We broke up the morning with a yummy pinspired snack one of my dear moms sent in.  The kids were really happy to get a treat.  (Maybe next year I'll let them put their Grinch treats together on their own.)

For math we got moving again with a write the room fact review.  I put addition and subtraction facts around the room.  (Some of my kids need lots more practice solving addition and subtraction facts when they are mixed.)  Just like in scoot, students started at one card, solved the problem, recorded their answers, and then moved when I signaled.
Since it was the week before winter break and my kids were a little more lively than usual, I built in another element of movement besides moving from card to card.  I printed a set of "Max cards" to help get out some of the wiggles.
The Max cards have various exercises on them.  "Do 4 squats."  "Do a plank and count to 12."  "Do 10 jumping jacks."  (You get the picture.)  After about for or five equations I would announce that it was time for a Max card and then I'd read the exercise.
The kids loved, loved, loved the Max cards.  It was something just a little different in our routine and it worked great.

Another activity with Grinch was an entry into our Elf journal, Diary of an Elf.  The kids wrote about what they thought was going on between the Grinch and our class elf.  They wrapped up their entries by telling what they thought might happen that evening, when it was time for our elf to return to the North Pole.  I got some very interesting responses.

We ended our Grinchy learning by watching the classic cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  After spending much of the day learning with Grinch, my sweet students were extra interested in watching the story unfold on screen.
Our time with Grinch was just what we needed this week, a high level of engagement with a beloved character and plenty of chances to move around.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your well deserved break.

Keeping It Groovy with Pete the Cat Saves Christmas

We are down to one week before winter break.  Not that I'm counting (wink, wink).  Like most of you, I am trying to fit in every fun bit of learning that I possibly can before we wrap things up for the year.  One book I knew I wanted to hit during these last few days was Pete the Cat Saves Christmas.
I'm in love with the Pete books (especially the first four).  I'll pounce on any opportunity to use them in class.
One of the ways we extended Pete the Cat Saves Christmas was to make these super cute Santa Pete crafts to decorate our room.

Our Petes turned out awesome.  They are so colorful.  They really make our space festive.  The kids were so excited to make them.

If you would like to make this project with your class, you can click on the picture below.  

In math we used the Pete the Cat Saves Christmas theme to practice place value, with a write the room activity that we used two different ways over two days.
On the first day the students simply went around the room and wrote each number from each card on their recording sheets.  After all of the numbers were recorded, they grabbed a highlighter and headed back to their seats.  Then, with the whole group, I told them to "highlight the number in the tens place" or "highlight the number in the ones place."  It was a simple activity that made my young learners really have to think about the place values of the digits.
On the second day, students went around to each card and drew the base ten counters to represent each number.  This variation provided some much needed practice with place value and number representations.  Since it was a write the room activity, the kids had a good time because they could get up and move, move, move.

This activity could also be used for a round of scoot.  It could also be prepped in a tote and made into a math center.  If you would like to check it out and try it out with your own students, you can click on the picture below for a FREE copy.

A literacy activity that we fit in this week was a color word review match up.  I printed enough cards for each pair of partners to get their own set of cards, so that we could complete this task whole group.

This review worked really well and hopefully helped build more confidence in my young readers.  

You can also have this Pete inspired literacy center for FREE by clicking on the picture below.

We had such a good time learning with Pete the Cat this week.  This time of year can be a challenge to keep everyone focused on learning.  Pete is a a great way to grab your students attention and keep them engaged.

The FREEBIES in this post are my little Christmas gifts to my sweet readers that stop by to check out School Is a Happy Place.  I really appreciate your visits so much.

Have a groovy week.  ;)

Good Things Come in Small Packages: Fun with Our Class Elf

Monday was a big day in our classroom.  Our Elf arrived from the North Pole.  He was a bit of a surprise.  He was peeking out of a big basket of Lincoln Logs on top of a tall cabinet.  I really didn't think he would be spotted until later in the day.  But my kids found him right away.

Now, every morning they rush in to be the first to see where our Elf is hiding and what he's up to.  

We are keeping track of all things Elf in our journal (Diary of an Elf).

Students wrote about our Elf's arrival and a personal introduction.  After that, they write short daily entries telling where the Elf is, what he's doing, and possibly how he got in that position.  I've encouraged my students to write as though they are the Elf.  Some of the entries have been funny and creative.

For a FREE copy of my Diary of an Elf, click on the picture above.

Another Elf inspired activity we did was a quick and easy to prep rhyming words sort.  I used some of the rhymes from the book, The Elf on the Shelf to create this sort.  It was a great little review for my firsties.  You can have a FREE copy of this sort by clicking on the picture below.

Elf also made an appearance in our December math centers.  He is featured in our place value center.  That's the thing about Elf, you just never know where he's going to turn up. ;)

On Friday morning Elf (at least we think it was Elf) left a little treat for everyone at their desks.  Food is always a hit.  Food from a secret admirer is over the top thrilling.

Later in the day we made our Elf Glyphs and I love how they turned out.  Students answered a set of holiday related questions to determine what their glyphs look like.  On Monday we are going to use our glyphs for some data collection and analysis during our math time. 

If you are interested in my Elf Glyph, it is available at my tpt store.  You can click on the picture below for more details.

I'll wrap this up with a pic of this upcoming Monday morning's elfscapade.  Nothing over the top, just a little snack.  But knowing my kids, they are going to be totally cracked up by an Elf and his sandwich.

  

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Thanksgiving Rewind (Plus a Math FREEBIE)

This past week (or so) we have been having a little fun with Thanksgiving.  Turkeys, Pilgrims, and Native Americans, I love this time of year in the classroom.  

Here's a peek at some of the special projects and Thanksgiving inspired learning we've enjoyed . . .

One adorable craft my classes have made for the past few years are these wooden spool turkeys.  I pre cut turkey bodies from craft foam.  The kids glue the wooden spools to the body.  Once they are good dry, they glue the feathers to the opposite end of the spool.  After a little more drying time, they add the felt beaks and waddles and then finally the pipe cleaner legs.  

They are really cute and even more fun when they are all together in a group before they go home with each student.

Another craft we do around Thanksgiving time is a bean wreath.  They are so easy to make and I think the colors look like fall.
To make them, all you have to do is pour several bags of dried beans into a large bowl.  Next, add white glue and mix until the beans are well coated.  Give each student a piece of wax paper and a few scoops of bean mixture.
The students shape the mixture into a circle.  Let them dry for a few days.  Add any kind of bow you would like and you have a wreath that was super fun to make.

I also really enjoy these Native and Pilgrim photo projects.  As you can see, all you need for this activity is construction paper, glue, and photos of your students (feathers are also a nice touch).  Kids love using their pictures for this project.

For the past few years I have also really enjoyed using Babbling Abby's Spelling for All Seasons.  This packet has several paper toppers that are seasonally inspired, as well as a variety of recording sheets.

We used Abby's patterns for the three weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.  We made Native Americans, Pilgrims, and Turkeys to top our practice with word families.  

They looked fabulous hanging in the hall outside our classroom.

In math we worked on word problems using the math mini book that I made last year, It's Turkey Time.  Students work with a variety of skills in this mini book.  Addition, subtraction, fractions, fact families, and time to the half hour.  It is a great little review before going home for Thanksgiving break.

I'm all about using these types of seasonally inspired mini books to practice word problems.  

You can have a FREE copy of It's Turkey Time by clicking on the picture below.  (or maybe just pin it to use next year ;) 

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Thanks for stopping by.
Have a great long weekend!