Happy New Year! Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will make New Year’s resolutions and practice strategies to work on them.

 

Social Studies Focus:

Holidays

 

Social-emotional Focus:

Growth mindset

 

CCSS:

SL.1.2 Discuss a video; L.1.4 Clarify words and phrases; RI.1.1 Key details; RF.1.3 Decode words; L.1.1 Conventions of English when writing, W.1.1 Opinion writing; RI.1.10 Read and discuss first-grade texts

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  • Watch Happy New Year! Afterward, ask kids which New Year’s tradition they would like to try most. Why? Then talk about the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions. Tell kids they will watch a video that will help them make and keep resolutions!
  • Now show Get a Growth Mindset to get kids ready and focused for reading the issue. (SKILL: SL.1.2 Discuss a video)
  • Play the vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are resolutions and practices. (SKILL: L.1.4 Clarify words and phrases)
  • Read the issue together. 
  • Then project and discuss the reading checkpoint skill sheet. Later, children can fill in their own copies. (SKILL: RI.1.1 Key details)

Kids practice sight words as they make their own fireworks show in this fun game.. (SKILL: RF.1.3 Decode words)

  • With this skill sheet, kids write a “Letter to Myself,” which they can look at anytime their confidence needs a boost! (SKILLS: Letter writing, L.1.1 Conventions of English when writing)
  • Kids get more practice with sight words as they reveal a fun picture with this skill sheet. (SKILL: RF.1.3 Decode words)
Example of a completed skill sheet

Objective: Children will reflect on the past year as they move into the new year.

Materials: “All About Me in 2020” skill sheets, pencils, crayons 

  • As children make plans and resolutions for 2021, a nice “bookend” activity is to have them write about themselves as they were in 2020!
  • Pass out the skill sheets and let children use a combination of writing and drawing to complete them. If you like, you can have children share their work.
  • Finally, have children take their sheets home. Ask them (and families) to keep the sheet in a safe spot, like a paper “time capsule.” That way, kids can take it out next New Year’s Eve and see how they’ve grown and changed! (SKILL: L.1.1 Conventions of English when writing)