Ideas for Your Class After Winter Break

Let me share some ideas for the first week back from winter break because those first few days after a loooong winter break can be hard!

I have some easy-to-implement ideas + FREE resources that I’ve rounded up, that you can include in your plans and use right away.

Now, some of the resources that I will link to are not created by me. But, I’ve done the work of finding them and testing them out for you! Really, if someone has a resource that works, I’m sharing it. Why reinvent the wheel! Right? #donthavetimeforthat

But…don’t wander away, make sure you come back for the FREE stuff I want to give you too.

Start the Morning with Something Easy and Fun

Chances are your students will be waking up to their alarm clocks. (Won’t we all!) Going back to school will be a little bit hard for them too! Giving them something easy and fun to start the day with will be the perfect way to ease them back into school. Plus, since they are just coming back from being away for two weeks (or more) they probably have a lot to share!

Students can:

Draw and share about their break (click here)
Play “Find a Friend Bingo” (click here)
Share Out: students sit in a circle and take turns sharing about their break

The last suggestion can be planned for any time of the day that you have extra time. Having the students share about their break is important to building strong relationships with your students. It values what they got to do with family. I like to have the students sit in a circle and we go around the circle two or three times. If you don’t have a lot of time, you could create simple sentence frames for the sharing and students stick to that frame.

Conversation starters:

I saw___.
We visited___.
My siblings and I tried ____. (something new they tried)
My family ate ____.
I went to ____.
We got to see my _____.

Review Classroom Expectations

Oh boy! Beware!

Don’t assume your students will remember all classroom rules, procedures, and expectations. Even if it doesn’t seem like they need it, it’s still a good idea! Just the way you take the time to go over expectations at the beginning of the year, you should take the time to do it after the break.

A fun way to do it is to have the students act it out! Here’s how:

You say the rule or expectation.
Students share out what they know/remember. (Make corrections, as needed.)
You pick a student(s) to act out a non-example or the wrong way.
You pick a student(s) to act out a correct example.

The first day back is also a good time to go over routines/expectations that kids weren’t doing too well before going on break. You know, those little things that were driving you bonkers before the break.

Here are some procedures/routines you might want to review:

Class rules
Class callbacks/attention getters
Partner sharing
Lining up
Entering the classroom
Passing out/ turning in papers
Pencil sharpening or getting a new pencil

Finally, if you encourage your students to have a growth mindset, now is the perfect time to pick up some Growth Mindset notes to send home to parents for FREE.

Have a Snack Ready

Let’s face it; your students are going to be tired!

They probably haven’t had a normal bedtime for two weeks. So waking up early will mean, they’re going to be tired in class (and a little cranky).

The best way, I’ve dealt with this is to have a snack ready. Some pre-cut apple slices, graham crackers, or goldfish crackers will do!

Want to make it even more fun, go outside for some fresh air and have the snack. It doesn’t have to take too long, maybe 5 minutes or so. But the fresh air and the snack will help get their energy levels back up!

Take It Slow

This isn’t a plan but more of a suggestion. Heading back on the first day after the break isn’t the best time to introduce anything new or expect the kids to be working at their best. In fact, I suggest, slowing things down today and adding an extra cushion of time to your activities. If you plan 15 minutes for journal writing normally, plan for 20 minutes today. If you normally read a story for 10 minutes, give it 15 or 20 minutes today.

Why extra cushion time? Three reasons. One, the kids are tired, remember. They aren’t going to be moving at super speeds and taking things slowly will give them time to work. Second, not feeling rushed will ease students back into the routine of things without the stress. Third, it gives YOU more time. Time to walk around and chat with a student, time to interact more with them, and time to not feel rushed (or frustrated). You’re easing yourself back into the first day too!

Set Goals for the New Year

January is the perfect time of year to set goals with your students. Find some time in the day to talk about how some people make resolutions in the new year! They reflect on their past year and think about something they would like to try or do differently for the coming year.

3, 2, 1 Goals

One easy way for students to goal set is using the 3, 2, 1 method.

For example:

3 New Things I Want to Try
2 Books I want to Read
1 Way to Show Kindness

To help, I have a FREEBIE just for you! There are three different options for students to choose from!

2018 Goals Banner

Another FREE resource I have for you is the 2018 Resolution Banner. This banner template is also a fun way for your students to set goals! Encourage your students to create resolutions with a positive mindset. Read more about it here!

Once each student has filled out their single banner, you can hang them all together to make a whole class banner.

Both New Year FREE resources are in my Resource Library!

If you are looking for a little more goal setting and writing, you can check out the whole resource that these freebies come from! In the full product, you introduce students to the words reflection and resolution, and they use a check off list to reflect and make some resolutions!