NATIONAL PUZZLE DAY

Puzzles are one thing that will never go out of style.  Here are some puzzle activities that will work any day this month, or you can save them to celebrate National Puzzle Day on January 29th.

There have been numerous research studies that confirm the importance of puzzles in cognitive development. Other benefits of puzzles include:

     Small motor skills
     Eye-hand coordination
     Task initiation and completion
     Sense of accomplishment

Puzzles also provide the opportunity for children to collaborate and cooperate with a partner or small group.

Here are a few ideas to incorporate puzzles into your plans this month. You might be surprised at the standards you’ll find! 

Jigsaw Puzzle
Put a jigsaw puzzle (50-100+ pieces depending on the age and ability of your students) on a table. Explain that you will leave it out all week and if they finish their work early they can try and put it together. (You’ll quickly be able to identify the children who have done puzzles at home with their families.) 

Story Puzzles

                     

Have children draw pictures and write stories on cardstock. Next, let them cut the paper into puzzle pieces. (I’ve found it best to give them a limit of 8-15 pieces or they’ll end up with confetti.) Put these in an envelope and exchange with friends. After putting the puzzles together they can read each other’s stories.

Word Puzzles 
Write vocabulary/spelling/sight words on sentence strips. Cut between the letters and place them in an envelope. Children put the letters together and read the word. 

                                    
Hint! Write the word on the back of the envelope so they can self-check.
Ask them to write the words after they complete the puzzles.

Poem Puzzles
Make 2 copies of nursery rhymes or poems. Glue one to the front of a clasp envelope. Make a puzzle of the other rhyme by cutting between the lines or words. Store in the envelope. Children place the puzzle pieces on top of the original and then read.

          

Magazine Puzzles
Let children cut out favorite pictures from a magazine. (These could relate to a theme or unit.) Glue pictures to a piece of cardstock and then cut into puzzle pieces. 

Cereal Box Puzzles 
                                               
Ask children to bring empty cereal boxes from home. Cut the front sections off the boxes and cut into puzzle pieces.
*For younger students it works best to use two boxes that are the same. One can be cut up and then they can place the pieces on the whole.

Greeting Card Puzzles
Ask parents to save old greeting cards. Child can cut off the front of the cards and then use them to make puzzles.

                       

COMPLIMENT AND KAZOO DAY

Here's another special day you won't want to forget. January 24 is Compliment Day and it would be a good time to talk about what a compliment is. How do you feel when someone gives you a compliment? What are some different ways you can compliment someone? How many compliments can you give during the day?

Compliment Jar
Get a clear jar and a bag of gems. Whenever someone compliments your class put a "gem" in the jar. When the jar is full the children get a special reward such as a popcorn party, extra recess, etc.

*You can use cotton balls, marbles, or other items for the compliment jar.
                              
 
Hint! Be sure and let your special teachers and other school staff know about your gem jar so they can compliment your class when they EARN it.

Compliment Board (Kalli Lemley)
To encourage kindness and appreciation for others, place a bulletin board outside the room dedicated to compliments to each other. Vary the theme throughout the year:
“Leaf a compliment.” (Leaves)
“Snow’s some kindness.” (Snowflakes)
“Send a ray of sunshine.” (Sunshines)
“Watch our friendship grow.” (Flowers)

How could you miss celebrating National Kazoo Day on January 28th?
 

Ask your students to bring in paper towel rolls. (For sanitary reasons it is best to collect paper towel rolls rather than TP rolls!) Cut the paper towel rolls in half and punch a hole ¾” from the top. Let children decorate the cardboard rollers with markers or crayons. Cut 6” circles out of wax paper and use a rubber band to attach to one end of the roller and you’re ready to hum. March around the room as you hum some of your favorite songs.

                                      
Play “name that tune” as different students stand up and try to stump their classmates by humming a familiar tune.

OPPOSITE DAY

Make sure you put Opposite Day on your calendar for January 25th.  It's an easy one to tie into standards.  Reverse the daily schedule by starting the day with your good-bye song and ending with a good morning song and the morning message. Say your Z Y X’s (alphabet backwards) and count backwards. Turn around in your chairs and face the back of the room. Read a book backwards. Oh, and don’t forget to eat your dessert first at lunch!!!

Sing the opposite song and play the opposite game.

Opposite Song (Tune: “Shortnin’ Bread”)
We can do opposites, opposites, opposites.
We can do opposites follow me.
Top and bottom… (Touch top of head and bottom of foot.)
Front and back… (Touch tummy and then back.)
Happy and sad… (Smile and then frown.)
Left and right… (Hold up left hand and then right.)
Up and down… (Point up and then down.)
Loud and soft… (Say, “Loud,” loud and “soft,” soft.)
Open and shut… (Open and shut hands.)
Stand and sit…and put them in your lap! (Stand and then sit and put hands in lap.)

Let children suggest other opposites you could sing in the song.

Opposite Game
Whatever the teacher says, the students do the opposite. For example if the teacher says “cry” the children laugh. If the teacher says “up” the children point down.

Have children fold a sheet of paper in half and illustrate opposites.
                                      
Use a T-chart to write words that are opposite.

Take photos of children acting out antonyms and use them to make a class book.

Hint! Introduce the word “antonym” and explain that it means the same thing as “opposite.”

                                  

You can also celebrate Backwards Day on January 31st by reading a book backwards, walking backwards, wearing your shirt backwards, saying a poem backwards, etc. You get the picture!

NATIONAL HUG AND HANDWRITING DAY

There are some interesting holidays this month that can add a smile to your lesson plans.  Coming up January 21st is National Hugging Day. Could anything be better than a hug on a cold winter day? Let children make a list of people they like to hug.

Hint! If your school is cautious about hugging, demonstrate how to give an air hug by squeezing your arms in front of you.

“Hug” in sign language is done by making fists and wrapping your arms around your chest.

Show your students how to give a “hall hug” to friends by crossing your index and middle fingers and wiggling.
                                                  

Give children a paper plate and ask them to draw their face on it. Let them trace around their hands and cut them out. Give them two strips of paper (12” x 2 ½”) for arms. They can glue the arms to the paper plate and then attach the hands. Use the “hugs” for a bulletin board or let children give them to someone special.


(Sorry, this looks a little sick-o. Your kids will do a better job than I did!)

January 23 is Handwriting Day, so students should remember to do their best. It might be fun to let them use pens, colored pencils, or different writing utensils that day.  They will also get a kick out of doing fancy writing.

                               

STAND UP FOR DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING

Dr. King’s birthday is just around the corner. Here’s a song my daughter Holly wrote that I am so proud of. The meaning of the song and the vocabulary you can teach are powerful! 

Stand Up For Martin Luther King – 3rd Monday in January
(Tune: “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”)
Dr. King stood up for justice. (Stand and sway
He stood up for equality, too. back and forth.)
Dr. King stood up for children.
He stood up for me and for you. (Point to self and then others.)
So now we…
Stand up, stand up, (March in place to the beat.)
Stand up for Martin Luther King.
Stand up, stand up,
Stand up for Dr. King.

Dr. King wanted all of America (Sway back and forth.)
To be tolerant, fair, and free.
He stood up for what he believed in.
He stood up for you and for me. (Point to self and the others.)
So now we…

Dr King taught us all to be dreamers (Sway back and forth.)
So one day the world could begin
To judge people based on their character
And not on the color of their skin.
So now we… (March in place.)


MLK and KWL 

Check out books from your school library on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Put them in your class library and ask the children to see what they can find out about Dr. King. Use a KWL chart to begin your discussion. K – What do they already know about Dr. King? W – What do they want to learn about him? L – After reading books about Dr. King, add the new information the children have learned.

Heroes

Martin Luther King was a hero. Make a list of other people that the children consider to be heroes. What character traits does a hero have? Ask children to write stories about what kind of hero they would like be when they grow up. 

                                  

Vocabulary

Brainstorm words that describe Dr. King and other heroes. Let each child choose a word, write it on an index card, hole punch the corners, and wear it as a necklace. Why did they choose that word? What can they do to demonstrate that word?

*You could also let them make crowns and write positive characteristics on them.

Acts of Kindness

Get a spiral notebook and write “Acts of Kindness” on it. Encourage the children to record kind deeds their classmates do for them. Read over the book at the end of each day to encourage more positive behavior.

I Have a Dream

Dr. King had a dream, and it’s important for everyone to have dreams. Cut clouds out of white sheets of paper and have children draw or write about their dreams. Encourage them to share their dreams with classmates and display on a bulletin board or make a class book.

                                     

*Check out our January Happies for the book and song about Dr. King.

MAKE IT A YEAR FOR POETRY!

If I were in charge of the world I would start 2020 by giving each child a pocket folder that they could decorate for a poetry folder. Each week I would choose a poem, nursery rhyme, finger play, or song to add to their poetry notebooks and I would use it to integrate standards in a meaningful way. 
                                       

Monday - Introduce the poem as a shared reading experience. Reread the poem several times. Let children use pointers to find letters or words they can recognize, point out words that rhyme, punctuation, etc.

Tuesday - Give children individual copies of the poem. Let them illustrate the poem, hole punch it, and put it in their notebook.
Hint! Give children blank paper to encourage creativity and their imaginations.

Wednesday - Use the poem for skill work during small group. Highlight parts of speech, sight words, etc.

Thursday - Children bring notebooks to large group and reread this week’s rhyme and review previous poems.

Friday - Children read poems independently or with a buddy.

Weekend Homework - On Friday, let children take home their poetry notebooks. Ask children to read the poem to someone in their family over the weekend. Encourage parents to sign their name and write their comments and compliments on each poem.

POETRY CAFE

You’ve read this idea before on my blog, but it bears repeating because I think it would add a little sunshine to dreary January and February. It would be utilizing instructional time, but more importantly it would put a love of poetry in the children’s hearts!

What to do!
Write a note next Monday asking each family to send in a box of instant hot chocolate and an old coffee mug. Explain that you will end each Friday with the “Poetry Café” where children can listen to poetry, recite poetry, and enjoy a mug of hot chocolate. Remind parents that this will be an engaging way to develop listening skills, oral language, and an appreciation of literature.
Hint! If you teach at a school where no outside food is allowed check to make sure this idea would be permissible. You could ask the parents to send instant tea or any beverage that their child could enjoy.

*If you are at a school where parents might not have the ability to do this I bet there’s a retired teacher (like me) in your community who would be thrilled to do this for your class.

JUST BECAUSE GOALS FOR 2020

                           Happy New Year!!!                                  

If I were in charge of the world, these would be my JUST BECAUSE GOALS FOR 2020.

I would start each day by greeting my children with a smile and a handshake – just because!

I would sing a song to start my day – just because!

Every day I would read a book that I like to my children – just because!

I would take my class out for recess every day (yeah, old fashion run around and do whatever you want) – just because!

I would do a finger play each day – just because!

I would do cheers each day – just because!

I would end our day with a song – just because!

And I would shut my door and have more FUN – just because Dr. Jean said I should because I will be happier and my children will be, too!!!

Step into 2020
You'll need is some funky duct tape for this project. Each day write some information you want to reinforce on a sheet of heavy paper and tape it to the floor with the funky tape by the classroom door. Children repeat the information each time as they go in and out the door. For example:
Letters - children say the letter and something that starts with the sound
Math facts - children say the answer
Sight words - children read the word
*Hint! You could also make letters, numbers, or shapes on the floor with the duct tape.

                          

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow - Make a brochure by folding a piece of paper into thirds.   Label the sections “Yesterday”…”Today…”Tomorrow…”  Children draw what they were like when they were little (babies or toddlers), what they look like now, and what they will be like when they are grown-up.

*You could also let children make a time line of their lives.  

New Year's Resolutions Flip Book

What is a New Year's resolution?  Why do people make resolutions?  

Make a flip book by folding a sheet of paper in half lengthwise.  Fold in half.  Fold in half again.  Open.  Cut halfway to the center fold as shown.  Write the numerals "2018" on the flips.  Children open each one and write (or draw) a goal for the New Year. 

 

Soaring in 2020 - Let children draw (or write) goals for the New Year on a blank sheet of paper.  Fold the paper into an airplane.  Children state their goal and then fly their plane across the room (or outside).

Sharing Good News (Jessica Williams)
Write children’s names on craft sticks and place in a jar that says “Good News.” The teacher starts every morning by sharing her own “good news.” The children clap or cheer for her. Next, she pulls a stick and the class sings, "Tell me something good!" That child shares their good news and then the class does a cheer. The teacher pulls the second stick and they sing, "Tell me something good" and then cheer. Do three children each day and then put those who have had a turn in an envelope and start all over again when everyone has had a turn.

                                                                                

YOU'LL SMILE THROUGH JANUARY WITH OUR HAPPIES!
http://drjean.org/html/songs/songStore_eBooks.html#JanHappies