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.

DRUM ROLL!!!

Here's a new video my webmaster (Alex May) just created with winter jokes and riddles. We hope it puts a smile on some child's face this coming week.

Here is link for video with no audio -

https://bit.ly/Jan2023Jokes01

Here is link for video with audio -

https://bit.ly/Jan2023Jokes02

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.

DR. KING'S BIRTHDAY

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlL_O-B5m9w

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.

MAKE 2024 A POETRY YEAR

If I were in charge of the world I would start 2024 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.

JANUARY CELEBRATIONS

I don’t know about you, but when I was in the classroom January was always a LONG month. I started doing a little celebration every Friday for me as much as for the children. It gave us something positive to focus on and look forward to during the cold, dark days. 

Here are some ideas that will build memories, create a classroom community, and nurture social-emotional development because they are positive and playful. Take a look and I hope you’ll find one or two that are just right to chase those winter blahs away!

Sock Hop
Children get to wear silly socks to school and have a dance at the end of the day.
*Teach the children the “Twist,” “Swim,” “Pony,” or other dances from your past.

Talent Show
One of my favorite memories is of a Talent Show we had one Friday. I just invited all the children to think of a “talent” (song, dance, story, joke, gymnastic stunt) they could do. We sat in a circle and they all got up and performed! We clapped and laughed and cheered!

Board Game Day
Let children bring board games from home. Set aside the last hour in the day to share games and play games with friends.
Note! It might be good to have parent volunteers or older students in your school help.

Pajama Party
Have children wear pajamas and bring pillows and stuffed animals to class. Read books, watch a movie, and eat popcorn.



Career Day
Children come dressed for the career they’d like when they grow up. After sharing with friends, have each child draw a picture (or take a photograph) and make a class book.

Beach Party
Bring beach towels and wear sunglasses, shorts, and T-shirts. Play beach ball games, beach music, and have a “cool” snack like popsicles.

Toy Day
Children bring a favorite toy from home and share with their friends the last 30 minutes of the day.

Book Day
Invite children to bring their favorite book from home and share with classmates.