6a00e54faaf86b883301348969348f970c-320wi10 Ideas to Crank Up the Post-Christmas Learning

The tree is down, the cards have stopped trickling in (unless you’re on my mailing list – mine went out yesterday!).  We’ve rung in a new year and now it’s time to resume the intentional learning routine.  It can be hard to get back into the swing of things!  So here are a few ideas to help.

Thank you, thank you very much!  No, not Elvis – I’m thinking Grandma!  This is a great time for the kiddos to write thank you cards to relatives that gave gifts.  Besides language arts, it’s an exercise in gratitude and manners.

Go for the “goal!”  Have your children write down their goals for the new year.  Whether grades or money they want to save or a sports-related endeavor or a number of books to be read, writing out goals is a big step toward achievement.  They can even design a poster displaying their goals.  Voila!  Instant art project!

Family Fitness Challenge  How about picking an exercise a week and tracking your accomplishments as a family?  For example, if you choose sit-ups, record how many sit-ups your entire family does each day for one week.  I see line graphs and bar graphs adorning your fridge!!

Why “January?”  Learn why the months have the names they do.  Also, studying why our calendar has 365 and a leap year are lessons in history as well as science.

Toys can be springboards.  Writing springboards, that is!  Have the kids choose a new toy they got for Christmas and use it as a basis for creative writing.  Perhaps a new doll or bear has an adventure.  Perhaps your child becomes a character in a game.

Cleaning is higher thinking.  No, really!!  Take a day to go through belongings.  Sorting and organizing are important thinking skills.  Choosing what and where to donate unneeded items builds character and a sense of community.

Fascinating Firsts.  In honor of the first month of the year, research “firsts” throughout history like first person on the moon, first woman doctor, first person to fly across the Atlantic, etc.  These can easily become written reports, art projects, even dramatic presentations.

A year in minutes.  Just for fun, calculate the number of minutes in the coming year.  Figure out what percentage will be spent sleeping, eating, or learning.  Shows these percentages as pie charts, fractions, and decimals.

If you could . . .  As a creative writing prompt, ask questions like “If you could go anywhere in the world this year, where would you go and why?”  “If you could meet anyone this year, who would you meet and what would you ask them?”  “If you could trade places with anyone for one day this year, who would it be and what would you do?”

“Weather” or not.  Whether you’re experiencing a polar vortex or warm, sunny skies, research how weather patterns affect the area where you live.  Find out why the weather changes toward spring and again toward summer.  Why do the days change length throughout the year?

I have always liked that the calendar year starts part way through the academic year.  The “New Year” feeling adds a fresh burst of motivation just when you were starting to wane in your learning endeavors.  Hopefully these ideas (and the many others you can add to them) will help to spur your motivation through the new year.  Well, at least until Spring Break!

Copyright © 2014 J. Hoffman / GSN

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Email: JHoffman@GlobalStudentNetwork.com