New Year's Resolutions

1. Organize students at a gathering place in the classroom such as the reading rug. Have them share their families' practices with New Year's resolutions. What types of resolutions have them personally made? What resolution might they make for the next New Year? Use a class white board and Crayola Dry-Erase Markers to document contributions to the discussion.
2. Invite students to create a reminder of proposed resolutions to hang on their doorknobs. Students begin by cutting out two long triangular shapes out of constructions paper with Crayola Scissors. Use the entire length of the construction paper making the top of the triangle about 3 inches (7 cm) and the bottom about 6 inches (15 cm).
3. Cut one of the triangular shapes in half and attach the bottom edge and two sides onto the long triangular shape with a glue stick. Leave the top edge open creating a pocket.
4. Use a circular shape about the size of a doorknob to trace on the top half of the triangular door hanger and cut it out.
5. Draw a bold and colorful design on the door hanger and color it with Crayola Color Sticks. Lay the Color Sticks on their side to cover larger areas. Be creative and layer one color over another to create a mixed hue.
6. Add some details with Crayola Glitter Glue. Set aside to air-dry thoroughly.
7. Take another piece of construction paper and cut five strips about 1 inch (2 cm) by 6 inches (15 cm) with scissors. Color each strip with Color Sticks to complement the door hanger.
8. Students use a Crayola Marker to write a resolution on each strip. Place the resolutions strips into the pocket and hang on the door.

LA: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

LA: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

LA: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade level topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

LA: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

SS: Compare ways in which people from different cultures think about and deal with their physical environment and social conditions.

SS: Give examples of and explain group and institutional influences such as religious beliefs, laws, and peer pressure, on people, events, and elements of culture.

VA: Intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes to enhance communication of experiences and ideas.

VA: Select and use the qualities of structures and functions of art to improve communication of ideas.

Possible classroom resources include: Squirrel's New Year's Resolution by Pat Miller; The Night Before New Year's by Natasha Wing; Amelia's Must-Keep Resolutions for the Best Year Ever! by Marissa Moss

Encourage students to include an academic resolution related to their New Year's goals.

Have the class make a list of their New Year's resolutions. Students create a chart of all resolutions and keep track of whether or not resolutions are being kept. Track students percentage of success. Create a bar graph to visualize the data.

Students write a paragraph to discuss their New Year's resolutions and how they are planning to keep them.