January Tips & Tricks 2

By. Meredith Biesinger 

Ah, January! Winter weather is just about everywhere right now! With the cold and dreary weather often comes a lack of motivation—am I right? Brighten up your and your student’s day with fun yet still educational activities. 

Here are some tips and tricks for you and your students to finish the month of January in a fun and festive way! 

For the Classroom

Winter Weather Animals: Study animals like the Snowy Owl. This incorporates science and reading. There are several non-fiction and fiction passages or books about this beautiful creature to read. Then make your own Snowy Owls! 

Take the pine cone and glue cotton balls throughout the pine cone. Cut out your best owl face, and glue the face and googly eyes onto the pine cone. 

You might not have Snow Owls in your neck of the woods, but this is a cute and simple craft that students will enjoy! 

Winter Poetry: For older students, read the classic poem “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost. Discuss the meaning of this poem, and talk about rhyming patterns (modified by age group). Then, have students draw a picture of a snowy evening. Ask them to include as many vivid images as possible, and have them share their artwork.

Other FUN Ideas

Snow Cream—If snow is in your area, set out a bowl and “catch some snow,” then bring it inside and make snow cream! You’ll need 8 cups of fresh snow, 1 cup of milk (any kind, which can be modified if there are allergies), 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Whisk all the ingredients together, and ta-da! Snow cream! You can make this together as a class and serve it immediately! 

Button Garland—Another fun winter craft is creating a garland that can be hung in the classrooms or taken home. A button garland is simple and also involves multi-sensory skills. You’ll need Different sizes of white and blue buttons and ribbons. Have students cut different lengths of ribbon—you could sneak in some extra learning by using a ruler or measuring tape to figure out the different lengths. Have students hot glue the buttons on different lengths of ribbon or simply string them through the button holes and then tie them together, creating a winter garland that resembles icicles! 

Happy Teacher— Dear teacher, be sure to carve out some time for a nap, a good book, or order your favorite meal! You are more than halfway through the school year! This is the time of year when you begin to see the fruits of your labor—don’t lose motivation now! Put that teacher planner to work, set those goals, and go after them! You can do this!