Beating the Winter Blues

By. Teresa Marchant

The stretch between Winter break and Spring break seems like FOREVER!  Over the years, I have learned by creating engaging activities in February and March will help make this time pass quickly. Consider trying out these ideas to increase learning with your students and liven up your teaching.

I LOVE to Read month or Valentine’s Day can be all about the LOVE of learning and reading!

As a librarian, this month will fly by when you provide your students with a monthly calendar with reading related activities that can be done. Students can earn prizes along the way, then collect these calendars at the end for a grand prize. 

Chinese New Year
Celebrate cultures from around the world and enhance learning by researching about Chinese New Year. 

Groundhog Day
This day can be used to encourage the use of predictions and opinions within the ELA content.

100 Days of school–Yahoo!
We are over HALF way done!  Ideas such as dressing up as a 100 year old person to doing math activities throughout the day. 

Super Bowl
One way to engage young football and non football fans is to involve your students in the importance of data collection. Activities can range from graphing their winning predictions to writing a Super Bowl Commercial for a book.

Gear up for the Olympics
Create activities to get students involved in the Winter olympics. From Skiing to bobsledding, this is a great way to collaborate with other content areas by doing research on the different events. Then you can even create your own fitness (and non fitness) races.

March Madness
Do some bracket activities to select a winner. One possible idea is to have 16 book titles that all students read and vote for their favorites out of two until you have selected the Champion!

As you begin to brainstorm other ways to engage your students, you will fly through these months and be well on your way to Spring Break!  Happy Learning!