I want to lose weight. I need to go to the gym more often. This year, I am determined to learn to play the piano.
Many of us begin the New Year with great hopes of making significant changes or improvements, only to slip back into old habits. This is true for our students. Starting the New Year with the following lesson ideas on making and keeping New Year’s Resolutions will engage your students and help them choose resolutions of their own.
Primary Students
Read the attached story: Taking Care of Buttons. Discuss the following questions with students. You may choose to do this orally or in writing using the question sheet.
1) What problem does Joey have in the story?
2) Why is it hard for Joey to take care of Buttons?
3) What is the difference between a wish and a plan?
After discussing the story, students will choose a New Year’s Resolution of their own. This resolution can apply to school, home, sports or recreation. To help struggling students, brainstorm a list of possible resolutions as a class. Remind students their choice should be something they would like to improve.
It is now time to make the New Year’s Resolution Wish into a plan. To help this process, students will respond to the following questions.
1) What do I wish to change?
2) What small steps can I take to make this resolution happen?
3) How can I keep track of my progress?
Reflection is an important part of any plan or goal. Make a resolution to check back in with students on the success of their New Year’s Resolution.
Intermediate Students
You may choose to have students read Taking Care of Buttons as you introduce the concept of New Year’s Resolutions. For a humorous take on resolutions, share the poem New Year’s Resolutions by Bruce Lansky. The poem can be found at https://www.kidsgen.com/rhymes_and_poems/ny_resolution.htm
Students will quickly see the irony in the poem. Discuss the following questions with students, either orally or in writing. A copy of these questions is at the end of the blog.
1) What is the author’s purpose in writing this poem?
2) Who do you think is speaking in the poem? Provide evidence to support your answer.
3) What tricks do you think the author may try next?
4) How would e-learning or remote learning change the tricks the author might try?
The speaker in this poem has done many rotten tricks in the past. The speaker’s resolution is to create new tricks for the upcoming year. After discussing the poem, students will choose a positive New Year’s Resolution of their own. This resolution can apply to school, home, sports or recreation. To help struggling students, brainstorm a list of possible resolutions as a class. Remind students their choice should be something they would like to improve. Encourage students to create a plan for this resolution which will help them be successful.
To help this process, students will respond to the following questions.
1) What do I wish to change?
2) What small steps can I take to make this resolution happen?
3) How can I keep track of my progress?
Reflection is an important part of any plan or goal. Make a resolution to check back in with students on the success of their New Year’s Resolution.
Taking Care of Buttons
By Write Now – Right Now
Joey and his parents were having a family meeting. “Joey,” said Mom. “I need you to take better care of your gerbil, Buttons. If you can’t, we will have to find a new home for her.”
Joey began to cry. “I will do better,” he said. “I don’t want Buttons to go to a new home.”
Joey really wanted to take good care of his pet. However, he often forgot to give Buttons food and water and would let the cage bedding get dirty and smelly.
“I wish I could do better,” he told his Mom. “I am not taking good care of my pet.”
“Right now, you are wishing you could remember to take care of Buttons. You do not have a plan, you just have a wish,” responded Mom. “Tomorrow is New Year’s Day. Let’s make a New Year’s Resolution that you will be a better caregiver for Buttons. We will make a plan so you will be able to keep your New Year’s Resolution.”
Together Mom and Joey wrote out his New Year’s Resolution. First, they made a schedule to help Joey remember to feed Buttons. He would give Buttons food and water every morning right after breakfast. To remind him, Mom set Buttons’ food right next to the breakfast cereal. Before he brushed his teeth at night, Joey would give Buttons his dinner and check to make sure his water bottle was full.
Joey also needed a plan to clean Buttons’ cage. Mom printed off a monthly calendar to hang in Joey’s room. Together, she and Joey chose days that Joey would clean Buttons’ cage and circled the dates in bright red marker.
Joey felt better. He followed his New Year’s Resolution plan carefully, remembering to feed and clean Buttons. He had turned his wish to be a better pet owner into something real.
Questions for Taking Care of Buttons - Primary
1) What problem does Joey have in the story?
2) Why is it hard for Joey to take care of Buttons?
3) What is the difference between a wish and a plan?
Planning a New Year’s Resolution
1) What do I wish to change?
2) Why small steps can I take to make this resolution happen?
3) How can I keep track of my progress?
Questions for New Year’s Resolutions - Intermediate
1) What is the author’s purpose in writing this poem?
2) Who do you think is speaking in the poem? Provide evidence to support your answer.
3) What tricks do you think the author may try next?
4) How would e-learning or remote learning change the tricks the author might try?
Planning a New Year’s Resolution
1) What do I wish to change?
2) Why small steps can I take to make this resolution happen?
3) How can I keep track of my progress?