How I Teach: First Week After Winter Break ELA Activities, Reviewing Expectations, and Read Alouds
The first week back from winter break in January really sets the tone for the rest of the year. Here are some of the activities I do, the games we play and some read alouds, which I feel really set our class up for success for the rest of the year.
Reviewing Expectations and Rules After Winter Break
I treat the first week back from winter break almost exactly like the very first week of school, minus the get-to-know-you activities. After a long break, students need clear reminders of routines, expectations, and classroom norms, even if they were solid before December (and let’s be honest, they were probably starting to slip by then). We revisit how to enter the classroom, how to participate in discussions, what independent work should look like, and how to work respectfully with partners. Taking the time to reteach these expectations upfront helps prevent behavior issues later and allows us to ease back into learning with confidence.
One of my favorite ways to do this is by asking students to reflect on what it looks like when everyone correctly follows a rule or procedure and what it looks like if it isn’t followed. We discuss first as a class and then I have my students write about our rules on some independent rule reflection worksheets.
Finally, we play a really fun charades game. Each group gets a few different prompts they practice ahead of time that include both following a procedure correctly and doing it incorrectly (Important Note: Remind students they must still stay safe while acting out an incorrectly followed procedure). The rest of the class then has to guess which rule or procedure they were acting out and whether they were showing it being followed or done poorly. It’s fun, creates a lot of laughs, but most importantly functions as an important reminder of why following rules and procedures in the classroom is important.
Click Here for the reviewing expectations activities that I use in my classroom on the first day back from winter break.
2026 New Years Activities - Goals and Resolutions
Day 1: 2026 New Years Goals and Reflection Bulletin Board Display
Of course we also do some New Years activities the first week back from winter break! That is a great way to increase engagement while slowly ramping the academic back up after a break. I use this New Year Goals Reflection Writing Craft on the first day back from break as a low-pressure, engaging way to ease students back into writing while also focusing on goal setting. I love that it’s fully differentiated, so I can choose from multiple handwriting supports and writing expectations depending on my students’ abilities. This has allowed me to use this same activity every year even when teaching different grade levels. Even though I teach upper elementary, I definitely still occasionally have students writing at a 1st or 2nd grade level (or even below), so I am able to give these students the handwriting support they need while challenging my higher students. We talk through the meaning of each number prompt together (two goals, one thing to give up, two kind deeds, and five new things to learn or try), and then students work independently to reflect and write at their own level. The cutting and flap element adds just enough hands-on engagement to keep students focused without overwhelming them, and the finished projects make an eye-catching bulletin board that celebrates growth and fresh starts.
Day 2 - 3: The History of New Year’s Resolutions Reading Passage and Writing Craft
On Day 2 and 3 of winter break, I still focus on New Years, but we get meatier and more rigorous with this History of New Years Resolutions activity. We start by reading a nonfiction passage together as a class that explains where New Year’s resolutions came from, how the tradition developed, and how it’s still celebrated today (this also allows me to naturally integrate social studies into ELA, which I love!). We discuss key vocabulary and answer comprehension questions together before transitioning into the writing portion, where students fill out this writing craft, where they write about how they will work toward their own New Year’s resolutions. The previous day’s activity functions as a great brainstorm, while this activity asks students to write more in-depth in paragraph form, explaining exactly how they will meet their goal. I love that this activity feels fully rigorous, integrates ELA, Writing and Social Studies, and yet still feels both relevant and fun for kids with the New Years Resolutions topic and fun coloring on the writing craft.
Read Alouds for Reviewing Expectations and New Years
Read alouds are a huge and favorite part of my classroom. I often do novel studies with my class, but also love daily picture books when we are between books. For the first week after winter break, I generate use picture books, before eventually transitioning to another novel a week later. I do a mix of reviewing behavior/SEL books as well as books focused on New Years. Here are a few I have used over the years. If you do not own some of these books, I also just wanted to remind you that you can also play the youtube read aloud video instead for your class. It is STILL a read aloud, and even displayed in a way that every student can easily see. Here are some of the books I do the first week.
Read Aloud #1: What If Everybody Did That by Ellen Javernick
This is a great book that reminds students of the larger implications of what happens when people don’t follow a rule or procedure and why it is so important for everyone to follow. Check out the youtube read aloud here.
Read Aloud #2: The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi
An amazing growth mindset book about how things can change in the future. Perfect for setting the tone for the new year. Check out the youtube read aloud here.
Read Aloud #3: What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi Yamada
Another great goal setting picture book that will help students form their New Years Resolutions paragraph. Check out the youtube read aloud here.
Read Aloud #4: The Bad Seed by Jory John
I use this book to talk about challenges from the previous year and leaving those in the past. It’s a great book for anyone, but especially those tricky behavior kiddos in class who might feel stuck with their reputation. This book is all about turning a new leaf with the new year. Check out the youtube read aloud here.
Read Aloud #5: Ish by Peter Reynolds
A perfect book to reinforce the idea of progress over perfection. I use this book to discuss with the class that we will not be perfect with our goals, and just because we fall short doesn’t mean we should give up on that goal. Ish is ok and even more desirable because it is more realistic! Check out the youtube read aloud here
Where to get these activities!
I put the lessons I create for my classroom on Teachers Pay Teachers. If you liked what you read, follow the link to pick up your own copy!
