And we’re back. Returning after the nice winter break is hard. We have to put on real clothes. Set an alarm. Be functioning humans. But remember this: the kids are excited to see you, and it’s an opportunity to create some great January lesson plans to refresh the classroom and make memories!
This year is a little different for me because I get to be a stay-at-home dad, so I can spend more time with our daughters (NOTICE THAT CHANGE?!) Our daughter was born on December 15 and is doing well. Big sister has been amazing, and we’re so happy at how we’re all settling into our new family of 5 (Dolly, our doodle, is a great fur sister!). So, each week for Schedulin’ Sunday, I will post ideas and resources that I use in my classroom for that week in the school year. Each post will also contain links to previous years’ lesson plans!
Kindergarten Lesson Plans: Week 19
Click the links to download our FREE Kindergarten January lesson plans for week 19!
2023-2024
2024-2025
You can get our editable lesson plan templates by clicking this image:
January Lesson Plans For Kindergarten: Phonics And CVC Words
This week we spend time just working on CVC words. We do lots of blending, decoding, and dictation activities!
This week, we’re also using our themed digital word-building tool and spelling CVC words with mitten letters!
We also use our mnemonic letters and sound cards to spell and write CVC words! The kids write the words on their boards while their friend builds the word in the pocket chart!
January Lesson Plans For Kindergarten: Fairy Tales
This week, we read two stories from our required curriculum: Three Billy Goats Gruff and Little Red Hen! The kids enjoy the books, and they make for some great discussions about hard work and standing up to bullies. This week we focus on story elements and problem/solution in these two stories!
We also make a troll and students work together to build a bridge for the goats to cross!
January Lesson Plans For Math: Counting
This week, our math is just review and practice. We are focused on routines and procedures, so we like to review these foundational math skills before we dive into new content and skills. We use our number paths to work on counting, and we even use this to bring one more and one less. Nothing wrong with sneaking in some review of one of our most difficult math skills. These ideas are intentionally simple and low-key so everyone (including the teacher!) can ease back into learning!
We can use dry-erase markers to count, or we can move manipulatives for a more hands-on approach!
We also use ten frames and counters to practice counting!
January Lesson Plans: Class New Year’s Celebration
Obviously, the focus of this week is really celebrating the new year! Sure, we hit some curriculum requirements and work on foundational skills, but the week is about disco balls, resolutions, and bouncy balls because we’re bouncing into the new year!
We kick off the week by reading Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolutions. We make some predictions about the story and work on story elements!
Then we learn about resolutions, and we write our own resolutions for the new year!
And of course we celebrate with a party! Now, I know it’s hip and cool to have a Noon Year’s Party…but hear me out.. noon. Midday. Party. That means you still have the rest of the day with a bunch of HYPED kids. So we do our celebration at the end of the day…you know…hype ’em up and send ’em home!
We watch the ball drop and do our countdown with balloons, hats, confetti, and noisemakers!
And then we toast the new year!
Celebrating the new year requires disco balls. Lots of disco balls. So we make our own disco balls using aluminum foil. And since we need all the fine motor skills, we don’t use scissors. Nope. We tear the foil and glue it on to make our shiny disco balls.
And for even more fun, we break out our green screen and put the kids right into Times Square for New Year’s eve!
January Lesson Plans: Hands-On Science
Our mad science experiment for the week is to make our own bouncy balls! Because…we’re bouncing into the new year!
January Lesson Plans: Noon Year’s Party Snack
Our Foodie Fun Friday snack this week is…of course…a ball drop snack! It’s a cupcake, a drink stirrer, and a donut hole! And sometimes, we get lucky and the donut hole slides down the straw just like a ball dropping!
WEEK 19 RESOURCES
Here are some more resources that can make your planning and prep easier!
January Lesson Plans And Activities: FREE RESOURCES
Click the images to get the freebies!
