Do you ever panic as winter break draws to a close and the new year begins? I’m always eager to return to the classroom with refreshed energy after break but it can be daunting to dive right back into lesson planning. That’s why I like to prep everything before I leave for vacation. Having engaging and meaningful activities ready to go before Christmas means one less thing to juggle when I return.

The key to successful January plans is finding a balance between activities that capture student interest and keep prep manageable for you. In this post, I’ve gathered tried-and-true strategies and low-prep lesson plans designed to ease both you AND your students back into the school routine! Download my free lesson plans for after winter break now so that you can spend your winter break relaxing instead of prepping for January.

Free Lesson Plans for After Winter Break

I created this FREE guide to share some of my favorite ways to ease back into regular routines after winter break while incorporating the winter season into my curriculum. My students LOVE it any time I pull out a seasonal resource, and I love that I can engage them while still practicing essential skills. Enter your email below to download my free upper elementary lesson plans for after winter break (with an unprecedented number of freebies!) to help guide your planning.

The Best Activities for After Winter Break

Here are a variety of must-do activities in January!

Winter Sports Reading Project

Are your students eager to learn more about the winter sports played during the winter games? This winter sports reading project includes EVERYTHING you need to incorporate the winter games into your literacy instruction this year! Students will practice their critical reading skills and create a winter games adventure for their own town!

Winter Wonderland Math Project

This Winter Math Project will engage your students in a rigorous review of math standards, and they may not even notice! As students embark on the winter vacation of a lifetime, they must track their expenses and other math-related tasks throughout their trip. They’ll calculate how much elevation they gain while skiing, they’ll plot a sledding path through multiple obstacles, they’ll find the area and perimeter of their lodging (after they select which option is best for them). They’ll figure out a schedule for tubing, make a map of the winter festival, and so much more.

Word of the Year

Create an engaging activity centered around Oxford’s Word of the Year while exploring the chosen word’s meaning and significance. For example, 2023’s word was “rizz,” which I’m sure we’ve all heard a ton throughout the year! You can encourage students to research the evolution and usage of 2024’s word and discuss its impact on modern language. Encourage them to connect the word to current events or their personal experiences, perhaps by creating a short skit or a digital storytelling project that illustrates the word in action. This activity not only enhances vocabulary but also sharpens critical thinking and creativity while allowing students to reflect on how language continually evolves to mirror societal trends.

You can extend this activity by having students make suggestions and vote for their own word of the year for your classroom!

The Best Teacher Tips for January

We asked other upper elementary teachers for their best teaching tips to implement after winter break. Here’s what they had to say. Join our FREE Inspired in Upper Elementary Facebook group to be part of our next conversation!

Teach like it’s the first day. Kids will come back tired and crabby! We take the first few days slow. Go over expectations, have a slow morning with music and a snack. I try to remember that breaks look different. One kiddo might not eat much over break and doesn’t celebrate Christmas, while another student flies to Florida to see grandparents. – Lindsey B.

I make time to meet one on one with each student so they can tell me about their break. That way a kid who just thought mom being off work was a big deal doesn’t feel intimidated by the student who went to Florida. – Kelly J.

We do NWEA and just completed our winter testing, so after break I’ll sit down with each student to reflect on their progress and set their spring goals. – Stacy S.

I start the first 30 minutes or so with a game I found somewhere along the way. I put a paper with some questions on it like something I did over break, someone I saw, something I ate, something I made… Students have to fill it out secretly and hang it to me folded up. When everyone is done we guess who they think wrote the answers to the questions. – Chris S.

This Rules Refresh on Instagram from Teach Like a Pangolin was also recommended in our group!

More January Ideas

I’ve shared several helpful January blog posts over the years. Here are some favorites!

• Meaningful and Easy-To-Prep Ideas for After Winter Break
• A Full Year of Literacy Read Alouds and Activities
• 15 Winter Read Alouds and Seasonal Activities
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Activities