As a school teacher, who writes the date every day, does calendar warm ups with the class everyday, and corrects improper date writing everyday, why is it so difficult for me to switch to writing a new year? If it takes adults a while to warm up to remembering to write the new year on emails, letters, faxes, signatures, then it must be even more trying for children. And if your child was in my class they must write their first name, last name, and date on every paper.
There are several ways for you to help ease your child(ren) into remembering to write the correct year when writing the date. These activities will allow a quicker and easier transition. Try one of them or all of them after school or on the weekend.
1. Click on the "2011 Number Search" below and print it out. Circle all the 2011's you can find and count them to see if you found them all.
2. Click and print the Happy New Year card below (preferably on card stock paper). Fold the paper (hamburger style) so the it looks like a greeting card. Have your child color the front and then write a letter to a family member or loved one. Depending on age: K-1 depending on ability, write out what the child says to you (scribing); 2nd-6th graders should be writing in a friendly letter format using all 5 parts of a friendly letter (especially 2nd graders because this is in their California Content Standards and they will be tested on this for state testing (CST) later this year)
3. Click and print the worksheet below. Either circle or color (a different color) each 2011 that you can find. Then, count to see how many times 2011 was written on this worksheet.
4. Click and print this story starter. Have your child finish a creative 2011 story starter. If they need more room (yea) turn the paper over and continue to let the creativity flow. Again, depending on the age, you may have to write the story for your child.
5. Click and print this Acrostic poem below. In order to complete the poem write one word that starts with the letter in the sequence that has to do with the new year. For example, for the letter N you may write Nice, or for the E you may write Exciting. For K-1st grades you may what to write the words they come up with as it will further help their vocabulary and using new words.
6. Last but not least, my favorite new year idea. Create a 2011 memory box. Start with an old shoe box, then collect markers, crayons, construction paper, fabric, pictures, sparklies, and any other fun crafts you can find. Write 2011 in large font on the top of the box, then decorate! Throughout the 2011 year your child can collect important artifacts from 2011 and place them in his/her own 2011 memory box. The box can contain A+ papers, art work, pictures, collections, etc.
No matter the age of your schooler these activities can rev them up for the 2011 new year. Hopefully, sooner rather than later we'll all get used to writing 2011 in the date.
