7 New Year’s Lesson Plans for Homeschoolers

The new year has dawned! As you put away your holiday decorations, you’re most likely already considering how to get started homeschooling in this new year. The holiday break has been nice, but it’s time to dive back into school. What better way to kick off homeschooling and start the new year right than with a few great New Year’s lesson plans. I guarantee that these fun, engaging activities will wipe the break-is-over blues away and help you build fun family memories to start off the new year!

7 Great New Year’s Lesson Plans for Homeschoolers

1. Holiday History: A great way to get familiar with the New Year’s holiday is to research its history! Watch this video and read the article from History.com. Perform a little more research on your own into the history of the holiday. Create a timeline of different dates and types of celebrations U.S. citizens have engaged in throughout our history.
2. Calendar Conundrum: While we always celebrate New Year’s beginning December 31^st  as it turns into Jan. 1 at midnight, different calendars mean not all nations celebrate on the same day. Perform some online research into the different calendars used around the world, including the Gregorian and Chinese calendars. Make a New Year’s calendar of your own, listing the many days and celebrations your family could have throughout the year!
3. New Year’s Around the World: Learning about different cultures and traditions is a great way to dive into geography. This in-depth unit will take your students on a trip around the world and throughout history studying different New Year’s celebrations and their roots. Be sure to do a little research into Diwali, Tet, and Shogasta using this unit as well!
4. Fireworks Fun: Fireworks go with New Year’s celebrations like peas and carrots. Why not study the history of these powerful and beautiful pyrotechnics, then create a few of your own using household materials. Be sure to teach your children about science safety and cause-and-effect while you experiment!
5. Poetic Resolutions: New Year’s has always been an inspiration for writers. Start your language arts learning this year with these New Year’s lesson plans focused on poetry. Try your hand at writing resolutions in poetic fashion with rhythm and rhyme! You can mix in a few of these short stories for older students.
6. New Year’s for Little Ones: Teaching toddlers can be a challenge, especially if you have older homeschoolers that you’re working with. Use this list of New Year’s lesson plans and activities from apples4theteacher.com  to keep your little ones busy while you complete the above lessons.
7. Auld Lang Syne: This famous song is sung each New Year’s in English-speaking countries. But why? And what does it mean? Find out here, not just about the song, but also about the author, Robert Burns, and his other Scottish folk songs.

No matter how you celebrate the new year, be sure to include a few well-chosen lessons. After all, as homeschoolers, New Year’s lesson plans provide an opportunity to study new topics together as we reset our minds after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. And, if you’re into making resolutions, be sure to add “enjoy and explore new traditions and topics” to the top of this year’s homeschooling resolution list!

How did you celebrate New Year’s this year? Tell us in a comment below!