New Year's Day Bulletin Board Ideas

The world comes together to celebrate the new year.

New Year's Day is a holiday that is celebrated around the world. An occasion when the world comes together to mark a day is a celebration worth drawing your students into as well. Mark the event with a bulletin board in the classroom that will draw their attention and cause them pause to ponder the day.

Out With the Old and in With the New

Compare the old year with the new year.

The changing of the years is a time for students to both reflect back and look forward. Divide a bulletin board in half from top to bottom with two different color papers. Label the top of the left section with the old year and the top of the right section with the new year. Print large, colorful pictures depicting major events from the old year, such as a new president's portrait, Olympic athletes or the cover of a new book. Fasten these to the old year area. On the new year side fasten pictures of events you may be expecting, for example a portrait of an upcoming scheduled author, plans or events in students' lives, and pictures showing expected events in the school. Make the space a visual stop for students to quickly compare the old year with the new year.

Resolutions

Give your students the chance to write and illustrate their new year's resolution.

A new year offers a time of new hope, new goals and new resolutions. Line the bulletin board with a bright color such as yellow or orange. Give the students a paper with the instructions to write one to three goals for themselves for the upcoming year on the bottom half of the paper. Have them draw a picture of themselves attaining this goal at the top of the paper. Post these resolutions and leave them up for about four weeks. When it is time to take the resolutions down, have each student evaluate if he is taking the steps necessary to attain their goal.

Celebrate the New Year

Perk up your classroom with a celebration board.

For some students, returning to school after a two-week holiday break can be a drudgery. Help add some joy and excitement to your classroom by lining a bulletin board with a bright color. In a bright, contrasting color, cut out large numbers representing the new year. Fasten these to the middle of the board. Surround the new year with party hats, noise makers, streamers and foil pompoms.

Time Line

Place your children in their spot in history.

Help your children see the bigger picture in years. Place a paper strip horizontally across the middle of a bulletin board. Choose dates and corresponding events to write on the time line that have been studied in your curriculum. Print a picture of each event with the year. Include the year many of your students were born. In the current year place a picture of the class together.

References

• Alphabet Soup: New Year's Day
• Ed Helper: New Year's Day Theme Unit