New Year’s Writing Prompt Lesson Plan Ideas for 4-5 Students

The first week back from winter break is the perfect time for students to reflect and set goals with a New Year's Writing Prompt. The start of a new year brings endless possibilities, making it the perfect time to integrate reading and writing activities that encourage reflection, creativity, and goal-setting.

Read on to find ideas to turn a New Year's writing prompt into a lesson with reading and writing activities, perfect for 4th and 5th-grade students to set goals in January.

New Year's Writing Prompt Lesson Plan Ideas 

It's common for kids to hear discussions of New Year resolutions without knowing they, too, can partake in these activities. January creates a perfect backdrop for kids to learn about New Year resolutions and actively participate in crafting their own.

Start by Brainstorming a List of Goals 

First, set the stage to get the kids thinking about their goals and plans for this year. To do this, have the kids share one goal for the new year. Let them write it down in the writing template and discuss their goals.

The discussion is a great prewriting activity so kids don't draw a blank when it's time to write their draft. Then, collect the pieces and make an anchor chart to display everyone's goals.

Continue by Reading Books About Pursuing Dreams 

Before having students write their drafts, you want them well-equipped with what to write. One way to do this is by giving them ideas through reading books that have themes related to setting goals or pursuing dreams.

To get their wheels turning, here are two fantastic picture books to include in your lesson plans. These books have related themes and are about two people who have persevered to pursue their dreams.

The first picture book, written by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, is titled “The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read.” The picture book focuses on Mary Walker's accomplishment of reading at the age of 114 years old!

The book's theme of not giving up on your dreams makes for a perfect discussion about persisting in accomplishing your goals.

The second picture book is “Fifty Cents and a Dream: Younger Booker T. Washington.” This picture book focuses on Booker T. Washington's journey to reach the school where he earned an education.

I love using this book because there are many opportunities to incorporate reading skills throughout the week. I have shared my reading lesson plan activities for the picture book “Fifty Cents and a Dream: Younger Booker T. Washington” [here].

These two picture books showcase the journey of two African Americans to accomplish their dreams of learning to read. Reading these two books in January will help tie in next month's theme for Black History Month activities.

After reading each book, connect the stories using a chart. Then, have the kids recall events from the story relating to the theme of setting New Year's resolutions.

Use Graphic Organizers to Write a Draft  

After a discussion based on the picture books read, your students are ready to start making an action plan to reach their goals.

Before writing their drafts, use a graphic organizer to create an action plan. Utilizing this planning sheet will turn your students' wheels to make their goals a reality.

These graphic organizers are from the New Year's writing prompt. You can use them as an activity during your ELA block or extend it throughout the week.

There are two graphic organizers your students can use. I suggest explaining how to fill out both writing graphic organizers and then having them choose the one they feel is a good fit for them.

One way to extend this prewriting activity is to invite students to share their completed graphic organizers with the class.

A class discussion is a great way to find common themes, strategies, and challenges students might face in achieving their goals.

Write A New Year's Resolution Goal 

From the planning sheet, your students will be ready to write their draft. In this part of the writing process, students follow the steps they wrote on their planning sheet.

As they transition from planning to drafting, remind them to revisit the steps they meticulously outlined on their planning sheet.

Remind students that the writing stage is a significant step toward achieving their goals. Encourage them to celebrate the progress they've made so far and to stay motivated as they move forward in the writing process.

If students get stuck while writing, encourage them to draw inspiration from the discussions about the picture books and the lessons learned from the characters' journeys.

Another way to help them is by having students partner up and share their goals. This discussion can lead to peer feedback and the opportunity for students to offer support and encouragement to their classmates.

Add technology for Students to Share their Goals.

Integrate technology for students to share their goals. One platform you can use is FlipGrid. Flip Grid is a free online platform that allows students to create short video responses.

You can set up a Flipgrid topic specifically for New Year's resolutions, where students record themselves sharing their goals, aspirations, and the steps they plan to take.

To implement this, create a dedicated Flipgrid grid for your class, and within it, set up a topic related to New Year's resolutions.

Share the Flipgrid code or link with your students. They can then access the topic, record their video responses, and view and respond to their classmates' submissions.

Moreover, Flipgrid allows for students to record themselves from home or during class time. The platform makes it easy to compile a collection of video responses showcasing the class's diverse goals and dreams.

By integrating technology in these ways, you can enhance the writing prompt experience, making it more interactive and aligned with the digital age in which our students live and learn.

Key Takeaways 

The first week after winter break is a fresh start for students to write about their New Year's resolutions. Instead of just giving them a writing prompt to write about, bring this lesson plan to life with any of the reading and writing activities mentioned above. 

A New Year's writing prompt can be a great writing activity to ignite the creative spark in students and guide them toward setting meaningful goals for the year ahead.