January/New Year Resources

Choosing a word for the year is something a lot of adults do, but our students can benefit from it too! In this writing activity, your students will choose a word for the year and then write about why they chose that word. You can then display your students’ wonderful writing with the New Year’s toppers included!

***Updated for 2026-2030!

What is included?

1. A written explanation of the Word for the Year
2. Word for the Year Ideas (list of words)
3. Word of the Year Bookmark Templates
4. Graphic Organizer (Brainstorm Web)
5. Boxes & Bullets Planning Page with 2 Reasons
6. Boxes & Bullets Planning Page with 3 Reasons
7. Writing Paper
8. Toppers (9 options) 
9. Teacher Examples

*This activity will be updated each year to reflect the current year!*

Looking for a fun and easy way to celebrate the New Year with your students? This New Year’s Activity Booklet will help your students set goals and get excited about the upcoming year. Just print out the pages and make copies back-to-back. Then fold into a booklet.

***Updated for 2026-2028!

If you need to print the pages back-to-back directly from your printer, then you made need the pages rotated. You can find the rotated pages inside this file too!

The following pages of activities are included:

1. Front Cover - Happy New Year
2. Best Memories of 2025
3. Parts of Speech Color by Code
4. New Year Selfie
5. Making Words
6. Setting Goals – students write goals for each area of their life
7. Getting Goals – students write HOW they will reach each goal
8. Looking Forward to 2026 – students write about what they are looking forward to in the upcoming year

*This file will be updated each year to reflect the new year.*

Reading and Writing from 1 text set!

What are monthly text sets? 
The monthly text sets are two or more texts based on the same topic. Each monthly text set can be used for both reading and writing. The topic of each text set is high-engaging nonfiction topics. Each text set supports opinion or informational based writing in response to reading.

What is included in each text set? 

• 2 (or more) related informational articles
• Reading Comprehension Questions
• Writing Prompt to be used with the texts in an essay format
• Writing Plan Example
• Teacher Example Essay (editable)
• Differentiated for Grades 3-5  

Polar Bear Problems
Students read articles about polar bears. Using the texts, they write an informational essay about the topic.
Standard-based reading comprehension questions help you integrate reading while using the same text you are using in writing.

Try the free text set here:
https://theliteracyloft.co/FREETextSet

These text sets go perfectly with the Informational and Opinion Writing Units:

• Informative Writing Unit
• Opinion Writing Unit

Check out the Monthly Text Set Bundle and save up! The bundle includes ALL of the text sets that are currently available.

What topics are included for each month?
The topics included are thematically related to that month. However, the text sets can be used at any time of the year based on your needs.

January - MLK (Opinion Text Set)

February - Equality in Education: Thurgood Marshall & Mary Mcleoud Bethune (Informational Text Set)

March - Ants: Perk or Pest (Opinion Text Set)

April - The Benefits of Bees (Informational Text Set)

May - Sea Turtles (Informational Text Set)

June - Sharks Text Set (Try for FREE here!)

July- Hurricanes Text Set (Informational Text Set)

August - Video Games: Harmful or Helpful? (Opinion Text Set)

September - Homework: Harmful or Helpful? (Opinion Text Set)

October- Bats (Informational Text Set)

November - Paid to Play: Should College Athletes be Paid?

December - Polar Bear Problems (Informational Text Set)

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

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