At the turn of a new year, your whiteboard can possess so much possibility for the benefit of the class. That could be showcasing a set of New Year’s resolutions or continuing with the winter-time theme.
You could get them excited about reading by suggesting new books or involving the Super Bowl. There are loads of ideas that you can try on your whiteboard for January.
In this guide, we will provide you with the nine best January whiteboard ideas to try today.
The Factors In A Good January Whiteboard
What defines a good January whiteboard can be how inspirational it is to the class. If it speaks to their ambitions at the turn of a new year or helps them find a new book to read then it’s mission accomplished.
Try to figure out what the class likes to talk about as the holidays draw in. It could be the change in the weather; in which case snowflakes, snowmen, and winter adventures are good themes to look at.
There are certain days in the calendar that can provide inspiration for January on their own. That could be Martin Luther King Jr.
Day on the third Monday of the month which can help bring history to life and be genuinely inspiring.
It could be the Super Bowl play-offs to get the class thinking about solving equations and interested in sports.
The whiteboard does not have to be a place for simple decoration as it can, and should, go beyond that. It may be a big blank white space but it can provide a space for usefulness and creativity.
Whether that’s in a few snowmen adventures, letting the class members decide on their own New Year’s Resolutions or designing their own winter sweaters.
Whatever it is, allowing the class to be involved in creating what goes onto the whiteboard in the New Year should get them invested in the act of learning.
Work out what the purpose of the whiteboard theme is first and stick to it. As long as it is an engaging theme and something that the class can work with then it should help them learn.
If it is a theme that the class fails to engage with then you may struggle to get the buy-in you are looking for.
New Year’s Resolutions
New Year’s Resolutions are a great way to welcome the class back after the holidays. It represents a clean slate and a new start so it’s a chance to improve.
That could be in an individual’s studies or in their behavior. Let the class decide what they would like to strive towards in the year ahead.
Make sure to stick your writing prompts onto the board and see how long the class can stick to their resolutions.
New Year, New Books
As part of your New Year theme, you could decide on some new books to get the reading juices flowing.
This is a great whiteboard to have if you have a bookshelf that looks kinda neglected as January is a great time to hibernate with an engrossing book.
If there are some books that you are going to be touching on during the semester then highlight them right when the class begins in January.
Should there be books which certain class members are interested in then let them write them on a piece of paper and stick it to the board.
Random Acts Of Kindness
There is hardly ever a bad time to revel in acts of kindness and that’s especially true for January.
It is a clean slate and doing a random act of kindness each day can be a great New Year’s resolution in its own right as it’s cool to be kind (a handy slogan to include right there).
Should a few class members be struggling with some inspiration, let the rest of the class help out by some handy suggestions.
That could be anything from picking up someone’s pencil to helping out an assignment and being generous with their time.
Super Bowl
With the Super Bowl creeping up, the football extravaganza and the play-offs provides a math-solving opportunity.
You can use the Super Bowl as a reason to discuss how likely certain possibilities are and how important it is to solve equations, typically based on the form of one team over the other.
If one team’s offense is better than the opposing team’s defense then it may be fun to see if the class can predict the score. Of course, simply mentioning the Super Bowl may get the class excited anyway.
Snowmen Adventures
If it is still cold and icy come January, take advantage of the season and come up with some Snowmen Adventures.
This is a great whiteboard idea if there is still snow on the ground as you can design your own snowman costumes or envisage what they would do if they came to life.
Would they come to class to sit and learn or head out into the big open world?
You could even ask the class members to bring in some items to create a costume for some snowman, specifically some hats, scarves, gloves, and stones.
The Winter-Time Theme
As January will still be winter, it is worth continuing with the Winter-Time theme. Granted, the fun bit of winter will largely be over by the time January comes about but that means you can find different inspirations.
Perhaps allow the class members to discuss what they love about winter and what they don’t really like.
Maybe allow them to get creative with their colors and let them loose designing their own winter sweaters to stick onto the whiteboard.
Unique Like Snowflakes
This is a really creative and fun whiteboard idea to try, specifically in January. Each class member will be unique with their own talents and quirks.
What better way to demonstrate that by letting them create their own snowflakes. Every single snowflake will be unique as no two are the same, just like your class members.
Arctic Animals
As it may still remain cold, it is worth thinking about how certain animals deal with the chilly conditions.
That’s especially true of those in the Arctic which should be a particularly inhospitable region.
However, there are Arctic Foxes, Arctic Hares, Polar Bears, Puffins, Snowy Owls, and even Reindeer that continue to survive and thrive.
You could even start this idea early by discussing Reindeer in the countdown to the holidays.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
On the third Monday of January in each year, you can delve back into history and use Martin Luther King Jr. to inspire your class.
The day marks the official birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and can be referred to as MLK Day in shorthand.
King was known for nonviolent activism, specifically in the Civil Rights Movement and his example still rings true today.
He protested racial discrimination and his holiday was signed into law in 1983 by President Ronald Reagan.
King continues to inspire and you can run with a dream theme. Ask every student to write down what they dream of in the future.
That could be for the rest of society, what they think the future will look like, or what they believe they will achieve.
Final Thoughts
January can be a truly inspirational time for your class and that can stem from the whiteboard. As it can still be cold, you can use the whiteboard to demonstrate how animals survive in the Arctic or how snowflakes are unique, just like everyone in the class.
As it is January, you can riff on New Year’s Resolutions, perhaps with new books to read. If you are struggling with inspiration, look towards Martin Luther King Jr. Day or use the Super Bowl to engage the class.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Three Types Of Whiteboard By Purpose?
What may help you decide on what January theme to go for with your whiteboard is the purpose.
There are three to choose from; a display board can showcase the work of the class and act as decoration.
There is also an informational board which can display some winter animals or Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Then there is an interactive board where class members can complete their own activities, which could be their own New Year’s Resolutions or books they want to read that year.
What Can You Use To Decorate Your Classroom If You Do Not Have A Whiteboard?
Without a whiteboard, you can pin up a long piece of felt fabric and then stick it to the wall.
Colored duct tape should hold it in place and you can use it to fix on various pieces of paper from the class.
If you have a Velcro strip, attach it to posters or projects and you can use the felt for an interchangeable board for the class to enjoy.
Hi, my name is Helena Waters and I was a teacher for 40 years before retiring last year.
During my time as a teacher I dedicated the majority of it to making classrooms as fun as possible, with educational parties, fun activities, and low cost entertainment that made the children excited about learning.
I taught children of all ages, from preschoolers to high school students. Now, with the pandemic having uprooted everything that children once knew about school and learning, I think that the need for my ideas is bigger than ever.
That is why I created School Sparks, a place in which I can write down and share all of my ideas on how to get students excited about going to school again. I hope that you’ll find some useful within a school setting, even at home too!
