Is classroom calendar time part of your daily routine? Whether you’re a kindergarten or first grade teacher, calendar time can be a powerful tool for building number sense, reinforcing math skills, and creating classroom community.
I taught for 20 years, and a daily calendar routine was always part of our day. It helped build a sense of community, was a quick and effective way to practice all kinds of math standards and became a favourite classroom routine.
In recent years, classroom calendar time has received some pushbackโsome say itโs too long, too repetitive, or not the best use of instructional time. But with a few smart adjustments, it can be quick, engaging, and one of your most effective classroom routines.
Letโs look at a few tips to make the most of calendar time in your classroom.
๐ Tip #1: Donโt Feel Tied to Morning Meeting
Calendar time doesnโt need to be squeezed into your already-busy morning meeting. In fact, I found it most effective at the start of our math block, often right after lunch. It gave us a chance to regroup and smoothly transition into our math lessonโand it made perfect sense instructionally.
โ๏ธ Tip #2: Keep It ShortโDonโt Do All the Things Every Day
Itโs easy to fall into the trap of trying to do everything with your calendar routineโweather graphs, tally marks, number of the day, base tenโฆ Before long, your โquickโ calendar time turns into a 30-minute math marathon.
You have permission to simplify!
Instead, try rotating some of your calendar activities. For example:
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Mondays: Graph the weather
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Tuesdays: Days of the week review
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Wednesdays: Count on and back from the calendar date
FYI: Just remember to keep track of the number of days in school each day!
You can also swap activities each month based on the math standards you’re teaching.
๐งฒ Tip #3: You Donโt Need a Full Calendar Wall or Bulletin Board
If youโre tight on space (or just prefer a more flexible setup), you donโt need to dedicate a full bulletin board to your calendar. I used magnetic tape, a whiteboard, and a pocket chart that I moved onto my easel during calendar time.
This setup saved wall space and made it easy to switch out activities. I displayed the How Many Days in School? ten frames (which we used every day), the birthday graph, and the missing tooth chart all year. Each month, I added a few calendar activities to the mix. When not in use, I hung the calendar behind my easel, where my students could still access it. They loved checking it for upcoming birthdays and events!
FYI: If you have the room for a calendar bulletin board and want one, thatโs great too!
๐ Tip #4: Match Activities to Your Math Standards
Calendar routines have become popular because of all the math standards you can practice daily! I think the repetitive practice is what makes it powerful. I usually changed up the activities monthly to give us some sustained practice. You can match the math objectives you are currently learning -or- standards already covered, for more of a spiral review.
Here are some of the math concepts that you can practice just using the number of the day (either the calendar date or the number of days you have been school, which ever is more appropriate):
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1 more / 1 less
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Counting on / counting back
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Odd and even numbers
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Tally marks
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Base ten
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Number words
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Simple equations and more!
โ๏ธ Tip #5: Make It Interactive
To keep all students engaged, add whiteboards! Whether itโs number of the day or tally marks, having everyone follow along makes a big difference. I didnโt use them daily, but once or twice a week kept participation high and added variety to our routine.
๐ Tip #6: Use Your Calendar Like a Calendar
While calendar time is great for covering math standards, donโt overlook its original purposeโhelping kids understand dates, time, and upcoming events.
My students loved keeping track of holidays, birthdays, and school events. They reminded me to change the calendar each month because they were so excited to see what was coming up!
Classroom calendar time doesnโt need to be long or complicated to be meaningful. Adjust your routine based on:
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Your studentsโ needs and attention spans
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Your classroom space and schedule
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The math skills youโre working on
With a few simple shifts, your calendar routine can be one of the most impactful parts of your dayโand something your students look forward to!
