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Holidays past and upcoming holidays provide excellent opportunities for language and visual arts at the beginning and end of each term.

Have each student write statements to answer the following

1. Where did they spend their last holiday?
2. Where will they be spending their next holiday this year?
3. Where would they like to spend their next holiday this year in New Zealand
4. Where would they like to spend their next holiday overseas?
5. Where would they like to spend their summer holiday next year.

Include a brief reason in each case for their choice and share with the class.

Students swap statements amongst group members. All students now have to find each location suggested by their friends using an atlas.

Each student now becomes a travel agent.

Using cut out magazine pictures and/or travel brochures, each agent designs a collage/poster of a mythical (or real) holiday destination which will capture the imaginations of their classmates and make them want to go to this destination. Each collage should include:

1. information about accommodation
2. exciting leisure activities
3. delicious food options
4. sightseeing destinations in the locality

Display posters and have a class vote on the most popular destinations. A student is not allowed to vote for their own destination.

Discuss design features of the posters offering positive critisism of design features which really work well.

Each student now choose their destination from the posters and writes a letter home to a friend telling them about the wonderful time they are having on holiday.

Initiate a class discussion and have students brainstorm a huge list of important dates which are coming up within the next two/three months.

Discuss classifications which would be suitable for these important dates, eg

1. dates which are personal to us
2. national dates such as statutory holidays
3. important dates for the class
4. important family dates

Have each student design their own personal two/three month date calendar. Large dated squares could be a suitable method.

Each student now places the important dates on their own personal calendar.

Make a large monthly important dates wall display for the whole class. It should be large enough to include all student's personal information plus class information such as dates of camps, sports days, visits etc.

Revisit the chart once a week and add those 'unexpected things' which were important. These could be…

1. a district flood or earthquake
2. an unexpected visitor to the classroom
3. strange or humerous incidents

Encourage students to add dates to the chart on a regular basis. It may be necessary for discuss and define the criteria for putting a date on the chart if the list gets too large.