Free 2026 New Year Reading Passage & Mystery Color by Code

Happy New Year!  It’s hard to believe a new year is upon us.  As you prepare to head back into the classroom this January, I have a Free 2026 New Year Reading Passage & Mystery Color by Code you can use to help your students ring in the new year! These 2026 New Year reading and math activities are a great way to review skills and ease back into the second semester of the school year after winter break!

Coming back from winter break can be challenging for both students and teachers! Energy levels are high, attention spans can be short, and routines need to be reestablished. These fun and engaging 2026 New Year classroom activities can help you reinforce reading and math standards and help students refocus after the break. While they are perfect for the first day back after winter break, they could also be used for morning work, early finishers, or sub plans!

2026 New Year Reading Passage

The first activity in the free 2026 New Year classroom activities packet is a reading comprehension passage all about the New Year holiday! Students will read an informational text that explains what the New Year is, how it’s celebrated in the United States, and the meaning behind popular New Year’s resolutions.

After reading, students will complete a comprehension check. The questions cover a variety of reading skills, including:

  • Identifying the main idea
  • Locating text evidence
  • Using text features to understand information
  • Answering higher-level thinking questions in written form

This reading activity is great practice for comprehension strategies you’ve been working on throughout the school year. Plus, it ties perfectly into discussions about setting goals and reflecting on growth in 2026.

2026 Math Mystery Picture

The second activity in the 2026 New Year classroom packet is a hundred chart mystery picture! Students will color specific squares on a hundred chart. As they follow the code, they’ll reveal a fun surprise image celebrating the new year, 2026!

This activity will give your students practice with:

  • Number recognition to 100
  • Identifying patterns on the hundreds chart
  • Following directions carefully
  • Fine motor skills through coloring

Students love this type of activity because it feels like a game, but you’ll love that it’s reinforcing foundational math concepts! It’s the perfect morning work activity to welcome students back to the classroom after winter break or to restart your math block in 2026! Students will have a blast locating the numbers on the hundred chart to reveal the New Year, 2026! I like to keep the mystery picture a secret from my students until they reveal the picture on their own!

Reading New Year Activity Two reading and math activities are included in the FREE 2025 New Year classroom activities packet. First, is a reading comprehension passage that teaches students about the New Year holiday, traditions in the United States, and popular resolutions that are often made.  After reading the passage, students can complete the accompanying comprehension check.  The included comprehension check includes multiple-choice and written response questions covering skills such as main idea, text features, text evidence, and higher-level thinking responses.    2025 New Year Classroom Activity for Math Also included is a picture of a mystery hundred chart!  Students will enjoy locating given numbers on a hundred chart and coloring by the code to reveal the new year, 2025. This activity will be great practice for students who are practicing numerals to 100 and patterns on the hundreds chart.

Free 2026 New Year Reading Passage & Mystery Color by Code

The Free 2026 New Year Reading Passage & Mystery Color by Code packet includes both the reading comprehension passage with questions and the mystery hundreds chart math activity. These activities are best suited for first and second graders but can also be used as review or enrichment for older students who need extra practice with comprehension or number fluency.

They’re print-and-go, so you can simply download, make a few copies, and you’re ready to go. No prep required!

To download the Free 2026 New Year Reading Passage & Mystery Color by Code, simply complete the form below. You’ll receive both the reading and math activities in your inbox, ready to print and use in your classroom! Enjoy, and Happy New Year!