Keeping students busy and productive during the last few days of school can be challenging. Here are some tips and tricks for ending the year on a positive and memorable note.
Keeping Routines Consistent
It can be tempting to let established rules and procedures slide during the final days of a school year, yet this practice can actually cause disruption and chaos in an already anxious class of youngsters. Sticking with usual routines will cause students to respond by continuing standard work practices. Maintaining a calm and orderly atmosphere makes the summer transition a more pleasant and relaxing time for all.
Memory-Building End of the Year Activities
Students can create one or more of the following memory keepsakes:
- Autograph Books: In lieu of yearbooks, the children make age-appropriate autograph books to have their friends sign as a keepsake of the year.
- Memory Cards: Each student makes a card with their name on it decorated how they wish. They can be elaborate or simple. Then the students pass the cards around in an established order. On each classmate’s card, students will write one nice thing about that child. When the cards have made it all the way around the room, each child is left with their original card full of compliments from their classmates.
- T-Shirts: Each student can bring in a t-shirt or other item of clothing. It doesn’t have to be new. Provide fabric markers so the students can decorate and sign each other’s shirts as a keepsake of the school year.
Whole Class End of the Year Activities
- Prepare and present a photo slide show with pictures of the students throughout the year. Appropriate songs for the show include “Time of Your Life” by Green Day, “Forever Young” by Rod Stewart, “Changes” by David Bowie, “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen, and “We Are Going to be Friends” by The White Stripes.
- Have each student make a small poster that states a piece of advice for next year’s incoming students. Post these for students next year to see as they enter the room. Current students will love being the “experts” and next year's students are more likely to heed advice from peers than teachers.
- Have each student write about and/or draw a picture of their favorite activity from the school year. They can then share these with the class so all can enjoy and reminisce about the good times (and the bad!)
Activities for the Last Few Days of School
Idle time can encourage the kids to think learning has ended even before the school year is over. Keeping students active and engaged and the last few days of the school year can be stress-free for children and staff alike.
Resources:
Teacher Tips and Ideas. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
Jill Weatherwax - I am a Middle School Science Teacher at a NASA Explorer School in Michigan. My favorite Science topics are Astronomy, Ecology, and ...
