It’s the end of the school year! Give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve survived a year’s worth of parent conferences, report cards, grading, IEP writing, PLC meetings, faculty meetings, lesson plans, student drama, and observations. You’ve been a teacher, nurse, counselor, friend, disciplinarian, entertainer, and leader. Through it all, you’ve been a champion! But the question still remains….how will you make it through the end of the year? That’s where these end of the year activities and ideas come into play!
Chances are, you still have to pack up your room and finish some end of the year paperwork, all while still trying to teach and maintain control of your students. You can do it!
I’ve rounded up some fun end of the year activities and ideas to help you finish the year in a fun way.
Choose one and give it a try!
7 End of the Year Activities:
1. End of the Year Flipbook. Students love flipbooks! This project is no exception. Students look back at their year and write some of their favorite things and record memories that are important to them. It’s the perfect activity for students to complete independently while you finish up some of your own end of year items on your checklist. The book will make a great keepsake for students to look back on their year. You can find the End of the Year Flipbook HERE.
2. Kick off a Summer Reading Challenge. Print one of these FREE Summer Reading Challenge sheets for each student and motivate them to read over the summer. Students who return a completed sheet at the start of the next school year earn a free book or some other reading-related prize. Parents LOVE having these challenges on hand to keep their kids reading throughout the summer months.
The FREE download is included in my complete free resource library. Sign up HERE to download yours.
3. Character Rocks. I love this idea, because it is such a nice way to let each student know that you see something wonderful in his or her character. Tana at We Heart 1st gives a step-by-step photo tutorial on how to create these beautiful rocks. While she gives them as gifts to her students, I can see older students loving creating their own!
4. Balloon Countdown. Ashley at Teach, Create, Motivate has a great FREE printable to help you create an eye-catching balloon countdown display! I’ve done paper chain countdowns before, but I love this idea even more! Balloons are just so cheery! 🙂 Find her free download HERE.
5. 10 Day Countdown. Halle from Across the Hall in 2nd has an oh-so-fun 10 Day Countdown that is great for using with a balloon countdown, but could also work well in another way. This free printable can be downloaded from her blog right HERE!
6. End of the Year Bingo. Who doesn’t love a good game of bingo? This version is extra fun, because students have to collaborate and talk to classmates to fill out their bingo card. As they begin to walk around the room and ask questions, you will be amazed at how they begin to reminisce about little things that happened at school for the past year. Trust me, they’ll love it! Also, the bingo board is a FREE printable found at the From Playdough to Plato blog.
7. Summer Packets. That summer slide is an awful thing. Invariably, I’d have parents email or call me, asking for some work their child could do over the summer months so that they didn’t lose the things they had learned (or possibly so they didn’t drive their parents crazy when they became bored).
That’s why I created a Summer Packet for each grade in grades 3, 4, and 5. (Read more about how to use these packets in this How to Stop the Summer Slide blog post.) Simply print off the booklet, place it into a folder or bind it into a booklet, and send it home with the child. It includes a summer journal and summer reading challenge. I suggest offering a small prize to each student who brings back the journal or reading challenge completed at the beginning of the next school year! You can find the Third Grade Summer Packet, Fourth Grade Summer Packet, and Fifth Grade Summer Packet right HERE!
I hope you loved these end of the year activities and ideas! How do you end your school year? I’d love to hear your ideas, tips, and suggestions! I hope it is a wonderful ending to a wonderful school year!
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