End of Year Classroom Activities
By National Hall of Fame Teacher Alan Haskvitz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_HaskvitzKeep ‘em learning with end-of-the-year activities go to
http://www.reacheverychildand use the search engine for those areas you need more ideas.
Veteran teachers know well the difficulties of school’s final weeks. Students’ minds are on vacation, grades have been earned and recorded, the summer heat distracts, books must be collected, and supplies ordered. Adding to those problems is the fact many schools want you packed and ready to vacate your room for cleaning or moving. Plus, attending retirement parties and looking for summer employment create a high level of stress.
To ease this, Alan Haskvitz recommends the sites below for end-of-the- year activities. In addition, visit his selected
employment sites for job opportunities oversees or around the United States.
Remembering closure is a learning experience, so consider having students organize their notes and review what they’ve learned in the form of a play or scrapbook. In addition, have them predict their future and place their prediction in a self-addressed envelope. Mail it to them a few years later. Some students may have moved, but many find the letters a great way to rekindle memories and motivate themselves.
Although some of the following ideas may be young for high school, they can be modified by adjusting the materials. For example, a high school English student could write a poem about their future in the style of an individual studied. A history student could write a fictional account of a future leader based on character traits of those studied. Even physical education classes could find the students developing futuristic dances for a planet with limited gravity. In other words, if students are motivated, the end of the year can be a large, organized and relaxed time.
Other ideas include:
Create a summer safety poster.
Make autograph books.
Write an ode to the classroom.
Write a letter to next year’s class.
Make a memory or scrapbook to use next year.
Create a words-of-wisdom poster for next year’s students.
Write a letter to next year’s teacher.
Have students use a large sheet of butcher paper or bulletin board paper to create a timeline listing what they learned this year.
Create a play that tells the story of the year.
Finally, make sure you use all that student energy to help you clean and prepare the classroom for next year.
Activities to keep students interestedEnd-of-year resourcesInformation for teachers
