Just a few more weeks to go! Summer is just on the horizon and if you look very closely, you might even be able to see the last day of school. Use the time between then and now to make sure students have retained the important concepts and ideas they have been taught this year. The ideas below include everything from a countdown to an open house, and can be adapted for any grade level.
End of the Year Activities
Marvelous Math Countdown
Keep math concepts front and center by having a countdown to the end of the school year. Have students keep track of how many days are left, how many days they have completed so far, and talk about the factors of each day’s number.
Joke-A-Day Countdown
When everyone would rather be outside playing in the sunshine it can be difficult to get them to focus. Have students write and submit their favorite jokes to be included in a Joke-A-Day Countdown. Each morning introduce a new, student-submitted joke during your morning routine and hang it up for the day. Students will love seeing their joke suggestions being used!
Year End Jeopardy
Create a Jeopardy-style review game for your students at the end of the school year. Make Fridays Jeopardy day and break out the game at the end of the day to review the most important concepts learned throughout the year. Language arts, reading, science, social studies, and math are all great topics to include.
Make Your Own Review Games
Divide students into six groups. Assign them a topic, or let them create their own review game based on any information they learned during the school year. Have them figure out the rules, how the game will be played, and what manipulatives (if any) will be needed. They will then write down the instructions, include the necessary items to play the game, and place everything in a bin to pass along to another group to play. During small group or center time, have students play the games to review the concepts that were taught throughout the year.
Moving Up Open House Day
Moving up to the next grade can be nerve-wracking! Ease students’ minds by partnering with other teachers in your building to have a Moving Up Open House Day. Assign student “experts” for the different aspects of being in your class: Morning Routine Expert, Library Expert, Desk Expert, etc. Give each child an “Ask Me About” sticker to wear with the area of expertise he or she is talking about. Create a schedule for each grade to visit the next grade’s classroom and find out a bit about how it works, the expectations, and to give them a chance to meet you. Not only is it a great way to decrease student anxiety, it is also a great way for students to showcase their knowledge about their grade level.
What are your favorite end of the year activities? Share them with us below!
Julie says
I love to put my class into teams and doubles where they play games like scrabble, bananagrams, and words with friends to help them see how much they have improved in their spelling , vocabulary, and collaborating. It is done in a positive fun way where everygroup gets to earn tickets for working together that go into a drawing.