10 End of the Year Ideas

 It’s the end of the year as we know it.  Not only is motivation at an all time low for students, teachers feel like we don’t have much left to cover! 

We have covered all the required information for the year, now what!?!
Here’s 10 tips to help close out the year #likeaboss.

10.  Remember those fun props and manipulatives that went away after their designated week/month?  Bring them back out and incorporate them into what you are capable of doing now!

9.  Try a themed unit that you wanted to try earlier in the year, but were too under pressure by other pressing objectives to try!  Give your whole day a focus and bring the what are we going to do today happiness back into your schedule! I am about to launch into a big camping theme in my room!  We will be using my Camp Number Sense unit and Cara’s Camping Capers!

Another complete theme with LOTS of free ideas!
6 free farm crafts here
Free Farm math games here
Farm math and literacy unit

8.  Take time to play fun classroom games!  For six free and easy games to play with your students,click the picture! Can you guess what these girls had in common? 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Tarmniu3hpQi1DLVg3cEJHMms/view?usp=sharing
look at their shirts….  Both have hashtags!  It was #hashtags

 7.  Let’s take this outside!  Outside
Learning Hunt 

 Grab your whiteboards and pencils and head outside!  Plant 10 learning activities around the school grounds and then take some time to hunt for learning! I placed 10 activities in plastic sleeves.   Upon discovery, either hand each student a little half sheet to complete or have students write in their own notebooks at each station!  I will post my 10 questions for my class once I get them uploaded! 😉 I am also thinking this would be a terrific monthly activity for next year! 

6.  Plant and plant again! Have you planted seeds yet this year?  Try some experimenting this time around!  Plant one in cotton balls, dip a potato half way into a clear jar with water.  watch what happens.   Try comparing two different types of seeds and record differences and similarities!  It’s great for inspiring writing and for critical thinking! 

5.  Dive into book studies!  Find an author that you can explore!  Create portfolios (folded construction paper) with reading responses and illustration inspired crafts!

 My Favorite authors/series to study
Leo Lionni
Eric Carle
Tomie DePaola

4.  Bring out the colored paper!  Get your students excited to work with bright and fun materials!  (we love Astrobrights paper) Spruce up your writing supplies with a couple new sets of colored pencils or skinny markers even!  Give them a little freedom and extra privileges!

3.  Use their little faces!  I make multiple print outs and sizes of their cute little faces.  We use them in our writing and crafts.  It adds ownership and perspective! 

 Student Faces Ideas:
What animal are you similar to and why? (pictured)
What will you become when you grow up?
I will be famous for…
Famous Quote 
 Have students pick a famous quote and write it in a speech bubble from their faces
All About Me web drawing or writing
 Place yourself somewhere in the world 
Tell about your
environment and how you would stay alive and happy there

2.  Student led learning (with technology!)
Have students respond to reading by creating an oral book review!

 iPad Book Reviews Unit
or have students create a movie about their topic of choice!
Complete resource for teaching students to create a movie HERE
1.  Just add props!  Make learning unforgettable by adding props!  As you walk by the discount bins think about how you could make learning more fun! See what we did in with our snakes HERE.
 Rubber snakes at Walmart for $1  

 Not cool with snakes?  How about precious little puppies?  See what we did HERE.

 Take your Puppy to School Unit!

I hope this has helped spur on some ideas!  Have a great idea too!?!  I would love for you to share in the comments! 

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10 Comments

  1. Thank you for the Farm Friends and other goodies! As a special educator, I'll probably be testing every day for the next month 🙁 In between, I do like to incorporate a lot of active fun…sort of my "throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks" time. Not with content, but with presentation since the main content has already been covered and tested. It's a great time to try out new games and see what my students think of them! It helps me, too, for planning next year.
    Thanks again and enjoy the last couple weeks! Jen

  2. Great ideas! This is an amazing post. We have themed days where the kids can dress up like cowboy day and beach day. We also are going to have a board game day where the kids can bring their favorite board game to play at school.

  3. I love the game ideas! I just printed out the page. Thanks so much! i'm excited to incorporate them this week as some fun brain breaks.

    Sarah
    teachingiscolorful.blogspot.com

  4. Thanks for the cute ideas!!! As always!

    My turn to laugh out loud. I clicked on your post title and I automatically start to hum "it's the end of the year as we know it.."
    I scroll down and low and behold that was the first thing you wrote. Ha!

    #16daysleft #finishstrong #whyarehashtagssofun