Some people might think that, an “End-of-the-Year event” may seem unimportant, however it is VERY IMPORTANT cause,…it’s the end of the school year! The positive memories have an effect on the children’s attitude and last forever!…
This is a time to look back and reflect –as well as a time to think ahead. Additionally, we should be sure to recognize our graduating students ,in some way!
The ideas below,come from many different sources ! One I can recall is http://www.kidactivities.net/
I have tried too many such activities in my teaching career, so far! The ones I am sharing here, are the ones I used last school year, with huge success! And as I often say, ” It has worked in my class; it might work in your class, too”!
END OF THE YEAR FUN IDEA for the little ones...
Two nice ideas for younger children…
- Hand each student a sheet of paper
- Then have the children draw pictures and write words of the things they would like to say “goodbye to” in your classroom.
- It’s good “therapy” because we know how hard it can be to say goodbye to our familiar room and friends. When complete… bind it into a program book titled ‘GOODBYE ROOM’.
Grade —– (Or__________ ) HAS BEEN A BALL!
This is a fun and different way to have an autograph party as a remembrance of the time spent in class.
Beach balls are fairly inexpensive–order some from a novelty company-have children blow them up and then get autographs from each other on the balls!
For older students….
BALLOON TOSS: GOALS FOR THE FUTURE
At your end-of-year lesson, give each child a slip of paper and invite him or her to write one goal for the future.
Have students slip the notes inside balloons and then inflate them. Later, have kids toss balloons (like graduation caps), keeping one to pop and share its (anonymously) written message aloud –with the rest of the group.
(Actually, work the last part out in a way that the majority of the group likes—read one message, several messages, or all or no messages)
THANKS FOR THE COMPLIMENT (A nice way to end the school year!)
Need: Paper, markers, tape
- Everyone gets a piece of paper taped to their back. (Make sure their name is at the top of the paper.)
- Each person is given a marker.
- Each person in the group must walk around the room and write a compliment or positive remark about that person on their back….. NO PEEKING!
- When everyone has written something positive on each others back, they return to their seat and read what was written.
- With a smaller group, everyone exchanges papers without looking at their own. Each participant can take a turn at reading aloud from person’s list they have. . (Adjust for a larger group)
This is a great self-esteem booster! If some children still don’t know each other very well…they can write such things as: You have a great smile; You’re hair always looks nice; Great blue eyes; etc.
AUTOGRAPH BOOK
At the end of the year have each child make an autograph book. They pass around their books and get everyone’s signatures and friendly notes for a summer keepsake.
Variation:You can ask them to decorate their own summer postcards and ask all their classmates to write a personal comment and sign on them.
One very favourite activity, I always do:
TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS DURING THE YEAR and put together a slide show.
- I show this as PART OF A YEAR-END SCHOOL EVENT—but it would also be a wonderful “WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION to the new children we will have the next school year.
- You could use it to show children and families some of the things you do-how they’re done–and what to expect! If you haven’t started, get your slides, videos, and activity scrapbooks going now!
Here’s the link to our last year’s slide show I have already posted about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr9-iFULcMo[/embed]
WRITE YOURSELF A LETTER
At the end of the school year, have students write themselves a letter. Tell them that no one but they will read this letter so they can say anything they want in it. However, part of that letter might include who their friends are, their current height and weight, favorite movies and music, and special things both good and bad that occurred during the year, summer plans…
Variation: Every year, i have them write me letters, as well!
On another sheet of paper or the back of that sheet ask students to write ten goals they would like to accomplish by this time next year (or sooner). Students seal this letter in an envelope, self-address it, and give it to you. In a year (or sooner) mail (or return in person) the letters to the students.
I loved this idea the very moment my NLP mentor Bonnie Tsai, asked us to do something similar in the end of our summer course at Pilgrim’s, Canterbury, Kent, three years ago!
A LETTER TO PARENTS AT THE END OF THE YEAR…
I always send letters to the parents in the end of each school year, both in Greek and in English.
This is the letter in English I sent them last school year.
“Dear Parents,
I give you back your child ~ the same child you confidently entrusted to my care last fall. I give him/her back pounds heavier, inches taller, months wiser, more responsible, and more mature then he was then.
Although he would have attained his growth in spite of me, it has been my pleasure and privilege to watch his personality unfold day by day and marvel at this splendid miracle of development.
Ten years from now if we met on the street, we’ll feel the bond of understanding once more, this bond we feel today.
We have lived, laughed, played, studied, learned, and enriched our lives together this year. I wish it could go on indefinitely, but give him/back I must. Take care of him, (or her) for he (she) is precious. I’ll always be interested in your child and his destiny, wherever he goes, whatever he does, whoever he becomes.”
MURAL OF MEMORIES
On a nice day–take this activity outside!
Use paints, markers or colored chalk and invite children to create a mural illustrating the many wonderful things your group did, saw, and learned this year. It will be a great “advertisement” for next year’s program or class. (Don’t forget to hang it up when the new school year starts!) I personally, decided to do something alternative with it last school year: I used it to wrap up our class post box!!
As an extension, you can have your group write about the favorite memories they drew.
END OF THE YEAR BULLETIN BOARD AUTOGRAPHS
BONUS! The board is up and ready to go during the first week of school!
- Remove what is currently on your Board such as art projects, etc. LEAVE UP Bulletin Board Backgrounds and Borders.
- During the week BEFORE the last week of school, ask a talented student artist (or do this yourself!) to block letter the words: “HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!” on your bulletin board background paper.
- Have several children color in the letters…
- As the days get closer to the end, have youth autograph and write messages on the bulletin board paper.
- With younger students, ask them to write words and draw pictures of what they have enjoyed the most during the school year!
- Leave their NAMES AND MESSAGES up for everyone to appreciate.
- When you return for the new school year you’ll be starting off with one area already decorated with POSSITIVE MESSAGES!
- No bulletin board area? Get a long piece of butcher roll-paper and do the same…(Actually, this is what I did..)
- The kids will like reading what they and others left a couple months back!
This activity is similar to this one…
I REMEMBER WHEN…
Put up the caption in big letters on your bulletin board or butcher paper taped to the wall— and then have children “decorate” it by writing things that they enjoyed doing in your program the past year!
A SUMMER LAPBOOK
I just love lapbooks! You can read about my first lapbooks in this previous post:
https://aphrogranger.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/our-first-lapbook/
Lapbooks are made of file folders that are folded into a shutter flap so it opens up. Inside you have mini booklets that have a question or theme and the answers are inside. There are a variety of ways a booklet can be folded to demonstrate a topic.
They are really fun and my visual learners love lapbooks since we were introduced to them last year.
There are loads of topics that you can cover in your summer lapbook. I find that because I want to cover a broad topic, it’s nice to take bits and pieces from different lapbooks or it may be easier to create your own.
If you have never completed a lapbook, I suggest doing a free one yourself , to see how you like it.
Make a list of what you would like to cover and teach. Ask your children what they would like to learn. This will get them more involved and excited about their project as well.
Last but not least: THE-END-OF-THE-SCHOOL-YEAR (graduating students) SHOW
I love staging mini-musicals at the end of each school year!
School Musicals
Enthusiastic audience!!
School musicals and music TV show parodies, offer a good chance to children to bring out their talent, build self confidence, and overcome all of their inhibitions. It has many benefits for children like development of right self-esteem, instilling interest for music and drama and more. School musicals, drama, and plays teach children to work in a team, develop organizational abilities, communication and more.
Taking part in a school musical or Tv parody production, has many benefits for children – increased self-esteem, the development of their dramatic and musical talents, and the opportunity to learn about working together as part of a team.
I find ideas in our library English Readers or in different books or sites such as
http://www.childrenstheatreplays.com/schoolplays.htm
Here are some examples of what we have staged during the last few years!
Starting with this year’s TV talent show parody “The Voice”!
Our coaches and show presenters
My students seem to remember these end-of-the-year shows, for..ever!
Dancing, singing, improvisation ….all their talents in action!!
“The Wizard of Oz”:School musicals offer a good chance to children to bring out their talent, build self confidence, and overcome all of their inhibitions
” Alice in Wonderland”:School musicals, drama, and plays teach children to work in a team, develop organizational abilities, communication and more.
” The Wizard of Oz”: A School musical, has many benefits for children like development of right self-esteem, instilling interest for music and drama and more.
Our sixth graders musical every year, is a huge success! Both the kids and their parents are looking so much forward to it!
“Your face sounds familiar- A concert”: Music, is an essential part in musical performances! It helps my students reveal their inner talents!
” Your face sounds familiar-A concert”: The FUN element of ELT music shows, is is obvious in this photo!!
” A Eurovision song contest parody”: Here’s an Improvisation end-of-the-school year concert which we all just LOVED! In the photo, Agathonas Iakovides and Coza Mostra in…Eurovision 2013!!
ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!
LET’S RECHARGE OUR BATTERIES AND GET READY FOR ANOTHER AMAZING SCHOOL YEAR!!
ELT inspired 