End-of-year assignments and activities can be tricky because you want to retain the child’s interests without giving yourself extra work. Fortunately, there are lots of simple activities and assignments to try that are fun and suitable for most students. You always want to end the term on a good foot, so find an activity your students will enjoy.
Create an End-of-Year Newsletter or Newspaper
This is a great way to encourage the children to work together, contribute, and share special memories of the past year. You can oversee things but let the children decide what content should be added. You can recap the headlines of the year, add illustrations, and have a comment section too. It’s a useful way to keep the kids entertained and make the last class assignment fun.
Try an Open-Mic Night
This might sound a bit strange for school, however, it’s the last few days of term and it should be all about fun. Open-mic nights are fun because it gives every child the opportunity to share something personal with the class.
This might sound strange for school, but it’s the last few days of term, and it should end on a high. Open-mic nights are fantastic because it gives every child the opportunity to share something personal with the class. For example, 2 best friends can share a duet. Or have a fashion show or poetry competition. Winners get a special treat, and everyone has fun. It’s a great way to get everyone involved, and you could even have a show for parents for the children.
Get the Students to Plan their Dream Vacations
Children don’t want to think about school as the last day draws to a close, so get them to plan out their dream vacation instead. Set the class a budget of $3,500 and let the students research travel and accommodation costs, along with spending money. It’s a fun exercise and a simple assignment that’s educational but still retains the attention of the children.
Read a Story or Watch a Movie
End-of-term can be an emotional time for you as much as the children. It’s a major shift in their lives, and they can have reservations about moving on. So, why not make their final day a more relaxed experience? For instance, you could read a short novella to younger students and watch an age-appropriate movie with older kids. It’s a nice way to round off the year and ends on a positive foot.
Create Paper Ice Cream Sundaes
This is a great way to celebrate the year. Students write down memories of the year on pieces of colored paper. Each student creates a ‘sundae’ with those memories. It’s a sweet way to look back at some precious memories for one final time.
Create Flipgrid Videos
If you want to say a fond farewell to your students, you could create short Flipgrid videos. These are easy to make, and everyone can get involved. You can create a farewell video for your students, and they can do the same. It doesn’t require much effort and gives everyone the chance to participate in the project.
Create a Playlist of Favorite Songs
Get every child to choose a song that reminds them of their year at school. You can create a playlist and play them during class. It’s a great way to encourage all students to engage – especially the shy ones. Plus, it’s a good way to celebrate the end of the year.
The A-to-Z List
This exercise is beneficial for younger children. Set the class the task of writing about what they’ve learned throughout the year using the alphabet. For example, A stands for arithmetic. B is for biology… and so forth. Get the kids to write something that represents each letter of the alphabet. It’s a great way to engage the child’s brain and is helpful to review what everyone has learned over the last year.
A Social Media Comments Page
If you want to include all students, set up a Facebook or Twitter page dedicated to the class. Ask the students to write a positive comment about each other on the school page. This means everyone is given a nice send-off and since most people use social media, it’s convenient. Just make sure the comments are positive and no sly ones. You could even write something positive about each student.
Thank You Notes
Children often say goodbye to their teachers by giving them farewell cards or presents, and you could do the same. For example, give every child in the class a handwritten thanks and farewell note. It’s a great way to show your appreciation to the class, and they can send thank you notes to their classmates too. It’s a small gesture but does have a lot of sentiment attached.
Create Memory Bags
Students personalize a paper bag and put 5 items that reflect their year. There are no upper limits as to what can be put in the bag and no judgments made either. This is a personal reflection on the student’s time at school. It’s interesting to see how each child is different and how they reflect on the past year too.
Post Snapshots of the Past Year’s Events
School events happen throughout the year and most people take photos of those events. You could commemorate those events by posting snapshots in the classrooms. It’s the chance for everyone to get together and have a few laughs. It’s a great way to reflect on the year too. For younger children, you could get them to draw the events instead to make it more interactive for them.
Small-Group Presentations
Split the class into several small groups and set each a topic to discuss. Then, after they’ve had time to discuss the topic, have them give a class presentation. It’s an educational activity as the day draws to a close. You could also free up some of your teaching time.
Field Trips to the Year Ahead
As silly as it might sound, a lot of schools don’t prep kids when they move from second grade to third or fifth to sixth grade. Typically, it’s down to the fact that most kids adapt to their new surroundings; however, that doesn’t mean to say it still isn’t a scary time. It’s a big change in a child’s life – regardless of their age – and it’s crucial to ease their fears.
So, even though you won’t be teaching the class next year, you can still show them where they’ll learn. It allows the students to explore their new surroundings because they have been used to (and comfortable) with their current classroom. Even if you do a virtual tour, it’s a great thing to do for the children.
DIY Projects
Little DIY projects are perfect because it gives everyone the chance to unwind and make a little souvenir. You can create little picture frames or even wooden boxes with a few letters carved in them. It’s a fun way to end the year.
Discuss Summer Plans
On the final day of term, get the class to write about what they plan to do during the summer break. It passes the time because, on the last day of term, kids are excited about summer and don’t always concentrate on boring lessons. So, this is a nice activity to try.
Put on a Play
This is perfect for students of all ages. Give each child a role, whether it’s playing the lead or working on the scenery. It’s the best way for the class to come together one last time and have fun as a group. You can put on a show for parents and fellow students.
End-of-Year Party
For older teens, an end-of-year party can be great. Organize a few snacks and ginger ales and let the children have fun. It allows them to mingle and say their goodbyes. If this is their last year at school, it’s a special year because most will go off to college or start in the workforce. So, giving an extra special send-off can be great.
Have a ‘Design a Seal’ Competition
Split your class into six or seven groups and get them to come up with a design for a school coat of arms. It’s a great way to get everyone to work together and mash some ideas. This also helps to encourage communication among the students.
School Portraits
No one likes picture day, so why not organize the class to create some self-portraits? It’s a good chance for everyone to have fun. Or you could get students to draw each other.
Write a 1-Page Memoir of the Year
Students experience all sorts throughout the year and it’s their chance to share their stories. Let the students write a memoir about their year but keep them anonymous so that everyone feels free to express themselves fully.
Create a Memory Wall
Set up a pinboard at the front of the class (or outside) and let them post memories of the last year. It can be special projects, field trips, or snapshots from prom; let the children post their happy moments on the board. You can even share a class photo on the board.
Group Discussions
While this doesn’t technically reflect on the past year, group discussions are perfect – and easy – end-of-term activities to consider. For instance, you ask the class to come up with arguments for and against the constitution (or something less controversial). It’s great to see all points of view from the students and gets everyone involved.
Record a Goodbye Message
Get every student in the class to record or say a few words, then create a goodbye video. You can give a copy to every student, and they have memories of their classmates. It’s a nice idea to try, especially when you have a close-knit group.
Create a Commencement Speech
This is for students graduating. Get them to come up with a commencement or graduation speech. It’s their chance to write down what they want to say. You can get the student to read them to the class or keep them private.
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