Testing is over… now what? Get inspired with these 14 end of year ideas
for your classroom! Student and teacher
tested and approved! J
Review Project
Put your students in the driver’s seat for
their learning. Before final exams
assign students to groups to review topics from throughout the year. Presentations can include a lecture and an
activity to help their classmates practice the skill. So fun!
Extension Project
For your higher-level classes, give them the
opportunity to research a topic you did not discuss in class. Allow students to set up projects around the
room so their peers can review the research and make notes of interesting facts
or connections.
Preview Topics for Next Year
I think I enjoy this more than my students
but it’s a goodie! There are definitely
times when structure is better at the end of the year. Have students take notes on a topic related
to what you’ve been learning but didn’t have time to completely cover or will
be covered in the following year. As an
Algebra I teacher, I love previewing connections to Geometry or Algebra II.
Chalk Practice
Do you catch your students staring out the
window when it’s 80 degrees and sunny? In New England we only get a few of these days before school gets out so I love to
bring the practice outside! Give
students a list of problems to complete on the pavement with chalk. So much more fun and much less complaining!
Outdoor Class
Or hold the entire class outside! Give students a packet or activity and a
clipboard, and let them work independently or in pairs outside in the
grass. This is my favorite thing to do
after state testing because it gets students fresh air and allows them to work
at a casual pace after they’ve already worked hard all day.
Charades
Played just like the regular version, allow
students to group up. Have a list of
academic topics and/or funny memories from class prepared. Students then select a paper and act it out!
Surveys
Surveys are great way to gather student
feedback, especially if you tried something new. One of my favorite things to ask is the rank of their favorite projects. I don’t always
realize along the way which projects students loved and which were more of a
pain.
Organize Classroom
One of the last few days I put my students to
work! They love to help clean and organize
shelves and closets. Best of all, it
saves me from having to stay late on the last days of school!
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| Clip Art by Sarah Pecorino Illustration |
Test Markers and Other Supplies
Students will enjoy doing other monotonous
jobs as well! Have students check
markers and pens to see if they’re still working. Throw away or upcycle whatever is dried up.
Watch a Movie
Setting up a content-related movie is a great plan when collecting textbooks or passing back lots of work at the end of year. For 8th grade math, Donald Duck in Mathmagic Land is always a favorite!
Setting up a content-related movie is a great plan when collecting textbooks or passing back lots of work at the end of year. For 8th grade math, Donald Duck in Mathmagic Land is always a favorite!
Advice for Next Year’s Students
Have students write down their best advice
for incoming students. What inside
knowledge do they wish they had starting the school year? Shana of Scaffolded Math and Science has a
great resource for this. You may even be
getting your bulletin board done for the fall!
Game Day
When all the learning is done but you still
want a semi-structured activity, host a Game Day. Students bring in their logic-themed games
and sign up to play the games of their choice.
Promotes cooperative learning and critical thinking so you can even
write some objectives on the board for your administration. J
Letters to Teachers
I inherited this activity from a retired
teacher and it is awesome! Give students
20 minutes or so to write a letter of appreciation to an adult in the building
who had an impact on them throughout their years at the school. (I teach 8th grade math so my
students have been at the school since 6th grade and are heading off
to high school.) Then sort through the
letters by teacher and scan for appropriateness. Deliver this pleasant surprise to teacher
mailboxes.
Locker Clean-Out Trick
Have you seen how much stuff gets thrown out
on locker clean-out day? I leave out two
boxes and stand near the trash. Any
pencils or other writing utensils being thrown out go in one and any binders,
paper, notebooks, supplies go in the other.
Awesome way to start a collection of extra supplies for next
year!
Subscribe to receive a free middle school math resource! Then stop by the links below for more great ideas and resources!
Subscribe to receive a free middle school math resource! Then stop by the links below for more great ideas and resources!
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