Friday, May 17, 2013

End of the School Year Fun


We are down to the last few weeks of school.  My goal has been to make sure that we are still learning but in a fun way.  Students are reviewing comprehension by using inference, text structure, text organization, and vocabulary playing cards.  I developed these a month ago (they even come with a printable box).  It's a sneaky way to teach the kiddos and they love it!  

What products or ideas have you used in your classroom lately?  Describe it and leave a link to your blog in the comment section so that we can visit you.

Read the comment section of this post too!  There, many teachers have also shared resources and strategies that they are using in their classrooms.


35 comments:

  1. My students have had a ball reviewing our math standards with these summer themed word problems.
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Summer-Solutions-End-of-the-Year-Word-Problem-Review-693133
    We are going to be trying this mad lib style freebie for a fun language arts review.
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREEBIE-My-Silly-Summer-To-Do-List-677468

    Jenn @ 2nd grade Snickerdoodles

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  2. Keep those older kids going with these End of Year Math Activities for Middle School!

    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/End-of-Year-Math-Activities-for-Middle-School-131741

    Lindsay Perro

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  3. My scavenger hunts give the kids the chance to be up and moving during this antsy time of the year. Try this one for free:
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/4th-of-July-Scavenger-Hunt-637931
    Ann

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  4. Give your kindergartners the chance to see how much they have learned with our KinderLit book, I Bloomed in Kindergarten! See it here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-Bloomed-in-Kindergarten-130282
    Linda and Lisa

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  5. I love using my End of the Year Awards!
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/End-of-the-Year-Awards-Individual-665982

    And my End of Year Summer Activities:
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/End-of-Year-Summer-Activities-680976

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  6. Here is an active fun way to end the year!
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/End-Of-School-GOODBYE-Students-Song-and-Letter-Posters-652020
    Enjoy!
    Chris

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  7. I have used these Word Problem Task Cards (optional QR codes for self-checking) for review.

    If you can get a good stretch of time outside, try out my FREE Nature Bingo cards!

    Meredith
    My blog: momgineer

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  8. We always would put together a class memories book where students could reflect on their favorite memories from the year like field trips, friends, subjects, etc.
    1st Grade Memories
    2nd Grade Memories
    3rd Grade Memories
    4th Grade Memories
    5th Grade Memories
    We also put together a book of What to Expect in 4th Grade for the upcoming class (sorry no template for this one yet).
    Kelsea

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  9. One of my favorite activities is this end of the year dodecahedron memory ornament!

    End of the Year Math Fun

    Donna
    Math Coach’s Corner

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  10. I used
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fill-Up-My-Bucket-Four-Math-Centers-and-Games-Addition-Cardinality-Numerals-700855

    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Castles-in-the-Sand-4-Differentiated-SummerBeach-Math-Centers-Common-Core-697772

    Fun stuff! Getting ready for summer!!

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  11. We have used my math product to review place value...
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/5th-Grade-Walk-About-Place-Value-Test-Prep-640439

    Next week we will be working on our memory book...
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Our-End-Of-Year-Memory-Book-682120

    Have fun with both activities!
    Susan Mescall

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  13. Open-ended Math projects are a fun way to review and challenge students at the same time. We enjoyed this fairytale project :)

    FairyTale Feast

    Lynn

    Fun in the Fours

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  14. I use this big pack of games and centers to review the Common Core math from this past year!
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Stations-Common-Core-Review-Mega-Bundle-574524
    Then, in June, I'll have the kids work on their memory books, which include content activity pages to test their memories!
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Memory-Book-for-Sixth-Grade-678067

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  15. Wow! All of these products look terrific! My middle school students will be having fun while going on a quest to learn about something everyone on the planet possesses: a name! Check out "What's in a Name?" at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Whats-in-a-Name-Reading-Writing-and-Research-Quest-472705
    Darlene Anne
    meatballsinthemiddle

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  16. My fourth grade class read Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling ("How the Camel Got His Hump," "The Beginning of Armadillos," and "The Elephant's Child.") Then we analyzed his writing style by brainstorming 27 ways to say "said," looking at repetition in writing, and determining how characters' voices make writing come to life. Finally, each student wrote his/her own Just So story. Just So Stories Reading Bundle Grade 4 (http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Just-So-Stories-Reading-Bundle-Grade-4-631226) provides two adaptations of each story (4-5 and 6-8) and Common Core reading activities. Just So Stories - Writing (http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Just-So-Stories-Writing-688449) provides Kipling's original stories, activities for analysis of his writing, and complete plans for guiding your students in writing Just So stories. My students had a blast, and their stories were fantastic!

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    Replies
    1. This sounds like a great activity! I love Just So Stories, but haven't used it in the classroom yet. Thanks for sharing this idea, as well as your reading bundle.

      Janette

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  17. We've been doing a lot of review games to finish up the year. This is a set of "I have, Who has" games for language arts skills including synonyms, antonyms, irregular plurals, irregular past tense verbs, and contractions:

    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-Have-Who-Has-5-Fun-Language-ArtsGrammar-Games-353040.

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  18. Just a little introduction to some common zoo animals for younger children. As they learn about the animals, they can also practice reading, writing, handwriting and illustrating.
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Zoo-Animals-Read-Write-Color-and-Draw-694102

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  19. We’re ending the year with a tropical theme, and going on an island adventure, learning about "The Caribbean: Our Island Neighbors." This complete unit has a 10-page informational text that tells about the land, water, climate, products, natural resources, landmarks, government, money, and culture of the Caribbean. Also included is an Anticipation Guide to guide their reading, a 30 question quiz, and a fun scrapbook activity.

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  20. My kids just did an autobiography. I loved reading them. Some of their descriptions are so funny. Some parents would be embarrassed, I'm sure! Here's a freebie. It's on number order and has a monkey theme:

    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Monkey-in-the-Middle-Number-Sequencing-Activity-Printable-Pre-K-1st-496413

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  21. My reading workshop small group work has been a lifesaver lately to help meet my struggling kids needs and enrich my higher kids. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reading-Workshop-Small-Group-Work-for-the-Entire-Year-663703

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  22. Two years ago for a year-end activity, I had my fourth graders employ their writing skills that they learned through the year to a writing/photo journal in which each of them wrote a composition about what they will remember most about fourth grade. I took classroom snapshots of each of them with my camera, uploaded to my classroom computer, then printed b/w copies. They pasted the pictures in the corner of their composition papers, then I collected them and made enough copies for each student to have one. They then compiled all of their classmates work, along with their own, into a class memory book. They loved it and I have treasured my copy, as well.
    I have created a template for this activity, along with writing prompt cards. I have also created templates for two other year end writing activities that I have done with students in the past, and zipped them into one collective activity packet. It is for sale at my TpT store at the following link:
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Year-End-Activity-Pack-3-Purposeful-Writing-Activities-686352

    These activities, I have found, help to keep classroom structure as things begin to wind down at the end of the year.

    Enjoy your summer!
    Janette Wilcken

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  23. Here's a great activity any time of year. The 95 Dolch nouns made into puzzles with pictures that represent the noun. Each word is it's own puzzle, so you get 95 puzzles in the pack. It's a very fun way for the kiddos to learn. Buy it once and use it year after year.

    Dolch Noun Puzzles.

    Have fun!
    Jean JWDesigns

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  24. At the end of the year my students write letters to the children a grade level below them. I get feedback about the year. The younger children get their questions answered. And, my students get to brush off their friendly letter, writing skills.

    Check out the link below for a quick and easy lesson that will help your students get started:
    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writing-a-Friendly-Letter-Practice-and-Assessment-354486

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  25. Great resources here and thanks for this community.

    Added to the fun - here's a rope game to play both sides. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rope-Game-Lesson-Opener-Play-Both-Sides-695765

    And here's the inspiration to KNOW IR - DO IT and SHARE IT! http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Know-it-Do-it-Share-it-696169

    Love the learning adventures that keep spring and summer alive!

    Ellen

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  26. I really try to get across to my students how valuable their input and expertise is to me and future students so I ask them to complete surveys about classes, me as a teacher, and themselves. I also give them opportunities to share their wisdom with future students through thoughtful projects such as letters to the next class, a "survival guide", top 10 tips posters, and more.

    I created a "Farewell, Fifth Grade" bundle of these activities, which is listed at my TpT store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Farewell-Fifth-Grade-End-of-the-Year-Reflections-and-Activities-662458

    I also created similar bundles for fourth grade and sixth grade as well.

    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Farewell-Fourth-Grade-End-of-the-Year-Reflections-and-Activities-662434

    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/See-Ya-Later-Sixth-Grade-End-of-the-Year-Reflections-and-Activities-662470

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  27. Forgot my blog! www.aspiretoinspireblog.com

    -Kristen :)

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  28. Howdy! Great post!
    I have a bundle of fun activities that I use with my kiddos to help them get ready for summer. One of the items is even designed to keep them reading THROUGH the summer.It is so important to keep the kiddos involved up to the last minute and this bundle does just that! :)
    The Ultimate End-of-Year Bundle includes the following items:

    End-of-the-Year 3-D Yearbook Dodecahedron Project Kit

    Class Votes Awards Kit

    30 Ideas to Keep Kids Reading During Summer Vacation

    Order Up! Summer Word Scramble

    -Mr. Hughes
    An Educator's Life

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  29. Here's an easy, printable scrapbook that you can use with your kids at the end of the year. It's a great project to keep them busy and focused while reviewing and reflecting on the school year. Plus, it'll be a great keepsake for them!

    Printable Scrapbook

    Enjoy!
    Chris Cadalzo
    Making Meaning

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  31. I could never end a school year without a memory book and classroom awards. Your Kinders can enjoy end of the year with this fun Ninja Math Game and a little something for the teacher, too!

    Have a great summer!
    JoAn
    Tiny Toes

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  32. Wow - what great resources! My kiddos enjoy using my Back to the Beach activities to review lots of common core skills from the year. We're also going to make some Number Scoops for a quick and easy place value review. Happy Summer! Lisa, Second Grade Stories

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  33. This is wonderful! It's great to see so many great resources in one place!

    I have a brand new FREEbie for summer to keep them writing. You can grab it here

    Once Upon a Beach

    I also want to share my Ultimate Writing binder as we are now finishing up some of the writer's notebook activities from it right now. For those teachers planning on starting or adding to their writer's work shop this year, here it is:

    Ultimate Writer's Workshop Binder

    Enjoy Your Summer Everyone!

    Shelley

    The Perks of Teaching Primary

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  34. I'm getting ready to begin using my End-Of-Year Memory Book with my students! It is ready-to-go for students in Kindergarten to fifth grade! :)

    ~Erin
    Mrs. Beattie's Classroom

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