End the Year Perfectly.

5 Activities to Include in Your End-of-the-Year Events

It’s that time of year again. The state tests are in full swing, faculty meetings are full of end-of-year procedures, and you have probably begun to hoard your Amazon boxes to pack up your classrooms in a few more weeks (because the two boxes allotted from admin are NEVER enough).

As the school year draws to a close, it is usually a time for mixed emotions for you and your students. You have worked hard for countless hours and begin to reflect on the growth and achievements your students have made this past year. Think over the countless data points you have collected on each child, the multiple assessments you have scored, and the learning goals you have helped your students craft. You know exactly where each of your students is academically.  You know what areas they struggle with, where they succeed, and what their next learning steps should be.  

You have been there all year to help guide their learning and thinking. You have cheered them on and, occasionally, chewed them out. You have helped them learn and grow, but before you file away those student charts into the school’s boxes for next year’s teachers, there are a few more steps you can take to ensure that those precious (and sometimes not so precious) students, that you have poured yourself into for the year can have a more successful beginning this next school year.

Amidst the growing excitement for a well-deserved summer break, it is crucial to encourage your elementary students to engage in a meaningful process of reflection AND goal-setting for the following year. You can set your students up for continued success in the next academic year and beyond.

Five activities to include in your end-of-year plans:

1. End-of-the-Year Celebration Ceremony. Organize a celebration ceremony to acknowledge students’ achievements and contributions throughout the year.

Combine this with the award presentations held at the year’s end. Celebrate the growth of each student.  

Allow the students time to acknowledge where they started at the beginning of the year and how far they have come. The growth could be in math fact fluency, reading fluency, reading levels, writing fluency, and social development and conduct. Share heartfelt recognition for each student’s progress and effort. Celebrating their successes boosts their confidence and motivation to continue to try to improve.

2. Parent and Family Support. Involve parents and families in the transition and end-of-the-year goal-making processes.

You can host a meeting, send a newsletter, or even make it a part of the end-of-year awards ceremonies. All parents want their children to succeed. Encourage your families and help them see the importance of continuing their child’s growth over the summer and into next year.

You can provide a list of ideas and resources to keep the students’ minds engaged and active over the summer break. These ideas could include a list of book titles to read, a paper to track the number of books read, educational websites, and fun activities that reinforce concepts you covered that year. Help them make goals to continue learning over the summer in enjoyable ways and make it a family affair.  

Stress the fun part of learning. Summer is a time of relaxation, outdoor exercises, and fun. Learning should be part of that, not a punishment.

3. Goal Setting. Guide your students in setting learning AND personal goals for the next school year.

Please encourage them to continue the SMART goal process you used this year (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely). Use their growth reflections from this year to create new goals for themselves.

Remind them how powerful it is to set goals and keep a growth mindset. Whether your students want to improve their math skills, raise their reading level, or become better friends or class listeners, goal setting can help them get there.

Journaling prompts like “My New School Year and What I Want it to Look Like” could help your students self-reflect and create new goals. Help your students continue to take ownership of their learning. Maybe they could include a letter to their future self to open and read at the end of next year.

4. Transition Activities. Prepare your students for what will happen next year by familiarizing them with what to expect.

The end of the year can be exciting but scary when thinking about the following year. You spent the entire year building relationships and a classroom community of learners who looked out for each other. Your students have to let that go and face something and someone brand new. Uncertainty is part of the behaviors that escalate at the end of the year. These children don’t know what to expect or how to regulate their feelings. 

Help them plan by visiting the following year’s classrooms or school. You could bring in a former student to talk to your students and let them know what the next year is like. Discuss new transitions and allow your students to ask questions about new routines. Help them generate excitement about what is coming and the new experiences and growth they will have.

5. End-of-the-year Closure Activities. Plan a few events and activities that will mark the end of the year.

You could have an end-of-the-year class circle where each child shares a favorite memory or create class memory books for students to keep. Include a class photo and give students the opportunity for others to include encouraging messages.  

Fun closure activities could include creating a class yearbook that students collaborated on and writing letters to next year’s students, telling them what they need to know to be successful and giving helpful hints for a joyous year. It is empowering to know you are helping someone else with your experience. These rituals help students emotionally transition and feel a sense of closure.

Your ultimate goal is to empower your students and watch them become lifelong learners capable of reaching their full potential. After a beautiful year of learning and growth, don’t let them think it is over; instead, it is just the beginning of their development into their best selves.

Thank you, teachers. Thank you for sharing your light with your students and allowing them to grow. Keep sharing your magic with the world; the world needs you.

Kinla

Check out these resources:

Are you looking for a journal to use next year as you continue to help your students become the best version of themselves? Check out this Morning Positivity Journal. Full of weekly inspiring quotes, goal setting, and self-reflection. It is a perfect addition to your morning classroom routines.

Need end-of-the-year Journals for student keepsakes? Check these out! Take time to fill out favorite memories AND space for self-reflection and goal setting for next year.

Do you want ideas for growing a classroom community or adding more student celebrations to foster a more encouraging learning environment?

Would you love an end-of-the-year writing prompt featuring you as the superhero? Students write an adventure story with their teacher as the hero. This prompt has a teacher interview sheet, planning pages, vocabulary support, and even publishing pages for a complete writing assignment that’s fun and promises lots of laughs.

Have questions? Comments?

Do you feel you need support or maybe just a virtual hug?

Let’s Connect.

You can find me at Help Writers Grow.  I am on Instagram and Facebook.

I want you to continue to love teaching. At Help Writers Grow.com, you can find lots of writing resources for your elementary students that you will both love so your students are engaged and writing lessons are positive experiences.

Sending love, hugs, and sunshine.

Cheers to you!