Guest author, Aoife Doyle, has compiled a list of activities to conclude a year of learning with a class. They can all be adapted up or down, depending on the age group of the pupils that you teach.
I can’t believe that we are already in our third school term this year, it is flying by!
The summer holidays are not too far away and the excitement is building! There are so many ideas out there for wrapping up the year with your class in a fun and memorable way but if you are anything like me, you will probably be busy with Sports Day, school tours and all the business that Summer can bring. Having something concrete factored into your day can be a really helpful anchor for the pupils and for you!
Here are some of the things I have planned.
Personal awards ceremony
Every pupil that you teach has brought something unique to the class this year. Take some time out to reflect on each of their individual strengths and talents. See if you can assign an award to each and every pupil in your class. You can recognise all sorts of talents and qualities, from academics to sporting achievements, from kindness and friendship to sense of humour. When every child receives an award in the class for something unique to them, they will feel both valued and celebrated in your class.
Go al fresco!
Hopefully the months of May and June will bring some good weather with them. There is nothing worse than being stuck inside when the sun is splitting the stones. If you know the weather will be good, plan your lessons accordingly. Think outside the box – how can I transfer this lesson to the outdoors? It could be as simple as taking lunch outside and having a picnic. Younger children love to bring their teddy bears to school for a teddy bears picnic. Older kids might enjoy taking footballs and other PE equipment to a local green area for a kick around.
Teach the teacher day
This is a really fun activity that the children love. Our pupils have so many skills that they are keen to share with us. Explain to the children that you would like to learn from them. Give them a few days to prepare an activity at home. Then, sit back, and let them teach you a thing or two! This is such a fun and interesting activity – I have learned many new skills over the years from some very talented pupils including lessons on ballet, famous artists, tin whistle and even some jiujitsu moves! When given this autonomy, the children really flourish and will surprise you with their originality and skills.
Invite parents into the class
Parents and caregivers love to celebrate their children’s success. They also love to visit the children in their classroom! Consider inviting the parents in for a morning for a short visit. This doesn’t have to be fancy. It could be as simple as an opportunity for shared reading between parent and child. Each child could then say what their highlight of the year was. You could finish the visit with a couple of songs and poems that your class learned this year. Simple is key!
Collaborative memory jigsaws
This is a lovely idea that really brings the class together. Give each child a blank jigsaw piece. Children can draw or write about their highlight of the year/their favourite memory.
Collate the jigsaw pieces to form a whole jigsaw. Hang this in the classroom so that the children can share their favourite memories of their year.
You can download or print a jigsaw template from here.
Balloon pop!
This is a really fun way to count down the last few days of term – think of it like a summer Advent Calendar!
Make a list of ten fun activities that you would like to do with your class before school ends. Write each idea on a slip of paper. Insert each slip of paper into a balloon as you blow it up. Each morning, allow a child to pop a balloon to find out what the activity of the day will be. Ideas could include:
- Sit beside a friend for the day
- Extra Art/Yard/PE
- Golden Time/Free Time
- Lunch Outside
- iPad Time
- Kahoot Quiz
- Art Hub Video
You can number the balloons to make sure the activities correspond to the days that you want them to happen.
Remember to keep your ideas small, low key and free. Whatever you do, this is a great way to end the year with a bang!
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