Nothing sets the vibe in the classroom more than a good book! It was the first thing I reached for when I was trying to convey any sort of message, lesson, or overall feeling to my students. And since the end of the school year brings on all kinds of emotions, a good end-of-the-year read-aloud will help everyone reel those in!
Then, you can keep the fun going with engaging and fun yet, easy for teachers, end of the year activities. I’ve compiled a couple of my favorites to help you celebrate the last day of school with your elementary students, including a free memory book activity!
Disclaimer: Affiliate links have been used in this post but I only share items I use and enjoy!
Picture this: Summer is upon you. The sun is shining. The number of school days is dwindling down. You can smell Summer in the air. As your students (and yourself) anticipate all the excitement that Summer brings, pair the book And Then Comes Summer with a fun activity.
And Then Comes Summer is the perfect read for those antsy days of anticipation for the last day of school. It beautifully portrays the days spent enjoying the outdoors during the summer.
After reading the story that highlights summer activities, students can create their very own Summer Bucket List. Keep things simple by having students choose their top three most wished-for summer activities.
Get crafty and have your students create a “bucket” to display their summer wishes!
I don’t know about you, but I love reflecting on all the memories a school year holds. There are ups. There are downs. There were exciting times. There were moments of struggle. A classroom teacher wrote the book Goodbye for Now and it perfectly captures all of those feelings.
For added interest, you can pair the story with a reflection activity. Students will reflect on their very favorite memory from the school year and create a piece of candy craft to display their “This Year Was Sweet” writing.
Do your students make a Memory Book before they go on Summer Break? I always enjoyed having my students complete their memory books during that last week of school.
Memory books serve several purposes. They capture all the memories and learning that occurred during the school year. They are also a wonderful time filler!
To make the memory book process even more meaningful, pair it with the picture book A Letter From Your Teacher on the Last Day of School. A classroom teacher wrote this picture book as well, so you can imagine how well she captures the end of the year. It truly is a beautiful read and a great way to show your students how much you’ve enjoyed having them!
Nothing will capture the year you’ve shared better than a memory book! Grab this free sample of our memory book resource to capture something sweet with your students. For more end of the year activities, check out the full Memory Book unit featuring all the activities mentioned in this post on my TPT shop here.
Could you use more ideas for end of the year activities? Check out some of my favorite activities to celebrate the end of the year!
Hey, y’all! My name is Amy Lemons and I am passionate about providing students with both engaging and effective standards-based Math and ELA lessons.
Sample a day of Rooted in Reading with these lesson plans and activities for Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Grammar!
