1-2-3 Come Do Some End Of The Year Activities With Me 

As the year winds down and I had all of my assessments done, I was always looking for some fun things my students would enjoy doing, for those last few weeks of school. 

With that in mind, I designed some cute writing prompts with a little bit of craftiness, to grab their attention and get them excited to write.

I'm featuring 3 on the blog today, along with a sweet treat for today's featured FREEBIE.

First up is a cow-themed craftivity, great for anyone, but especially perfect if you had a farm or animal theme for your classroom.

"Moo-vin' On Up To A New Grade!"  has several options. Students can simply color the cow, (there are 3 options) cut it out and glue it to the top of their writing prompt, or you can run off the cow parts on construction paper.

Children trim, glue their cow together, add some pizzazz with crayons, then glue it to the top of their writing prompt.

(There are 2, plus a blank template to program with whatever).

Preschoolers can dictate their answers to a volunteer, or send the paper home for parents to help complete the writing prompt portion, then do the cow craftivity in class.

Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board.

I’ve included 2 posters for your display, as well as a cow bell pattern.

For that finishing touch, have students sign their name & glue a school picture on the bell.

There are color as well as black and white bookmarks for you to give your students as well, with patterns for preschool-3rd grade, plus a blank template to fill in a different grade.

Next up is a self-esteem "Compliment Cat!"   "Filling buckets" or being a "bucket filler" seems to have really caught on in a lot of schools.

We have this program in ours. The idea is to encourage positive behavior. Children catch on fast and see how easy and rewarding it is to express sincere kindness, appreciation, and caring about others on a daily basis.

With that in mind, I wanted to think up a quick and easy end-of-the-year "bucket filler" so to speak, that would help promote a child's self-esteem.

Thus, the Classmate Compliment Cat Craftivity was born.  I chose a cat not only because of the alliteration, but because my kiddos absolutely love Pete the Cat, so it was no surprise to me when many of them colored their kitty various shades of blue.

Students accordion fold the template following the lines, which provides wonderful fine motor practice, then they color and glue their cat to the top of their folded paper.

Decide on a direction, and have children pass their "compliment cat" to another child to write something nice about them on one of the accordion-folded sections.
They continue passing 'til everyone has signed all of their classmates’ cats, and end up with their own.

So students get a special compliment from their teacher, make sure you are part of the signing, or write a personal note to each child on the colorful, (4-on-a-page) note.  Add the finishing touch by having students glue a piece of colorful border to the top.

The cats make a wonderful bulletin board, or look cute hung as a border along a hallway wall.  I’ve included two posters for your display.

The packet also includes 5 colorful bookmarks that you can pass out to everyone after they have completed their projects.

I’ve also included a different, black and white bookmark option, if you want this year’s students to color it and then write a note to next year’s kiddos wishing them a “purr-featly wonderful year”. 

Finally, when I think of summer, I think of picnics, and anticipate a wonderful vacation.  Thus, the ANTicipation writing prompt craftivity came about.    

Anticipation is very versatile, as I’ve included a variety of writing prompts suitable for the beginning and end of the year, as well as a summer prompt entitled “The Perfect Picnic” which can be a short story, or simply a list of things that a child would want to have, take, eat, and do on a picnic.

There are also blank patterns for you to program with something else, as well as a completed sample so you can quickly and easily make an example to share.

Completed projects make an awesome and interesting bulletin board or border along a hallway wall. I’ve included 3 posters for your display.

Children cut out their ant head, add details with crayons and then glue it to the other 2 body segments. I purposely made this ant with 3 parts because I wanted to reinforce science information about insects.

Because of limited time, it’s often difficult to plug in some science, so I try to incorporate it with our reading and writing.

I’ve included “Parts of an ant” posters (realistic & cutesy) plus worksheets, as well as a writing prompt and posters for “Ants can: have: are” if you want to do that too.

Share the poster, write the vocabulary on the board, then have students label these parts on their ant with a white crayon.

Adding pipe cleaner legs and antennae will also give you the opportunity to explain more science vocabulary, at the same time giving the craftivity a 3D look.

I also read the informational, non-fiction book, Ants Ants And More Ants, which we discuss afterwards.

This book is a level G, 1st grade reader, if you want your students to read it themselves & get in that non-fiction genre requirement.

To test their comprehension, I write some of the facts on the board as they share them, then they fill out their “Ants Can: Have: Are:" worksheet. 

Today's featured FREEBIE serves a dual purpose, as you can use if for the beginning or end of the year.  

To turn it into an inexpensive treat, stick on a pencil, pen, marker, glow stick (bracelet), pixie stick, (filled with powdered candy), or an individually wrapped piece of licorice as the mast, to add that little something extra.

There are two sail patterns.  One is for the end of the year:“Have fun sailing into summer. I hope it’s fantastic!”

The 2nd one is for back to school: “Have fun sailing into a new school year. I hope it’s fantastic!”

Well that's it for today.  I hope you found something useful to make those last few weeks of school fly by. 

Everything is finally greening up here in Michigan!  Woo hoo; the sunshine is calling me. Wishing you a fun-filled day.

"In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson." -Tom Bodett