1-2-3 Come Do Some End Of The Year Activities With Me
I was always looking for some quick, easy and educational activities that would be fun for my kiddos to do during those last few weeks of school.
Things they could work on independently that didn't take a lot of prep or explanation on my part, which would free me up to finish assessing or complete the myriad of other "have to get done" things.
Today's article features 2 of my favorites. First up is my "Autograph Packet". There are 3 autograph booklets to choose from.
* The pencil, is for older students,
* The schoolhouse works for just about anyone, as well as the "play-on-words" auto-themed auto-graph booklet.
However, I did have an early-elementary crowd in mind when I made the automobile one, as I included a full-page option because little ones tend to write so big. The others are 2-on-a-page for speedy printing.
The packet includes black & white autograph pages, featuring adorable graphics for your kiddos to color, should you choose the auto or schoolhouse options. (More "happily engaged" time.)
Unlike an entire memory book that would be a bit difficult for little ones to do on their own, they feel extremely proud that they can write their name and really enjoy collecting their classmates' signatures as well.
Because the pencil is for older students, simply cut some blank pages (perhaps fun neon-colored copy paper) and staple together.
Another super-fun activity is making some thank you cards to show your appreciation for staff and others that have helped you through the year.
This is an educationally relevant activity, plus a great way to teach this valuable life skill. Letting people know you care, especially fits in with those schools who have taken part in a bucket-filling program.
I find that children are anxious to make something for these individuals, as they have really come to care for them. With that in mind, I designed the "Thank You! End-Of-The-Year Appreciation Packet", which includes a nice variety of "craftivities" for you to choose from.
The "Thanks a Bunch Bouquet" is a quick, easy and lovely thank you card for a room helper, librarian, secretary, student teacher, or whomever else you’d like to show your appreciation for. A parent could also make this for the teacher.
Simply print off the vase of flowers, along with a color or black and white copy of your class’s group picture. Cut the children’s head shots into circles. You or they can glue to the center of the flowers.
I made enough centers for 30 students and one teacher. I’d put your photo in the flower that’s fallen, as it stands out. For a less feminine option, I’ve also included a "Thanks a bunch!" pattern, with a set of balloons.
I’ve also written a little thank you poem that generically fits just about anyone. You can glue this inside the card as well, then sign Love, Mr(s) ______________’s 2016 kindergarten class etc. (You fill in your name, the year and grade.)
If you want this activity to include some writing practice, students can also complete the “Thank you for . . .” writing prompt worksheets or bookmarks that can be glued inside, or on the back of the card as well. Each child simply writes one sentence.
This can be done at an independent center, or you can fill in the page as a whole group. For preschool children, have each child dictate what they’d like to thank that person for and you write it down.
Another option is the Thank you acrostic poem. Older students can each do one.
To make things easier, I allow students to write a "sentence" or phrase, if they can’t think of an adjective that starts with that letter; such as "A" = “Always there for us.” or for the letter "Y", “You are great!”
Younger students can do this with you during a whole-group brainstorming session. Choose children to color in the letters. This too, is another little something that can be glued inside the card along with the heart that says: "Thank you! Thank you! You're so nice. Simply had to say it twice."
For another option, I’ve also included large 8x10 letter cards that spell out “Thank you!” . Break up your children into small groups and have them color their group's letter. For a truly awesome-looking stained-glass appearance, remind them to color each section a different color.
Glue each letter to a variety of colors of construction paper. Arrange your students in a group. The front nine children each hold a letter and the exclamation point card, so that they spell “Thank you!” Take a picture. Use this photo to glue to the inside, or for the cover, of your thank you card(s).
If you have the time, why not thank the bus drivers?
Simply run off the bus pattern on yellow construction paper. Children trim and “hinge” the "grill" to the matching section of the larger bus, so that it flips open to reveal a handwritten message from the child.
For that finishing touch, add a photo of themselves in the bus seat. I cannot begin to tell you how many of my students' bus drivers LOVED this card.
Theirs is often a thankless job (I certainly couldn't do it!) and they were truly touched. Some taped them inside the bus!
These simple acts of kindness, go a long way in touching an individual’s heart and making them feel truly appreciated. I hope you make the time to "pay it forward" today. You just never know how far that "ripple" of joy grows.
Today's featured FREEBIE is an end of the year alphabet poem. Simply run it off and tuck in your kiddos' backpacks on that last day of school. I've included full color, as well as black & white templates for PK-4 through 1st grade.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for visiting. I love my early morning time before things get hot and sticky. Once again Michigan has skipped spring and zipped into summer weather.
Wishing you a day filled with everyone and everything you enjoy the most.
"Educating the mind without educating the heart, is no education at all." -Aristotle
1-2-3 Please Come Celebrate With Me
Woo Hoo! I’m celebrating my one-year anniversary on TpT by throwing a “Sale-ebration!”
The party starts on Friday, May 20th 2016 and runs through Saturday May 21st.
Besides my entire store being 20% off, (The max TpT allows) here are some of the other fun-tastic things I’m offering:
Follower Fun:
* As a special thank you to my followers who have purchased 5-10 items from me, you may pick ANY item from my store for FREE!
* Simply send me an e-mail at dianetpt@gmail.com letting me know which item you want and I will e-mail it to you, or if the file is too large, I’ll put it in DROP BOX.
* If you’ve bought 11 or more items, you get to pick any TWO items for FREE. Just a small token of my appreciation and to thank you so much for your support!
Featured Fun:
* Each day there will be a paid item offered as a “Flash FREEBIE”. It will be posted under the banner in the section called Featured Items.
* If I get at least 15 new comments for the FREEBIE, I will post another free item on Sunday.
* Also listed in “Featured Items” will be a “Flash Dollar Deal From Diane”. This will be an item that’s currently priced higher.
* The 3rd box will be a “Knock It Off!” item. Where I knocked a dollar more off the sale price.
* The 4th box will be that day’s 50% off item! Plus . . .
Face Book Fun:
* If you pop on over to my Face Book page: http://bit.ly/1rXmkNo you’ll be able to read about that day’s “SECRET SURPRISES” which include 2 extra FREEBIES, with links to them in my TpT shop.
* There will be a set of surprises for Friday as well as Saturday. Information will be listed under these posters pictured here.
* Also on my Face Book page, you can enter to win ANY item in my store for FREE. Simply message me on Face Book with your e-mail address, so that it remains private.
No need to enter twice, if you don’t win on Friday, you’re still in the drawing for Saturday. I’ll announce the winner the next day and you can let me know what item you want then.
It’s not necessary, but while you’re there, I’d so appreciate it if you’d LIKE my page and leave a COMMENT if you have time.
* Finally, I don’t know if I’ll get much done, but if I post a new item, that will be 50% off for 24 hours.
A very special THANK YOU to all of my followers, visitors and people who have purchased something from me this past year. I truly appreciate it!
Please feel free to leave a comment as to what you’d like to see at 50%, or put out as a flash FREEBIE, or done as a flash Dollar Deal.
You can also e-mail me at dianetpt@gmail.com I value your in-put.
Well that's it. I sure hope you can stop by my shop to help me celebrate.
My grandma Lydia was right; the older you get, the faster time flies. Can't believe I've been on TpT for an entire year!
"Perfectionism is the highest form of self-abuse."
1-2-3 Come Make A Glyph With Me
This Flower Glyph is a super-fun little something to do for spring or at the end of the year when your kiddos have "blossomed". No matter what grade I taught, my students LOVED making glyphs.
They are a quick, easy and interesting way to practice and assess listening and following directions, as well as a super-fun way to get to know your students better.
Since this is one of my report card standards, glyphs also provide a "hard copy" to use as proof that a child does or doesn't.
Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board, as each one will be different! I've included a colorful "Glyphs!" poster for the center of your display.
I've included 2 flower glyphs in the packet. One is pretty easy, the other a bit more complicated.
Choose which one is best suited for your students. The glyphs are also easily adapted by simply tweaking the directions to fit your needs.
I also made 3 helpful "direction" posters to use with younger students, should you want to give the more advanced glyph a go with them.
Next up is a Bee Glyph. Besides the glyph and a poster for the center of your display, this packet includes a few extras.
To practice data collection & analysis, as well as process of elimination, have students pick a partner to "interview", to help them figure out which glyph is their partner's.
I've included a data collection worksheet for this, challenging students to try and solve the "mystery" with the least amount of questions.
Afterwards, for an interesting discussion and “revelation” for some, discuss if and why asking a certain question helped eliminate more possibilities than others, and if strategy was important in choosing which questions to ask first.
I've also included 6, whole-group graphing extensions, so you can practice another math standard.
Since graduation is just around the corner for kinders and preschoolers, today's featured FREEBIE is a super-cute bio writing prompt craftivity.
This is also appropriate for other grades as well, simply skip the grad hat.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.
Hopefully all of the crazy "frost warning" weather is over, and I can finally start gardening! Woo hoo.
The sunshine and dirt are calling me. Wishing you a fun-filled day.
"Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know." -Daniel J. Boorstin
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
1-2-3 Come Do Some Dual Purpose Activities With Me
After I've designed a writing prompt craftivity, I take a look and see if it can serve double duty. Can I tweak the prompt so that it not only works for a back-to-school activity, but something teachers could plug in at the end of the year as well?
Such is the case with the 4 craftivities I'm featuring in this blog article. The featured FREEBIE today, also serves a dual purpose too.
First up, is a super-cute "play on words" bicycle craftivity. "I had a 'wheel' great year/summer"
I chose a bike theme because no matter what grade I taught, riding a bicycle was something most of my students really enjoyed doing.
Use the bicycle template for a cute end of the year writing prompt, where students choose two wheel options and complete the prompts inside the spokes.
You can also use it as a super-fun icebreaker for back-to-school, as an interesting way to get to know your new students.
Completed projects make a wonderful bulletin board.
I’ve included 2 posters to use for the center of your display.
There’s also an additional writing prompt worksheet where students describe their bike, or an experience riding their bike, or some other bike-themed idea you come up with.
Next up is the double duty "I Had A Blast in ___________ grade." or "I Had A Blast This Summer!" firecracker writing prompt craftivity.
There are several options for you to choose from in this versatile packet, which includes patterns for preschool - 8th grade.
Completed projects make a terrific bulletin board and nice keepsake. You could also keep this bulletin board up for back to school.
Use the poster: “We had a blast this year and hope you will too!” for the center of your display, and have all of your students sign the matching blank poster.
Besides the above prompts, I also thought it would be fun for this year's students to make a TP tube firecracker and tuck a note inside: "You're going to have a blast in ______________ grade because..."
Or... skip the note and have children jot a greeting on the bookmark writing prompt. What a nice surprise for your kiddos to find on/in their desk on the first day of school. I’ve also included bookmarks for you to give your current students, wishing them a blast of a summer.
Likewise, new kiddos can complete the "I had a blast this summer!" for a back to school writing prompt. I’ve included posters for the center of that display as well.
Another versatile writing prompt, is a super-cool looking T-shirt craftivity. I think the key to the “way cool” result, is that I used tie dye, plaid and watercolor splattered copy paper, which came in a ream of 50 sheets per pattern.
I ran the T-shirt template off on this paper, as well as the cover pattern; so when the booklet is stapled to the front of the T-shirt the cover matches and blends in. “Awesome!” is what my students tell me.
This "craftivity" is very versatile, as it includes templates for an end-of-the year memory book, with covers for preschool through 6th grade, plus a blank template.
If you already have a memory book, have students write why they think this grade was terrific, or have this year’s students write a note to next year’s class: “You’re going to have a T-‘rrific Year” because…
You can also use this as a self-esteem building (fill a bucket) activity. Use the “______ is “T"-'rrific!" template and have each classmate write a compliment in everyone's booklet.
The prompt also works for Father's Day. Simply fill the blank in with: “My Dad is “T-‘rrific” or... for back-to-school have students write about why their summer was terrific.
For a “fun-tastic” display, hang completed projects on a rope suspended against a wall and use real clothespins to clip them on.
Finally, another double-duty writing prompt craftivity that's a bit on the wacky side, also features a T-shirt plus a pair of shorts.
You can use the patterns separately, or combine them to make a dorky dude & dudette by adding funky sunglasses, and gluing on a student's traced hands and feet.
Besides using this for a beginning or end of the year activity, it's also perfect for "Wacky Wednesday" fun, as part of a week-long Dr. Seuss celebration.
Explain to your students that the term “In short” means to explain briefly or summarize, which is one of 5 options for the writing prompts on the pair of shorts.
Likewise, the T-shirts also have a variety of options as well. Pick and choose what's best suited for your kiddos. As with the above T-shirts, these also look cute hung with clothespins from a clothesline.
As promised, the featured FREEBIE today is also versatile. I did countless hours of work looking for songs appropriate for an end of the year slide show, as well as a preschool or kindergarten graduation.
As long as I had done the research, I decided to make an alphabetical list, in hopes that it would save somebody else a ton of time. Click on the link for the 150 Songs For The End Of The Year..
Well that's it for today. I hope you found something useful.
Whether your're reading this at the end of the year (woo hoo) and looking forward to a much-deserved summer hiatus, or checking things out in the fall, excited for a brand new year, I hope you have an absolute blast!
"So often you find that the students you are trying to inspire, end up inspiring you." -Sean Junkins
