18 pages.

This packet is a great alternative to the usual end-of-the-year memory book.  Students glue the templates to a file folder and cut on the lines to  create a flip booklet.  An autograph page is included that can be glued to the back.

1-2-3 Come Make An Ice Cream Cone With Me!

The end of the year is super-charged with energy.  You can literally feel it in the air and it's obvious in your students' excited behavior.  Many kiddos are already sharing about vacations that their family is going to take and what they want to do for the summer, so I thought it would be fun to have them write about that, and make a craft as well. 

When I think of summer, I think of ice cream cones.  It seemed the perfect "craftivity" for an end of the year writing prompt, and led to the "Here's The Scoop" packet.

Run off the cone pattern on brown construction paper, run the ice cream scoop template on a variety of pastel colors of construction paper that would be the shades of real ice cream flavors.  Scrapbook paper really looks awesome; I used it for several of my samples.  

Students cut out their cone and scoop.  They also trim and glue a plain scoop of "vanilla" to the top of their cone.  This is where they will complete the writing prompt.  Remind students not to write beyond the indentations, as you can see by the photo, the white scalloped section will peek out to give the illusion of another scoop.

Using a tiny piece of Scotch tape, students "hinge" the top scoop to the right hand side of the bottom scoop, so that it flips open to reveal the writing portion.   For that finishing touch, add a cherry with a school photo to the top.

There's a template for "Here's the scoop ! These are some of the cool things I'd like to do this summer..."  as well as one you can use at the beginning of the year: "Here's the scoop! These are some of the cool things that I did this summer..."

After students have shared their creation, give them a "Wishing you a sweet summer" bookmark.  Write students' names at the top, and sign yours under the greeting.

Completed cones make a cute bulletin board too.  Make the background out of a plastic picnic table cloth and scatter the cones on it.   Your caption could be "Cool writing by some sweet 1st graders." or "Looking foward to a sweet summer!"  

For another writing prompt, have students color the "I hope you have a cool year!" bookmark and write a note to a new student, who will be in your class in the fall.  What a fun surprise for them to find this on/in their desk on the first day of school. 

Also included in the packet is the "Secret Sweetie" game.  Have students fill out the cone portion, write a clue on the scoop and then glue their photo on the inside. 

Collect them and read several a day.  Call on students to guess who they think the "secret sweetie" might be, then flip open the top scoop to reveal the photo.  

This can be used at the beginning of the school year to help children get to know their new classmates, or at the end of the year to see how well they know their friends. 

Click on the link to view/download the Here's The Scoop packet.  Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.

"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken. ~James Dent

1-2-3 Come Have A Blast With Me!

Now that Mother's Day is over, it seems that attention has turned to looking for end-of the-year activities, as school begins to wind down for many.   With that in mind, I designed the "I Had A Blast In School" packet.  

I've included writing prompt-templates for preschool through 8th grade, plus a blank one to fill in with whatever. 

Students can simply fill in the page, or they can wrap a toilet paper tube with scrapbook or wrapping paper to make a "firecracker" and add some 3D pizzazz.  I mounted everything on a sheet of scrapbook paper to make it more colorful as well.

I've included a fireworks pattern that students can sprinkle glitter on and then glue to the top of their firecracker, or tuck in a wad of tinsel for a sparkling effect.  Add a school photo for that finishing touch.  

Completed projects make an awesome end-of-the-year bulletin board and are a nice alternative to a school memory book.  

After your students share their creation with their classmates, give them a choice of the four bookmarks.  "I hope you have an absolute blast this summer."  Teachers write a student's name at the top and then sign the bottom. 

You could also ask students if you can keep their "blast" craftivity to give to your next year's kiddos. 

Have them fill in the "I hope you have a blast too." note and glue it to the back of their work. 

What a nice surprise for your new class to find in/on their desks in the fall. 

If they want to take their work home, but would still like to make something for next year's class, have them color and complete the writing prompt bookmark: "You're going to have a blast in _________ because..." 

As with the above prompt, I've included templates for preschool through 8th grade, with a blank one (pictured) to fill in with whatever.  Encourage students to write more on the back.

Click on the link to view/download the I Had A Blast In School  packet. 

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  My "Pin it" button is at the top.

"Sometimes you never know the true value of a moment, until it becomes a memory." -Unknown

16 pages.

The packet includes stationery for the writing prompt: "I had a blast in  _________ grade!" with templates for preschool through 8th grade.  Add a toilet paper tube "firecracker" for 3D pizzazz, plus a school photo to turn this "craftivity" into an interesting bulletin board. 

1-2-3 Come Make A Cupcake With Me

Since the end-of-the-year writing prompts have been such popular downloads, I decided to make a few more. I hope you enjoy these new FREEBIES.

"Sweet!" has come to mean wonderful, awesome, great, as well as a sugary taste, so I thought I'd create the prompt: "_____________ (fill in your grade level) was really sweet because..." 

It didn't take long to decide that a cupcake would be the perfect "craftivity"for this June writing prompt. 

Your students can make the cupcake for themselves or for one of your new students who will be coming in the fall.  What a nice surprise for them to find this cute card in/on their desk the first day of school, with a note from a former student. 

I've included templates for preschool through 3rd grade, plus a blank one to fill in with whatever. 

If you don't want to do the cupcake craft, I've also included a simpler option.

Run off the black and white cupcake bookmark that says: "Wishing you a sweet year!"  Students color the cupcake and write something underneath the greeting. 

If you'd like to give your students more practice, have them write why they thought this grade was sweet, on the back.  To make this even more personal, print off your class composite, cut the students' heads into ovals, and have them glue their photo somewhere on the bookmark next to their name.

The packet also includes 4 different, full color, cupcake bookmarks from the teacher, that say: "Wishing you a sweet summer." 

Write your students' names at the top, and sign yours under the note.  You may want to include the bookmark with a mini muffin as a special treat.

Click on the link to view/download the It Was A Sweet Year  writing prompt, craftivity and cupcake bookmarks.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  Do you have an end-of-the-year activity that you could share with us?  You can e-mail me at diane@teachwithme.com  or leave a comment below.

"Striving to be a beautiful and sweet cupcake, in a world full of muffins."  -Unknown

6 pages.

This packet includes a writing prompt craftivity for your current students to make for your next year's students. "You'll have a 'tree-mendous' year in ____________" (Fill in your grade.) as well as a 3D keepsake tree that they help create by tracing their hand (to make branches) and their arm (to make the trunk). 

8 pages.

Your current students make a bee out of a toilet paper tube, yellow construction paper (body), black electrical tape (stripes), cupcake liners (wings) and a pipe cleaner (antennae).  They complete the writing prompt: "I'm wishing you a 'bee-utiful' year in __________. (Fill in grade) Here's the buzz about what you'll learn and do"  and then roll it up and insert it into their bumblebee. 

5 pages.

Have students complete the writing prompt: "You're going to have a great year 'bee-cause'..." on the pages inside the mini apple booklet, and then glue it to the bumblebee that your current students make for your next year's kiddos. 

8 pages.

There are 3 templates so you can use this for Mother's Day with a generic "You are 'berry' special" pattern, so students can give this to someone else, or make for Grandparents' Day.

Be sure to check out the writing prompts to make some quick and easy class books for the end of the year on the main blog.  Click on the link if you're interested.

If you want a special day to celebrate in June, check out Brownie Locks and the 3 bears.  I find her site invaluable for getting ideas of what's going on so I can think up fun things for you to write about!

Monthly Observances:

It’s Country Cooking Month! You’re in charge of making the entire meal.  What are you fixin’ to fix?

June is Perennial Garden Month.  Your garden has just won an award.  What award did it win and why?  OR… if you were given $10,000 to make a dream garden what would you buy and what would your garden look like?

It’s National Camping Month.  You can go anywhere you want.  Where are you going and whom are you going with?  How long will you be gone?

It’s National Candy Month. What’s your favorite candy; why?  OR describe your favorite candy using all of your senses.

It’s National Smile Month.  Write about the top 10 things that make you smile and why.

Weekly Celebrations:

It’s National Headache Awareness Week the 5^th-11^th What people or things or activities give you a headache?

That week is also Sun Safety Week.  What are your favorite things to do under the sun?  OR…. You and some friends are at the beach, suddenly there is an eclipse of the sun, then the radio announces that the sun won’t be coming out again.  All of a sudden it’s very cold and it’s the end of June!  Why is this happening? Solve the mystery and finish the story.

It’s Superman Week the 10^th – the 13^th.  You can have 3 super powers to help Superman and be Super-student.  What are your powers? How will you help?

Daily Celebrations:

June 1^st is Go Barefoot Day.  Where would you like to run barefoot if you could run barefoot anywhere and anyplace in the world and why would you go there, and who would you go with?

The 1^st is also Say Something Nice Day.  Write about something nice you will say.  Who will you say it to and why?

June 4^th is Do-Dah Day a salute to silliness!  So what’s the silliest thing you’ve ever done?  OR the school is planning a silly contest.  Winner gets $500.  What do you plan to do to win?  What will you do with the money?

The 4^th is also Drawing Day.  If you were an artist and could really draw well, what would you draw and why?

June 5^th is Hot Air Balloon Day:  Up Up And Away…where are you flying to and who are you going with?

June 6^th is D Day: What is D day, and why should we remember it?

June 7^th is Daniel Boone Day:  Would you like to go back in time to the day when Daniel Boone lived and be a pioneer?  Why or why not?  OR…Pretend you are living on the frontier.  What does your home look like, what’s a day like in your life?

June 8^th ice cream was first sold in the United States. What is your favorite flavor? Describe how it tastes.  Think of some adjectives that describe an ice cream cone and write a descriptive sentence.  Write a metaphor and a simile using an ice cream cone.

It’s June 12^th and it’s Loving Day: What do you LOVE so much that you just can’t live without and why?  OR…who in your life do you love the most and why?  OR…if you could design your perfect mate what would they look like, what qualities would they have, what would they do for a living, how would you meet them?

June 12^th and 13^th is Raggedy Ann & Andy Day:  Write a story involving these famous dolls.

Ride the Wind Day is also celebrated June 12^th.  Write a descriptive paragraph of what it would be like to ride the wind.  OR… in the wake of so many tornadoes, write about a storm that you experienced and how you felt when it was taking place.  OR…Here’s the scenario:  You’re riding in a car with some friends.  Suddenly the radio is interrupted by a series of beeps warning that a tornado is headed your way.  The sky is already getting dark and the wind is picking up.  You are about an hour from home in the middle of no where.  What do you do?

June 13^th is the Queen’s Official Birthday:  You get to be Queen for a day!  What’s it like?  Where are you queen?  What do you do for the day?  How will you celebrate?

June 14^th is Flag Day: Why do you think this is an important day?  What does it mean to you to be an American?  OR Do you think it is important to respect the flag?  Why or why not? OR What does the flag symbolize to you?   OR… Some people would like to stop saying the Pledge of Allegiance in schools.  Do you agree or disagree with that?

June 14^th is also Blood Donor Day:  Have you ever donated blood?  Do you think this is important?  Why or why not?

Nature Photography Day is June 15^th.  You have just won a photography contest.  What picture in nature did you take?  How did you go about capturing that perfect shot?

June 18^th Sally Ride was the 1^st woman in space in 1983.  If you could be the first person to do something today, what would you like to be first to do and why?  OR…  Would you like to travel in space?  Why or why not?

June 19^th is Family Awareness Day: What do you like best about your family and why?  OR…it’s summer.  What things do you and your family like to do during the summer?  OR  What are your favorite family memories?

June 19^th is also Father’s Day.  Write a descriptive paragraph about your dad. OR…How has your dad influenced you?  OR What are your favorite things about your dad? OR compare and contrast you and your dad or your dad and your grandpa.

June 21^st is the first day of summer.  You have just won $5,000 to take a dream summer vacation!  Who will you take it with, where will you go, what will you do and how long will you be gone for?

June 21^st is World Handshake Day (National Handshake Day, with a different sponsor is the 24^th ) If you could shake anyone’s hand in the world, living or dead (go back in time when they were alive…) whose hand would you like to shake and why?

The 23^rd of June is Let It Go Day.  Write a list of things you need to let go and then summarize why you need to let them go.

June 24^th is Celebration of the Senses Day.  What is your favorite sense and why?  OR if you had to lose one of your senses which one would it be and why?  OR…Make up a 6^th sense, name it, what kind of power would you have, why would you want that 6^th sense and how would you use it.

It’s Take Your Dog To Work Day on the 24^th.  You can have any dog in the world.  What kind do you have; describe them; what’s their name?  OR…you have a job and you have a dog and you are taking them to work, but something goes terribly WRONG!!!! Tell me the story of the Day The Dog…..

June 25^th is Eric Carles’ birthday.  What is your favorite book that he wrote and why?

June 25^th is also Great American Backyard Campout Day!  You are camping in your backyard and something happens! What is it?  Write the mystery story.  OR your parents allow you to have a campout party for the weekend!  Whose coming, what are the party plans?  Explain the details from the food to the activities.

The 26^th is America’s Kids Day.  You have been given $5,000 to celebrate kids.  How will you go about doing that? What kids will you celebrate?

June 27^th is Decide To Be Married Day.  Do you think you will get married?  Do you want to get married?  Why or why not?

Happy Birthday to You Day is the 27^th.  What’s your favorite birthday?  OR…You have $2,000 to plan an unforgettable birthday party.  Explain all of the details from invitations and who is coming to food and entertainment.  OR…what birthday are you really looking forward to and why?

Whatever day you're celebrating, or whatever you're writing about I hope you find joy in it!  Have a sweet summer.