End-of-Year Activities that will Save your Sanity!

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If you’ve ever taught you know there’s nothing quite like end of year teacher tired. The school days are dragging, your students are wild, and you’re dreaming of hot summer days. You can almost taste the cold margarita bound to be in your hand.

You have last-minute grades to put in, end-of-year activities to plan, and a room closeout checklist to complete. At this point, exhaustion is your middle name.

So how can you work smarter and not harder to survive these last few weeks of school? Let’s take a look at 6 end-of-year ideas and activities that will save your sanity and help control the chaos in your classroom.

1. Do Something for Yourself

Teacher burnout is real, so we have to do whatever we can to avoid it. What better way to do that than self-care? The end of the year is hectic, but that doesn’t mean your mental health has to suffer. I challenge you to do one thing each day that might spark a little joy. Try grabbing your favorite Starbucks drink on the way to work, reading a book, enjoying lunch without panicking about your neverending to-do list (it’ll get done, I promise), or going out with your teacher besties after school. Ask yourself what ways you’re going to do something for yourself each day this week.

2. Early Finisher Activities to the Rescue!

Do you have students staring around the room or causing mischief because they’re “Done with their activity” or “Don’t have anything better to do”? Having early finisher activities ready to go in an accessible spot in the classroom sets the expectation of what students can do when they are done with their work without causing you a big headache. 

You can set up an ‘I’m done, now what?” station in your classroom. Print out these ELA and math no prep review worksheets and place them in a bin. Students know they can head over to that area in the room to grab a review activity to work on. 

3. Take Learning Outside & Incorporate Movement in your Lessons

Your students are probably just as ready for summer as you are, so consider ways that you can mix up the school day. Teach your lessons outside for the day or move students to the hallway for a change of scenery. Allow students to trade in their notebooks and pencils for mini whiteboards and Expo markers. Have students complete a task card SCOOT with a partner. Incorporating movement keeps students engaged in your lesson.

Need other teaching strategies to get your students moving and make your lessons more engaging?

Check out these 10 activity ideas involving movement

4. Make End-of-Year Memory Books to Reflect on the School Year

Nothing says “End of Year” like a fun memory book activity. Students can work to complete each page with their friends while you pack up and organize your classroom for summer break. It’s a win-win! 

Not only will memory books keep your students busy the last few weeks, but they also serve as an end-of-year student gift. Each page will have your students reflect on their favorite moments of the school year and is a keepsake that they will cherish forever. 

5. Get Crafty with an End-of-Year Craftivity!

Craftivities can seem too time-consuming during the school year, but with plenty of time during those final days of school, they’re perfect end-of-year activities! Do a writing craft with your students to keep them engaged and continue practicing those writing skills.

This O-Fishally Summer craft encourages students to reflect on their leadership skills with prompts such as “My summer goals are…” and ‘I will continue demonstrating leadership this summer by…”. If you teach at a Leader in Me school, then this is right up your alley.

6. Incorporate Fun Review Games

Review games are a great way to allow students to show what they’ve learned while also unleashing their competitive sides! Consider playing Jeopardy, Kahoot, or Jenga with students as a great review of their year!

This Jenga review game targets grammar and math standards. All you need is these colored Jenga blocks.

Learn More about Jenga Review here

I know you’re 10000% done and the school days are dragginggggg, but you’re almost to the finish line! I hope that you can put some of these end of year activities into action to help you survive the end-of-year madness. You’re almost there friend. You got this!

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