 Have a
BURSTING Summer!
Write
a different summertime activity on a
paper strip for each student. Roll each
strip and tuck it into a balloon; inflate
each balloon and tie it. Have each
student select a balloon, pop it, and
pantomime the activity written on his
paper strip. The other students try to
guess his activity.
Some
ideas to write on the strips may be -
swimming in a pool, eating icecream,
riding my bike, surfing, laying in the
sun, playing volleyball, helping dad
grill, eating a hotdog, playing ball...
I've
done this as a back to school idea too!
Instead of summer strips, write get to
know you questions on the strips. Have
each student pick a balloon and pop it.
They read the question and answer it.
Tell It
Like It Was
Use
your students' writing talents to help
ease the first-day jitters of the
youngsters who will be in your class next
fall. Ask each child to compose a letter
addressed to next year's incoming class.
In their letters, ask the students to
describe their year in your classroom,
note their favorite activities and
subjects, and make comments about your
teaching style. Store the letters over
the summer; then read them as an
opening-day activity in the fall. These
letters are sure to put your new students
at ease and start the year off on a
positive note!
Read Goodbye
House &
Goodnight
Moon . Do a
compare and contrast of the two books.
Then have the children draw pictures of
the things they would like to say goodbye
to in our classroom. It is good
"therapy" because we know how
hard it can be to say goodbye to our
familiar room and friends. Now bound it
into a class book entitled GOODBYE ROOM.
(CLICK ON THE BOOKS TO PURCHASE)
We usually
have a field day at the end of the year.
The other third grade teacher and I get
together and we decide which games we
want to play. It usually is math oriented
such as multiplication match up where you
take notecards and put multiplication
facts on them. Then take another set of
cards and write the answers even some
bogus answers to see if the kids can pick
up the correct answer. The rest of the
game works like a relay were the cards
are picked up at the starting line and
the answers are on a table 50 yards away.
We also measure a whale etc. Another game
we play is a prefix/suffix game where
students are given a base word on a
pocket chart and they have to put either
a prefix or a suffix on a word to make a
new word. If the first person puts a
prefix on a word and the person behind
them adds a suffix then they get double
the points. This game really makes them
think. At the end of the day we make
homemade ice cream in ziplock bags where
the kids measure the recipe and etc.
Janna Tipton
Hi group,
I teach second grade and at the end of
each year, I compile all the pictures I
have taken over the year and make a power
point slide show to music for the parents
to see. I hold a graduation
ceremony too and then show the slide
show. (My school only goes up to
2nd grade, so the kids move to a
different school for 3rd). If
taking pictures is something you didn't
do this year, plan it for next
year. I always have a digital
camera on hand. Hope this helps.
Susan
I have my
end of the year party the day BEFORE the
last day (No mess to clean on the last
day), and then on the last day I have the
kids bring in a card or board game and
their slippers and they play games with
no shoes on (and that is a BIG deal in
2nd grade -- go figure!) while I try to
get my stuff organized and packed away.
Laura/1 - 2 Loop/FL
myschoolonline.com/FL/Miss_Black
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