A YEAR TO REMEMBER FROM A TO Z

A teacher in New York shared this idea with me years ago.  It’s going to take a little work, but it will be something children will treasure the rest of their lives!  You will need to assemble photographs of the children, as well as pictures you’ve taken throughout the school year.  Take 26 sheets of paper and write a letter on each page.  Glue pictures of the children on the page their name begins with.  Next, sort through the pictures and glue them on appropriate pages.  (I’ve give you some suggestions for each letter below.)  Label the pictures and run off a copy for each child.  Use card stock for the front and back cover and bind.

                  A- apple tasting, art, alphabet, “Alligator”

                  B- “Bear Hunt,” blocks, birthdays, books, bus

                  C- computers, caterpillars, counting, cooking, CLIFFORD

                  D- dinosaurs, dancing, drawing, “Days of the Week”

                  E- easel, exercise, eating, exploring

                  F- friends, fall, first day of school, “Five Little Monkeys”

                  G- GINGERBREAD MAN, games, graphs, gym

                  H- Hundred Day, Halloween, holidays, handprint

                  I- ice and snow, insects, “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” “I can___”

                  J- jack o’ lanterns, journals, jump rope

                  K- KISSING HAND, kites, kindness, “Katalina”

                  L- letters, library, “Lettercise,” lunch, LEO

                  M-“Macarena Months,” music, math, magnets

                  N- nests, nursery rhymes, names, numbers

                  O- oceans, outside, “Over in the Meadow”

                  P- pizza parlor, P.E., puzzles, painting, “Peanut Butter”

                  Q- quiet time, quilts

                  R- reading, rainy days, running, rabbits, “Rime Time”

                  S- singing, spring, shapes, senses, science

                  T- “Tooty Ta,” turkeys, teeth, tests, TACKY THE PENGUIN

                  U- upside down, under, umbrellas (April showers)

                  V- Valentine’s Day, VERY BUSY SPIDER

                  W- word wall, writing, winter, “Wally Acha,” weather

                  X- “X” marks the spot (treasure hunt), X with body

                  Z- zoo field trip, zigzag art, “Z” end of the year

*Use the name of the school, teacher’s name, etc.

                 

Here’s a poem for the cover:

We’ve learned and played in many ways,

But now the year must end.

Here’s a book to remember special days,

And all your kindergarten (first grade) friends!

Hint!  If you don’t have photographs, let your children draw pictures for your book.  

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL!

Mothers love their children.

            Teachers do, too!

Mothers sing to their children.

            Teachers do, too!

Mothers read books to their children.

            Teachers do, too!

Mothers guide and discipline their children.

            Teachers do, too!

Mothers help their children learn everything they can.

            Teachers do, too.

Mothers comfort their children and dry their tears.

            Teachers do, too.

Mothers give their children hopes and dreams.

            Teachers do, too.

Mothers want their children to be happy.

            Teachers do, too.

I am reminded of a sweet book called GOOD BYE, MR. CHIPS that was about a teacher at a boy’s boarding school in England.  As Mr. Chipping was dying, someone remarked that it was sad that he never had children.  Mr. Chips’s perception is similar to what teachers everywhere feel:

            I thought I heard you saying it was a pity... pity I never had any children. 

            But you're wrong. I have. Thousands of them. Thousands of them...             

            and all boys.

Every teacher is a mother, so I wish a special day to each of you!

TIME CAPSULES AND MEMORY SHIRTS

Time Capsule – Create a memento of the year with a time capsule.  Ask each child to bring in Pringle’s can.  Have them draw a picture of themselves and put it in the can.  Let them write or dictate what they want to be when they grow up and illustrate it.  Challenge them to collect a wrapper from their favorite food, something their favorite color, friends’ signatures, and other small, meaningful objects to add to their bottles.  After gluing on the lid and decorating the outside, send the time capsules home with a note to the parents asking them to save them until their child graduates from high school.

Memory Shirt – Have children bring in an old t-shirt from home.  (White works best.)  Provide them with fabric pens and let them have friends write their names and draw pictures on their shirts.

Hint!  Plan several days for this project.  It’s “no fun” if you have to do it all at once.  A parent volunteer would be very helpful!

Sweet Dreams Pillowcase -  Let children bring in a pillowcase and have their friends decorate them with their names and pictures.   They will have “sweet dreams” all summer!

Now I Can!  Brainstorm all the things your students have learned during the school year.  Give each child a sheet of paper and have them draw something they couldn’t do at the beginning of the year that they can do now.  Complete this sentence:  “I couldn’t _______, but now I can _______.”   Make a cover that says “Now I Can!” and bind to make a book.

Time Line – Give each child a long strip of paper.  Draw a line down the middle.  Have children draw what they looked like when they started the school year on the left and what they look like now on the right.  They can fill in the middle of the time line with special memories.  (You might need to brainstorm or show photos to spark their memories.)

The Best Thing About…  Invite children to recall some of their favorite memories from the school year.  Give them a sheet of paper to illustrate it.  Ask them to write (or dictate) a sentence about it.  Put their pictures together in a cover that says, “The Best Thing About (Grade)” and bind.  Save the book to read to your new class when school starts.

SUMMER READING AND WRITING ADVENTURES

Library Card – What better gift can you give your students at the end of the year than a library card?  Take a field trip to your local library or ask the children’s librarian to visit your school and describe all their summer reading activities.

Summer Reading List – It’s easy to do an internet search and find a suggested reading list for your grade level.  Parents would probably appreciate this when helping their child choose books to read over the summer.

Postcards – Cut card stock the size of a postcard.  Let children decorate one side with markers or crayons.  On the reverse side draw a line down the middle.  Have the children write the teacher’s name on one half.  Explain that if they send you the postcard over the summer and write you a note that you will write back to them.

*You could also give the children a pre-stamped envelope addressed to you.

Whenever they write you, you will write them back.

Journals - Make travel brochures for children to write in over the summer.

Top Ten – Have each child make a list of ten things they would like to do over the summer.  (Younger children could dictate five things they would like to do.)  

END OF THE YEAR CADENCE

Keep on singing to the last day with these songs!

End of Year Cadence

(The children repeat each line.)

The school year is coming to an end.       (Stand, march, and slap thighs

The school year is coming to an end.        to the beat.)

We’ll say so long to all our friends.

We’ll say so long to all our friends.

We’ve learned to read and write and spell.

We’ve learned to read and write and spell.

We know our shapes and numbers well.

We know our shapes and numbers well.

We’ve learned to follow classroom rules.

We’ve learned to follow classroom rules.

Getting along is really cool.

Getting along is really cool.

Science, music, art, PE.

Science, music, art, PE.

School’s been great for you and me.

School’s been great for you and me.

Summer’s time for outdoor fun.

Summer’s time for outdoor fun.

Read every day and play in the sun.

Read every day and play in the sun.

And when school begins again.

And when school begins again.

We’ll be happy to see our friends.

We’ll be happy to see our friends.

Days Left in the Year Song – Count down as you sing this song to the tune of  “100 Bottles of Pop on the Wall.”

(Number of days) left in the school year.

(Number of days) left, that’s so.

We’ve had fun, we’re almost done.

(Number of days) to go.

*Make a paper chain and use it to count down the final days of school.

*Make a bulletin board with balloons for the number of school days left.  Pop one balloon each day.  (These could be real balloons or paper balloons.)

School Is Over

(Tune:  Frere Jacques)

School is over.

School is over.     (Children repeat each line.)

Time to go.

Time to go.

We’ve had fun learning.

We’ve had fun learning.

Love you so.

Love you so.

Zippity Do Dah

Zippity do dah - Zippity ay.

Look out (first grade, second grade, upcoming grade) 

We’re on our way.

Zippity do dah - Zippity ay.

Plenty of learning coming our way.

(Teacher’s name) is by my shoulder.

It’s the truth.  It’s actual.

Everything is satisfactual.                                                                    

Zippity do dah - Zippity ay.

Look out world, we're on our way!

Singing and dancing with my friends at James Island Elementary.

PARTY PEOPLE!

Some of you only have a few days left of school, but some of you have weeks to go.  The end of the school year should be like "dessert" with lots of sweet memories.  Over the next week I'll be sharing songs, activities, and special days to give children lasting memories.

Sports Day – Enjoy the warm weather with a “Sports Day.”  Children can wear t-shirts and hats from their favorite teams.  Let them bring sports equipment to share with friends on the playground.

Beach Party – Bring beach towels and wear sunglasses, shorts, and bathing suits.  Set up sprinklers or other water activities on the playground.  Play beach ball games, beach music, and have a “cool” snack like popsicles. 

Book Party – Encourage children to dress up like their favorite book character.  Play “Guess Who I Am?” or have children describe why they like a particular character.  Let them bring favorite reading material (books, magazines) from home and sit or lay wherever they want for independent reading.

Talent Show - One of my favorite memories is of a Talent Show we had at the end of the school year.  I just invited all the children to think of a “talent” (song, dance, story, gymnastic stunt) they could do.  We sat in a circle and they all got up and performed!  We clapped and laughed and cheered!

Pajama Party – Have children wear pajamas and bring pillows and stuffed animals to class.  Read books, watch a movie, and eat popcorn.

Career Day – Children come dressed for the career they’d like when they grow up.  After sharing with friends, have each child draw a picture (or take a photograph) and make a class book.

Luau – Make grass skirts from draw string garbage bags.  Cut straws in 1” pieces and alternate stringing with paper flowers on dental floss to create a lei.  Hula, surf, and eat pineapple fruit kabobs for snack.

Toy Day – Children bring a favorite toy from home and share with their friends.

Wash Day – Wear old clothes and bring sponges, pails, and squirt bottles.  Let children wash tables, desks, toys, etc.  (You could tie this in with a water play day.)

Teddy Bear Parade – Children bring in a teddy bear or stuffed animal and parade around the classroom.  Have them write stories and draw pictures of what they like to do with their bear.  Have a “tea party” with your bears.

Board Game Day – Let children bring board games from home.  Set aside the last hour in the day to share games and play with friends.

Hat Day – Ask children to wear their favorite hat to school, or challenge them to design a hat from a paper plate and art scraps.

Sock Hop – Children get to wear silly socks to school and have a dance at the end of the day.

*Teach the children the “Twist,” “Charleston,” “Jitterbug,” “Swim,” “Pony,” or other dances from your past.

Teacher of the Day – Assign one child each day the last month of school to be “Teacher of the Day.”  That child gets to sit in your desk and be in charge of circle time.  They can choose a book to read to the class, a song to sing, game to play, and so forth.

NO JOKE!

Did you know there was actually a Joke Day?  It’s July 1^st, but most of you won’t be in school then.  So, how about choosing another day before the end of the year to tell jokes?  And, no joke, but here are a few standards you can reinforce as you laugh with your students!

Double meanings of words

Oral language

Confidence speaking in front of a group

Questions and statements

Memorization (develops short term memory)

*Check out joke books from the library and read them to the class.  If someone doesn’t “get it,” ask another student to explain it.  When one student “thinks out loud” and explains their thought process it can help another child scaffold to a higher level.

*Send a note home on Monday explaining that you will have “Joke Show and Share” on Friday.  Ask each parent to help their child practice a joke that they can say.  (I’d also include the skills children can learn from jokes.)

*Check out free websites where you can get jokes for kids.  There’s also several free apps you can download.  (K.J. loves the free “Knock Knock Jokes for Kids.”)

*Let your students make a class book of jokes.  Each child can write a joke, and then illustrate the answer under a flap as shown.

If you’re curious about the riddles in the photo, Pamela Pounds shared them with me. 

If the alphabet goes from A to Z, what goes from Z to A?  Zebra
Why did the chicken cross the playground?  To get to the other slide.