End of the Year Activities and Lesson Ideas

For many of you school is starting to wind down for the school year. I still have two more months to go. However, my Grade 8’s have been slowly starting to feel more and more like Grade 9’s as the warm weather is emerging. This is the time of year when I need to make EXTRA sure that my lessons continue to be 100% engaging and interesting. 

Here are some ideas of things I do to keep things interesting and engaging:

• Save your most interesting unit or concept until near the end. Every year I save my Data Management or Probability Unit until the last month of the school year. It is very hands-on and interactive. 

• Not a math teacher? Try these cool Science ideas: Forensics or Mystery Who Dunn it – Who doesn’t like a good mystery to solve?

• Have students reflect on their year, first as a class, then in groups, and finally individually  Students work on reflection sheets for various subjects, and conference with me to discuss all of their accomplishments of this past year. Students are amazed at how many books they have read, or new concepts they have learned. 

• Have the students give YOU the teacher a report card. You can read about this process here. 
• Create a class memory book using free software Google Docs or Open Office. Students can take turns editing a page just about them, then working on class collaborative pages. They can be merged into one pdf file and shared with other students in the class. Digital memory books save money by reducing photocopy costs. 
• I have each of my students write a letter to my future students who share their number on the class list. This year’s student number 5 on the class list will write a letter to next year’s number 5. The students get to share their secrets and expert knowledge on how to survive grade x. 

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