3 End of the Year Countdown Ideas
 Related Product: Ready-to-Decorate My Timeline Poster Set By the time April rolls around, not only are teachers thinking about the end of the year, but so are students. Turning the focus back to the things that need to be done before the final bell of the year rings can be a daunting task. The three ideas below can help you keep your students on-track without ignoring their excitement about the approaching summer break.
Countdown Counting up to the 100th Day of School is exciting, but counting down to the final day of school is equally as fun. Pick a day, whether it is a multiple of five, an even number, an odd number, or just a full month before the year ends, and create a countdown sheet. Label the poster or bulletin board, “Focus to the Finish” and explain to the class that each day they show focus on their schoolwork, the class will be rewarded with a green sticker or dot. When the chart is filled with green stickers, the class will be get an end-of-the-year pizza party or other special treat. Memory-A-Day Making memories during the final few weeks of school is important for students. Use a timeline to record an event that happens each day during the end-of-the-year countdown. Assign one student each day to fill in the timeline. To keep students focused on their work throughout the day, write a reminder on the board that says, “We’re making memories. Focus on today!” The gentle reminder will help redirect their attention.  Related Product: Tweet a Sweet Notecard Share With Us After students have spend the entire year together in the same classroom, they begin to think they know everything about one another. Use the last weeks of class to learn more about your students. Have each student be the “Student of the Day” and encourage them to share what they have learned, their favorite memories, and what they are most looking forward to next year. Let the other students fill out a Tweet a Sweet Notecard to share compliments and messages with the Student of the Day. While the end of the school year can be challenging, it can also be a wonderful time to reflect on the year and your students. Channel their excitement and share their enthusiasm. Before you know it the sweet sound of the final bell will be ringing in your ears. |
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Commented On April 11th, 2011 2:18 pm
My friend taught me a great countdown technique. Every child writes a favorite memory or two on a slip of paper. We number them and create a chain to countdown to the last day of school. We rip off a link every day and the kids love to hear the memories and guess who wrote it.
Commented On April 11th, 2011 6:39 pm
I do an ABC countdown with my class. We do an activity or 2 for each letter the last 26 days of school.
Commented On April 11th, 2011 8:04 pm
In my class, after brainstorming, I use the writing prompt…Overall we’ve had a great year…and attach writing paper to a pair of overalls cut from construction paper. I then attach the colorful overalls on a clothes line for display.
Commented On April 11th, 2011 9:35 pm
I love the last idea! I will be using this one…thanks!
Commented On April 16th, 2011 9:03 pm
These are all really great ideas. The “overall” ideas is really creative. I like the idea of a count down. I would have never thought of that. I do have few activities that we do in my class, like a memory book that the students complete and autograph for eachother, but that’s done during the last week of school.
Commented On April 17th, 2011 9:22 am
I love these ideas! I will wait unyil testing concludes to start the countdown, but am excited!
Commented On April 17th, 2011 8:19 pm
These are great ideas! My students are getting very excited about the end of the school year approaching and these ideas all seem like fantastic ways to let the students get their jitters out and move on to the other parts of the day.
Commented On April 19th, 2011 12:24 pm
We do journals all year in my 8th grade Reading class. At the end of the year, I write a personal note to each of my students. When they get them back, we take one class period and they exchange journals & write notes to each other. It’s something they can keep forever & be able to see what others wrote about them, too.
Commented On January 8th, 2012 2:33 pm
I love the memory idea! I think my third graders would have a blast with that! Thanks for all the wonderful ideas!