Letting Them Choose

'Tis the end of the school year is upon us in 5th grade. I'm not usually a countdowner (unless we are referring to the wedding.. in THAT case, we have 44 days!) but I can sense the end is near....

We just wrapped our How Does Exericse Affect Learning PBL project (details to come!) and I wanted to hold onto that student engagement and choice-driven environment that had flourished during the week of our PBL project. 

A fellow 5th grade teacher and I collaborated and created a (in my opinion) totally awesome choice menu for the rest of the year. The menu items feature some writing, some reading, some social studies, fluency, poetry, and even opportunities to be creative.

Monkeyin' Around Visual Aid

As a requirement for class, students must complete seven out of the nine choices. Some of the choices require students to publish through their blog or in their writer's notebook. I have a checklist to manage as students complete various tasks. Students who go above and beyond and complete all nine will be rewarded with ice cream sundaes. 

 

I mean, c'mon? Who doesn't love an ice cream sundae?

Here are a few of the options:

A few more choices available to students:

Another one of the options involves making a visual aid to represent their favorite book from this year. I had a young man do this project at home the night I introduced the choice menu! 

Fine by me!

How is the rest of your year shaping up? Share with me your "end of the year" activities!

You can access an editable version of the choice menu through Google Docs ------------> HERE.

Letter to Future Me

Tuck this idea away for the start (and end) of the school year....

 I was inspired to do this project by a teacher at my high school who had her students write letters to themselves in her classroom. Her promise was mail the letters back to each student several years down the road. Imagine the surprise when my friends opened up the letters they had written in high school to themselves! I wanted to create the same type of nostalgic experience for my students... with a slightly shorter time period. 

On one of the first few days of school, I have my brand new 5th graders write letters to their "future selfs". After discussing goals for the school year, I have students write a letter to themselves for the last week of school. Then, once my students leave my doors for the last time (and I've dried my tears), I send their letters to them in the mail. Of course, I always take a peak once more at their writing and admire how much they have grown over the past school year. I'll admit, it's a neat experience for me as a teacher. 

This year, I had several students remind ME about my promise to send the letters in late May. They were not going to let me forget that I had made them a promise on the first day of school!

Calling Mr. Postman!

Last Day Blues

UPDATE! If you would like a copy of our memory book - please email me: JordonJRobertson@gmail.com ( I don't always see the comments!!)

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The end of the school year is such a bittersweet feeling. I know I'm going to sob like a little baby when my 5th graders leave, but I am so excited for what the summer has in store for me (and others!). Our last day is May 22 - only four and half more days! Absolutely bonkers.

Here are few activities I have tried to wrap up the year with my kids.  These ideas aren't groundbreaking by any means, but a fun way to maintain classroom community throughout the last few days.

Last Day Blues

Have you heard of the popular first day book, First Day Jitters? Well, Last Day Blues it the companion book to read on the last day of school.  It just arrived on my doorstep from Amazon a few days ago, and I can't wait to read it aloud. My last science rotations are tomorrow, so I'll be reading this to two different classes tomorrow. I'll keep a set of tissues on hand. 

Memory Books

I have students fill out memory books describing their height, age, favorite foods, friends, and favorite funny moments from the year. We had fun reminiscing about the year as we completed memory books today. Email me and I'll send you a copy of mine to edit on your own!

Mystery Person

I created a grid with 28 squares. Inside each square I wrote a clue about each student and a few teachers. Then, the students have to figure out which student's name belongs in each box.  This was a fun activity for me, because I got to pick out something unique about each student. Plus, it's remarkably easy because by now I know these kids sooo well! Tomorrow, we will have fun trying to identify who the mystery person in each box is. 

Word Searches

Using the oh-so-wonderful website, www.puzzlemaker.com, I plugged all of my kid's names into a word search. Today I heard the following sentences SHOUTED across the room:

"WHERE AM I!? I can't find me!"

"Sal, I found you!"

From an outsider's perspective, it sounded like a weird game of paper hide and go seek. Very enjoyable!

What kinds of activities do you do at the end of the year?

Happy Tuesday!