Summer is just around the corner—so close you can almost taste it! BUT you must finish the school year, and you might as well finish it off like a ROCKSTAR! I have lots of ideas for you; some are fun, some are academic, and most are both! Grab some TEACHER TIPS AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL.

This one is so much fun! Did you know that the average class in the United States has about 21 students in it? That’s 21 different personalities with 21 different talents! Have your students put on a talent show. This gives them an opportunity to show off something they’re good at or just love doing! It also gives you an opportunity to see your students in a new light. Great way to end the year! 

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM! No really—your students will scream with excitement over an ice cream day! Provide the ice cream and send letters home to parents to help provide toppings! Set it up buffet-style and let your students create their own! 

Students love learning about animals. This wildlife research project encourages students to think critically, engage in meaningful discussions, and take action to protect endangered animals. Whether you’re using it for a single report or a full-class project, this research project is fun and accessible for all learners.

This is a good one because it requires little work and little cleanup! Have students bring in their favorite board game or card game and give them time to play. This gives them the chance to play and chat with their friends before summer break! When it’s time to clean up, have them clean up the game they brought/played with! They won’t want to leave behind any pieces of their favorite game! 

Let students read their favorite book in a cozy spot of their choice! Let students and parents know they can bring a pillow and blanket to school that day! Bring a few blankets and pillows for students who forget to bring theirs. Set up cozy spots around the room and let them relax and enjoy a nice book! 

Make reading review engaging and interactive with 3 Jeopardy-style reading games! Perfect for boosting participation while reviewing key ELA skills. Can be used for end-of-year review. Review those reading skills! Students will be hooked from the first question while you gather valuable insight into their understanding. It is prepped and ready!

This activity is fun for students and helps clean desks at the same time! Spray a little shaving cream on each desk and let students draw, play games like Tic-Tac-Toe, or answer review questions in the foam. The shaving cream helps cut through dirt and grime, so desks end up clean and ready for summer while students have a blast!

Kiddos love this one! Have your students pick a topic they are passionate about (baseball, lizards, shoes, baking cookies, ANYTHING!), and then, have them research and put together a presentation to teach to the class! Sit in their desk while they teach and let them feel like the teacher! You’ll learn something about your students, too! 

Mmm-mmm-mmm I LOVE chocolate! And odds are, your students do, too! It’s one thing to buy chocolate and eat it, but have you ever MADE chocolate? This is a fun and tasty activity for your class! They worked so hard this year—they deserve it! Here’s how to make chocolate in ten easy steps! 

Do you want something educational to go along with it? You can also do a CHOCOLATE WEBQUEST that the kids will love! They will learn about where chocolate came from and how it is made!

This is a fun and creative activity! I like to prep this one ahead of time. All you need is one folder per student, lined writing paper, and tape (optional). Measure each file folder and cut the first half in four sections. (See pic.)

Place students into groups of four and tell them they are going to create the next American Idol character!

Student 1 draws the head under the top flap, adds a few lines into the next section to show where the drawing continues, closes the flap, and passes it on. No peeking!

Student 2 draws the body to the waist under flap two, adds a few connecting lines, closes the flap, and passes it on.

Student 3 draws the legs under flap three, adds connecting lines, closes the flap, and passes it on.

Student 4 draws the feet under the last flap, closes it, and passes it to Student 1.

Finally, Student 1 opens the paper to reveal the silly character the group created! Students can then write about their person, alien, or creature and share it with the class. So fun!

Let your students be detectives for the day! Mystery units can work in amazing ways by integrating problem-solving and close-reading skills in a painless and FUN way! I’ve put together a list of eleven activities for teaching a mystery unit with games, reading and writing, activities, and more!

Every student brings something special to your classroom, and the end of the year is the perfect time to celebrate them! I love recognizing each child with a special End-of-Year Award. We have a wide variety of ready-to-use awards (Notable People, Rockstar, Mega Pack), or you can personalize them to make each student feel extra special. Invite parents to join the celebration and host a simple awards ceremony to honor your students’ hard work, growth, and accomplishments all year long!

Are you wanting to keep the structure and academics? This is a complete review of the reading literacy and information text standards, writing standards, and some of the math standards. It is theme-based with high-interest passages!

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

These packets can also be sent home with students! Avoid the summer slide!

Have students write a letter to their future selves about the school year, their dreams, or future goals. Save the letters and surprise them later, at the end of the next school year or even at high school graduation! I also took photos throughout the year and mailed students their letters, a class picture, and a graduation card when they graduated. It became such a meaningful tradition, and hearing back from former students made it even more special!

If you started a time capsule at the beginning of the year, now is the time to do the end-of-year portion and compare them! So so so so fun!

This end-of-year activity are task cards that students love! They are fun and challenging with deep thinking activities. And yes, there is an answer key incase your mind is boggled with the brain teasers too!

The end of the school year is supposed to be fun! Have fun with your kiddos and finish off the year by making good memories! I hope these tips and ideas get you through the last weeks of school! Enjoy your last moments with your kiddos and HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! You ROCK, teacher! 

Keep Rockin’,

Pam