The end of the school year is in sight, and we want to make sure you and your students cross the finish line feeling proud. We turned to our very own team of former educators to share their best tips and favorite Education.com resources for making every last day of school count. From classroom routines and student choice to movement breaks, their advice covers everything you need to make those final weeks as meaningful and memorable as the first.
Katelan Frye
Middle School Social Studies and ELA
End-of-the-year tip #1: Don’t ditch the routine just yet
Katelan’s tried and true end-of-year strategy? Keeping things consistent.
Routine is key! Maintaining a predictable classroom routine helps students transition smoothly between end-of-year activities. It also mitigates test anxiety; since class time is a known entity, the lack of unpleasant surprises leads to much calmer students!
End-of-the-year tip #2: Incorporate student choice
Her next piece of advice is all about putting the power of choice in students’ hands.
The end-of-the-year is a great time to incorporate student choice into class activities. Project-based learning was always my favorite way to continue meaningful learning up until the last day of school. Creative and research-based projects encourage students to apply the skills they’ve learned throughout the year to topics they are naturally curious about.
Katelan’s favorite Education.com end-of-the-year resource
For an end-of-the-year activity, I recommend the “Research a Historical Figure” graphic organizer. It’s a manageable task with meaningful content, especially if you give students the freedom to choose whom they research. The research can take a day or two, depending on the required depth. Then, it’s easy to extend into a public-speaking activity by having students share their findings with a small group or the whole class.
Hallie Rockwell
Middle School ELA
End-of-the-year tip: Get moving
Hallie knows that keeping middle schoolers engaged sometimes means getting them out of their seats.
Middle schoolers need to get the wiggles out, too! Find ways to incorporate movement and student interaction into the classroom through jigsaws, gallery walks, or outdoor activities. My students loved the opportunity to do independent reading outside.
Hallie’s favorite Education.com end-of-the-year resource
The “Playlist of My Year” worksheet is a meaningful way to incorporate student reflection and low-stakes writing practice. Print it off and use it in the last week of school, and make good use of the inevitable one-off shortened class period.
Lacey Hollowell
3rd and 4th grade
End-of-the-year tip #1: Inject fun into stressful activities
Lacey’s tip is a great reminder that even required activities can be transformed into something students actually look forward to.
The end of the year can be stressful for everyone, especially for elementary schoolers going through their first year of standardized test prep. Find ways to inject fun and humor into required activities. One year, I made a test-prep unit for my third graders with a playful luchador theme to help them practice test-taking strategies in a silly and engaging way.
End-of-the-year tip #2: Lean into what you love
Beyond keeping things fun, Lacey believes the end of the year is the perfect time to revisit the moments and activities that remind you why you love teaching.
Do more of what sparks joy for you and your students! That might mean taking a math lesson outside to enjoy nicer weather, squeezing in an engaging STEM activity, or creating a good-natured competition between classes. Read-aloud time was always magical with my kids, so I made sure we had a great novel to finish out the year.
Lacey’s favorite Education.com end-of-the-year resource
I love Edcom’s novel and book studies because they’re a great way to create shared reading experiences with the whole class, allowing scaffolded practice of reading comprehension and analysis skills with authentic, engaging texts.
A big thank you to Katelan, Hallie, and Lacey for sharing their wisdom and favorite resources with us! We hope their tips help you and your students finish the school year feeling accomplished, energized, and ready for whatever comes next.
Looking for more resources? Check out our entire Learning Library of over 40,000 worksheets, hands-on activities, games, and more!