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Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 7: Enjoy them

You may not be getting much sleep, trying to fit in all those end-of-the-year expectations, but hang in there, there's a light at the end of the tunnel!

even Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 7: Enjoy them! This post suggests a Reader's theater resource about kindness!

For the past 6 days, I've been sharing ideas to have a Happy Last Day of School. 


You can read about Step One here:  Read Your Favorite Book
 
You can read about Step Two here: Leave Out a Few Favorite Games.

You can read about the third strategy here: Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards.


You can read about Step Four here: Keep Out a Handful of Whiteboards, Markers, and Erasers.


Read about Step Six here: Find One-On-One Time With Each Student.

Now, here is Step Seven!

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 7: Enjoy them! This post suggests a Reader's theater resource about kindness!

That's really what it's all about, isn't it?

Push away all the thoughts of what still needs to be done such as packing, test scores, end-of-the-year meetings, end-of-the-year record keeping, and all the rest.  

Take the time to enjoy the kids. 

I'll admit, I've never had a "last day" where I didn't get choked up saying goodbye to the children. (And I've been teaching forever!) 

They are the ones that matter after all the craziness of everything else!

It's really all about the kids. 
Remember that. 
Enjoy them!

Enjoy this Reader's Theater kindness:

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 7: Enjoy them! This post suggests a Reader's theater freebie about kindness!

This resource is available for free by signing up for my helpful emails HERE.
 

Which is your favorite of the Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School?

 
even Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 7: Enjoy them! This post suggests a Reader's theater resource about kindness!



Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 6: Meet with each child

Hopefully, you're getting report cards done and getting packed up with minimal stress, since that last day is coming soon.

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School Part 5: Find one-on-one time with every child. This post suggests how to organize the last day, and has a literacy center organization freebie!

It's all crazy, I know, but the kids make it all worth it, and that last day should be all about them!


You can read about Step One here:  Read Your Favorite Book
 
You can read about Step Two here: Leave Out a Few Favorite Games.

You can read about the third strategy here: Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards.


Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School Part 5: Find one-on-one time with every child. This post suggests how to organize the last day, and has a literacy center organization freebie!

I know, that's not easy when there are a whole bunch of them, and they all want attention! But there are ways to do it! 

I like to use as much routine as I can on that last day.  Although I don't do any Guided Reading groups during the last few days, I organize my day the same way.

This blog post tells how I organize my groups during Guided Reading time:
 

Although some of the options just don't work on the last day of school, I do use my literacy center cards to help organize things. You can find those as a freebie here: Literacy Center Cards Freebie.
 
Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School Part 5: Find one-on-one time with every child. This post suggests how to organize the last day, and has a literacy center organization freebie!
 
I might set up a few stations to go with the things I've kept out for the kiddos: (The freebie doesn't have cards for all these, but you can use the blank cards.)

Independent Reading 
Whiteboards
Games
Playing Cards
Work With Teacher

At the independent reading station, they can read any picture books I've kept out, or memory books. (See Step 5.)

At the Whiteboards station, they can play hangman or dictate sentences to one another. (See Step 4.)

At the games station, they can play the games I've left out. (See Step 2.)

At the Playing Cards station, they can play Salute, or Twenty-One. (See Step 3.)

What happens at the Work with Teacher Station? This is where you can give them individualized time! I've been known to play Apples to Apples with the children and laugh a lot. It's a great way to spend our last day together!

Another option?  Have no "Work With Teacher" station, and circulate throughout the classroom meeting with the children one at a time. I always make sure I ask questions about summer plans and make sure they know I'll be thinking about them!

This is your last crack at them... make it count!

Here's a link to Step Seven:

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School Part 5: Find one-on-one time with every child. This post suggests how to organize the last day, and has a literacy center organization freebie!



Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 5: Reading

Hang in there, there's a light at the end of the tunnel!

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School-Part 5: Make sure they have something to read! This post includes a fun summer vacation list!


Don't let the craziness get you down. You can always enjoy the last day!

This is the 5th step of 7 strategies to a Happy Last Day of School. 

You can read about Step One here:  Read Your Favorite Book.

You can read about Step Two here:  Leave Out a Few Favorite Games

You can read about the third strategy here: Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards.

You can read about Step Four here: Keep Out a Handful of Whiteboards, Markers, and Erasers.
Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School-Part 5: Make sure they have something to read! This post includes a fun summer vacation list!
I've always felt that reading is the most important thing we do in school, and I make it very clear that each student do some reading each and every day. Step one was all about reading to the children, but this step is all about having the children do the reading. Here are some ideas:

1. Leave out a few of their favorite books. I know, you've packed most of them, but let them enjoy their favorites for the last time. I pack my chapter books up about a week before the end of the year, since they won't have time to finish them. But I keep out those favorites. Here's another advantage: those favorites might just be the first ones you unpack in the fall!

2. Provide an End-Of-Year Memory Book. I know, who has time for this during this crazy time of year? Well, I always make the time for this, since it's something they'll keep forever. (I hope!) A couple of weeks before the end, I'll have the children write down some words about their classmates (and teachers) and their special memories from the year. I type these up and put them into a book. Yes, it's extra work, but it sure is fun to give them those books on the last day of school!

3. Give them a little something to read and take home! My students and I developed this list a couple of years ago, and I thought it was great! You can find this resource here: Summer Vacation List... So Tablets and Screens Don't Suck Out Your Brain!

I'm sure you have more ideas for making sure they do some reading on the last day!

Here's a link to Step Six:


Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School-Part 5: Make sure they have something to read! This post includes a fun summer vacation list!

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 4 Whiteboards

The focus this time of year is getting it all done: packing up, report cards, and all those end-of-the-year necessities.

even Steps to a Happy Last Day of School-Part 4: Keep out a few whiteboards, markers, and erasers. This post includes a Geography task card freebie!


My goal on the last day has always been to try to relax and help the kids enjoy that last day. Today I'll share the 4th of my 7 Steps.

You can read about Step One here:  Read Your Favorite Book
 
You can read about Step Two here: Leave Out a Few Favorite Games
 
You can read the third strategy here: Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards.

Today's strategy:

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School-Part 4: Keep out a few whiteboards, markers, and erasers. This post includes a Geography task card freebie!

Don't kids love using whiteboards?  Mine sure do! I always leave some out on the last day. 

Here are a few "educational" things they can do with the whiteboards:
1. Hangman (They can use spelling words or content words from the year!)

2. Dictate sentences for each other using something you've studied or a book you've read!

3. Tic-tac-toe (it involves strategy!)

4. Make up math problems for partners to solve.

5. Keep out a set of task cards for the children to answer on the whiteboards. Here's a free set that's perfect for end-of-the-year review: Geography Review Task Cards.

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School-Part 4: Keep out a few whiteboards, markers, and erasers. This post includes a Geography task card freebie!


Here's a blog post I wrote last year with a few whiteboard ideas: 3 Ways to Use Individual Whiteboards

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School-Part 4: Keep out a few whiteboards, markers, and erasers.


What are your ideas for using whiteboards on the last day of school?


Here's a link to Step 5:

 
even Steps to a Happy Last Day of School-Part 4: Keep out a few whiteboards, markers, and erasers. This post includes a Geography task card freebie!




Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 3: Playing Cards

Are you going crazy trying to get it all done?


Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards! This post includes a fun addition game resource to play with playing cards!


If you're like me, you want to enjoy that last day with the students. I've got 7 steps I take on that last day. Today is about Step 3.

You can read about Step One here:  Read Your Favorite Book.

You can read about Step Two here: Leave Out a Few Favorite Games

Here is the third Strategy:

Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards! This post includes a fun addition game resource to play with playing cards!
If you're anything like me, you have a TON of math games, but it's ok to pack those up, since there are several games that can be played with a simple deck of cards!

Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards! This post includes a fun addition game resource to play with playing cards!

Here are some easy card games they can play to review important math skills:


1. Addition War (Like regular war, but with 2 cards added together.)

2. Multiplication War (Like Addition War, but with the cards multiplied together.)

3. Salute This is one of my favorite games (and the kids, too!) I learned about it HERE. You can download a freebie with directions to the addition version as well as the multiplication version on this website.

4. Twenty-One Some people know this game as Blackjack, but this is the "non-gambling" version. This game requires addition skills as well as some strategy and thinking about probability. The children absolutely love this one! You can download directions for playing the game here: Twenty-One.

Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards! This post includes a fun addition game resource to play with playing cards!

5. Solitaire I know, this doesn't have a specific math skill, but it sure does strengthen their Number Sense!

I'd love it if you shared your ideas for more educational ideas for playing cards!

Here's a link to Step 4:

Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards! This post includes a fun addition game resource to play with playing cards!




Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 2: Games

If you're getting ready for the end of the school year, I'm sure things are a little crazy. It's hard to enjoy the last day of school when there is so much to do, but I've got a few ideas for you.

This post includes suggestions for end of year review games and some fun game ideas!

Yesterday I shared my first strategy for a Happy Last Day of School: Read Your Favorite Book.
 
Today, and for the next 5 days, I'll be sharing a new strategy for a Happy Last Day of School. Here's today's strategy:

Seven Steps o a Happy Last Day of School - Part 2: Leave Out a Few Favorite Games

By this point, you've probably packed up most classroom games, but it's a good idea to keep out a couple of favorites for a happy last day of school.

I prefer games that include a little reading and a little thinking!

Apples to Apples is my group's favorite game. I love it because it creates lots of giggles, but also has some thinking skills and strategy. It even has a little reading! (Explore the image: this is an Amazon affiliate link.)

This post includes suggestions for end of year review games and some fun game ideas!

Battleship is also a favorite! There's not a whole lot of reading, but there's plenty of thinking involved! (The image is also an Amazon affiliate link.)

This post includes suggestions for end of year review games and some fun game ideas!

They don't have to be store-bought games! 
They can be learning games you've had in your classroom, that the kiddos love to play over and over again!

Here's a resource that celebrates reading and the books the children have read during the year: Reading Celebration Game

This post includes suggestions for end of year review games and some fun game ideas!

I have a few other posts that focus on games:

 
This post includes suggestions for end of year review games and some fun game ideas!
 

This post includes suggestions for end of year review games and some fun game ideas!


This post includes suggestions for end of year review games and some fun game ideas!

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 1: Read Aloud

We all know those last couple of weeks of school are insane: antsy students, report cards, packing the room, etc.  It's all overwhelming, isn't it?

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 1: Read your favorite book! This post includes a freebie to share with parents about helping children at home with literacy skills.

Despite it all, I refuse to let the craziness destroy my last day with my students. For the next seven days, I'll be sharing some of my strategies for a Happy Last Day of School.  Here's the first!

1. Read Your Favorite Book!

This post includes a helpful resource to share with parents about helping children at home with literacy skills.

Reading to the students is one of the most important things a teacher can do. 

See this blog post to see some of benefits of reading to children: The Importance of Read Alouds!

This post includes a helpful resource to share with parents about helping children at home with literacy skills.

I'm sure you've already read your favorite book to your class. Maybe more than once! I'm willing to bet that same book might be a favorite of the students as well!

But reading it again on the last day of school leads to some very special memories. 

I like to leave my students with those warm feelings for books, don't you?

Here are some of my very favorite books to read to children. (Click these for affiliate links to Amazon.)

This post includes a helpful resource to share with parents about helping children at home with literacy skills.          This post includes a helpful resource to share with parents about helping children at home with literacy skills.
This post includes a helpful resource to share with parents about helping children at home with literacy skills.          This post includes a helpful resource to share with parents about helping children at home with literacy skills.

Here's a little freebie you can send home for parents and caregivers: How to Help Children at Home with Literacy Skills.

  Here's a link to step two:


Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 1: Read your favorite book! This post includes a freebie to share with parents about helping children at home with literacy skills.


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