Countdown the School Year

Have you ever done an end-of-the-year countdown? I love doing this with my class. I have tried many different ideas and all of them bring a level of fun as we celebrate the year and wrap it up together. 

1. A Simple Countdown Chain

I went really simple again this year. With my own child finishing up her senior year, it is too much to go all out in this season. So, I sat down and created a chain with the number of days left. We began at 10 and, as of today, there are four links left. Kids love just getting to remove one piece each day and seeing the chain shrink. 

2. A Bulletin Board Countdown 

Some years, I have gone all out with creating a countdown that features a beach scene on my bulletin board. Each day we remove one piece and under each piece is an activity for us to do together as a class. This one took a bit more work, but it was a lot of fun!

3. Balloon Countdown

Another fun idea is to blow up several balloons to count down the end of the year. I stuff a slip of paper inside of each balloon with a surprise or activity for that day. Students enjoy taking turns and popping one balloon each day to see what is inside as we countdown to summer vacation. 

4. Scratch-off Countdown

One year I created these fun scratch-off countdown cards. I saw something similar for a welcome card for the year announcing things that the class would be doing or learning for the year. That's when the idea struck me that you could also do that same idea, but to countdown to the end of the year for the last five days. Under each scratch-off is a little activity or prize for the students. They absolutely loved these and guarded them with their lives as we counted down together. 

If you are interested in the scratch-offs, you can find those right here. 

Five different styles include:

• Splashing into Summer (Waterpark-Themed)
• Countdown to Summer (Beach-Themed)
• Bringing in the Summer (Luau-Themed)
• Cheering for Summer (Football-Themed)
• Blast off to Summer (Space-Themed)

These are editable so you can add your own activity or prize beneath each scratch-off. Also, they come in full color as well as blackline to save ink. 

You can find the scratch-off dots over here at amazon.  These are just stickers that you place directly over the text. So fun for kids to scratch these off and reveal the prize. 

Whatever you choose to do, or not do this year, I hope you have a wonderful end to your school year!

5 Classroom Engagement Tips for the End of the School Year

The end of the school year is already crazy, busy. Here are some ways you can save the sanity of your students and yourself to finish off strong. Check out these tips for a successful slide into the end of the year. 

1. Less Structured Days

Curriculum is finishing up. Students are getting excited for summer. Instead of whole group activities all day, incorporate some of the following: 

• Centers
• Partner Work
• Choice Boards

You can keep your sanity by conserving energy and not be the one leading all day long. 

2. Turn Learning Activities into Games

This will help to keep your students engaged when engagement seems to be a unattainable.

• Blooket (a favorite of my class) or Kahoot
• Whiteboard races: (two groups line up and a question is given. The front person in each line races to be the first to write the answer. Or Use individual whiteboards and see you can be first to raise the right answer up.)
• Trashketball: Students have to answer questions correctly to try to shoot a basket for their teams. You can use a ball of paper and a trashcan to keep it super simple.
• Scoot: Place task cards on each desk. Students move from desk to desk with a recording sheet and answer questions. 

The best part is that you can use any content area for these games, but these just make it feel like play. 

3. Review Without Worksheets

Keep students reviewing important skills for upcoming tests. Instead of using the regular worksheets, try some of these:

• Task Cards
• Scavenger Hunts
• Escape Rooms
• Around-the-Room Review

By adding movement, you are subtracting behavior problems. 

4. Project-Based "Fun" Learning

Let students create instead of sit. The sky is really the limit, but here's some ideas to get you started: 

• "Create a Business" Project
• Biography Posters
• Stem Challenges
• End of Year Memory Books

These will help keep learning meaningful but low stress.

5. Teach Life Skills (They WILL LOVE this)

These are no prep, but high in value.

• How to Debate
• Teamwork Challenges
• Goal Setting for Next Year
• Kindness/Leadership Activities

There you have it! Keep your sanity and still keep the learning going until the last day. If you are looking for some resources to make some of these type of activities a reality, click the pictures below. 

10 STEM challenges for the great outdoors. 

Superhero STEM & Writing Activity

Soccer STEM & Book Unit

Llama Themed Memory Book

5 Ways to Countdown to the End of the School Year

What a challenging year this has been! Educators everywhere have felt it, as I am sure students have too. In fact I just read that 600,000 teachers have left the profession during the pandemic alone. And so with that mindset, I am sure that everyone in the classroom is starting to count down the days ahead until summer break is within their grasp. At my school, we have 8 1/2 more days. Being in the single digits is pretty great. Here's a look at some of the activities I have loved to do at the end of the year to make it a bit more special.

1 . Countdown

I like to have something for students to physically count down. I want them to be able to see it....such as a paper chain that can have one link removed. Another fun one is to decorate a bulletin board with a beach scene that gets one piece removed each day. When we were online we had a countdown poster with activities for each day. But my absolute favorite is to have a balloon for each of the last few days with a special surprise or activity written on a paper and stuffed inside. Students take turn popping a balloon each day to reveal the special activity inside. 

2. Special Learning Activities

With curriculum being completed, extra activities are a must if you want to remain sane and keep students busy. One of my most-loved end of the year activities is to host a trial where students must write a persuasive paper to the judge (me) and convince a jury (a panel of older kids) that they deserve to go on to the next grade. The kids take this so seriously and are very nervous about presenting for this real-world cause. It is great because since they are so serious about it, they work hard to use evidence to plead their case. You can find this lesson that I purchased over here. 

3. End of the Year Memory Books

Every single year, I have the students create a small book with memories, stories, autographs, etc. that they can take with them when school is over. This year I found a super cute and amazing end of the year book that is a bubblegum machine. Each day the students do one page in it and on the days when they need to write, they have a little piece of candy to go with it to help motivate them. These always turn out cute and are something the students can keep for years to come to help them remember their school year. Here's the one I am using this year.

4. Special Projects

We all have students who are finished with everything earlier than some of the others. It can be hard to manage both groups at the same time, so having special projects that are INDEPENDENT is a game changer (literally). This year, I ran across a game project. The idea is that students create a game with a game board about a topic they have learned throughout the school year. It really can be anything. This is the first year I have used this, and it has been a huge hit for both the students and I. The other day we had a catch up day and I was able to work with students who needed extra guidance while the other students spent the ENTIRE DAY happily creating their game. It was amazing! They were excited. I was excited, and the students who were catching up on their work were able to get more help. Here's a link to the activity I found to TPT.

5. A Room Transformation

We have enjoyed so many classroom transformations throughout the year, but it is fun to celebrate our learning with a final room transformation to end the year. One year, it was STEAM Mania with a Toy Story theme. Last year it was a Super Mario theme. It is a fun way to end the year on a high note. I usually do not do this the last day, but in the days leading up. This year I would really like to do a mad scientist lab transformation. My kids love science and experiments and are always begging for more. 

What do you enjoy doing at the end of your school year? Leave a comment below if you have something special or fun that you do each year. 

Teacher Self-Care

Let's face it, teaching is one of the hardest jobs you could ever love. Teachers work tirelessly and even though they have a seemingly great schedule, you will regularly find teachers working at home past contract hours, during vacations, and even during summer break. Although teachers generally do love what they do, they also need to take time for self care. Here are five tips for taking care of yourself, in case you have forgotten how to do it.

1. Do something you love. Some people have lots of things they love to do, while some do not have any personal hobbies. It may come as a surprise to people who have many hobbies, but there actually are people who find it hard to figure out hobbies of their own. I remember a coworker of mine who once said when our new staff was getting to know each other and sharing our hobbies, that she felt uneasy thinking about her hobbies because she really didn't have any. She determined to figure it out and she has turned her lack of a hobby into a beautiful one that she now shares with many people. I don't find it hard to have hobbies. But I do find it hard to have time for them all.  

I love to curl up and get lost in a good book. I feel sad when it comes to an end. Photography is another thing I absolutely love. I could spend hours photographing my favorite people or places. Scrapbooking has been a part of my life for many, many years and I just absolutely love it. Saving memories through scrapbooking is so important to me. Travel is something I have always enjoyed as well. Music is also something I love to do. I love to play the piano, I dabbled with the violin a few years back, and I love participating, with my husband in our church praise team. Some other hobbies I enjoy are: crafting, sewing, and of course creating for Teachers Pay Teachers. 

If you have not found your passion yet, it is an absolute must. Think about what brings you peace. What connects you to friends? What brings you joy? Those passions can be turned into something that can help you have some down time and care for yourself.

2. Get away. Unplug. Create a staycation. Go on a real vacation. You chose your level of getting away here. If you really do not have time, maybe you can just unplug for a few hours, a day, or a few days and focus on doing things for yourself, spending time with your kids or spouse. If you all have some time together, but want to stay close to home, a staycation is the perfect choice. During this school year we did a staycation over spring break and went to some local places that were within driving distance. It was perfect for us for this time. I am sure there are little places in and around your town that you pass and have never gone to. Now is your opportunity. You will be getting out of the house and spending time with your family. It does the body good to have a change of scenery every once in a while. If you can swing it, take a vacation to someplace new. We love going on road trips. It also saves a lot of money as opposed to taking a plane. Stopping at sights along the way makes it extra special. We love bringing our tent and roughing it for a few days. It feels great to be in nature and also saves so much money over spending the time in a hotel. 

3. Indulge. Watch that show you love. Eat a special treat you can't resist. Get a mani/pedi. Put some new highlights in your hair. Purchase a new outfit that makes you feel great. Take time to treat yourself to something special.  

4. Complete a project. Don't put it off any longer. Finish the quilt you started sewing 5 years ago. Clean out your closet and donate what you don't use. Paint your room with that can of paint that has been waiting for you. Finishing projects brings fulfillment to your life. It makes a big difference and makes you feel like you accomplished something.

5. Get out in nature. Nature has proven health benefits. Nature soothes your soul like nothing else. Just five minutes surrounded by nature is proven to lower stress levels. Whether it be sitting on your back porch on a cool evening, strolling through the forest, hiking up a mountain, watching the sunset at the beach, or birding, find a way to connect to nature. Whenever I do, I can literally feel the stress of life rolling away from me. It has that much power in my life. 

 Now that you have some ideas for self-care, what are you waiting for? Get out there and spend some time caring for yourself. You will thank yourself for it. 

I Survived Teaching Through a Pandemic!

If you were a teacher this year, you know that teaching through a pandemic was no joke. For me, I started the year by adding in a new grade level, fifth grade. I teach multi-grade so I had grades 3-5. I began with three students online and the rest in person, socially distanced and wearing shields or masks.

Pandemic teaching, added a whole new set of of vocabulary in the classroom. We had lots of, "Put your masks on." "You cannot be at someone else's desk." and "Don't share supplies."

For the online students I was busy saying things like this, "Turn on your screen." "Are you there?" "Can you hear me?" "Mute yourself."

Then there were the masks. Teaching in masks was incredibly hard. When you talked, it would suck into your mouth or stick to it. It made speaking muffled and it was so hard to hear certain students, especially those with soft voices or ESL learners. Mask brackets were helpful. 

Greeting my students changed big time because while I usually give them choices about how to greet me, this year all of the options had to change. We could no longer make physical contact when greeting. No handshakes or hugs. Instead we had options like air hugs or toe taps.

We had photos and artwork with students wearing masks. Each year, I traditionally have students create self portraits and this year was no exception, but this year's self portraits were masked selfies.  Our back to school photos were also masked. 

At recess, we could not play contact sports and for P.E. we could not learn games. We spent a lot of our P.E. time on walking and exercising. 

Throughout the year, we had several times where we all had to quarantine due to someone catching the virus. Then we'd go online and I would teach from home. Then there was the time that I contracted the virus and could not get a negative test for over three weeks. Yeah, that was fun. 

But as always, there was also the good. Connections. Kids needed to connect this year. They were excited to share with me, make pictures for me, find ways to connect with their friends, despite the distance.

Students need me like never before. They were worried about the virus, their family, their parent's jobs, being online, being in person. They needed encouragement, structure, and normalcy.

School was successful. We did not have anyone who had an extreme case of the virus. We taught the curriculum, We learned, despite the craziness of a pandemic. We enjoyed time with each other. 

We found ways to still learn, despite not being able to learn in as many hands-on ways. We still had several room transformations. We played learning games with gloves on. We were able to discuss as a class more.

Teaching during a pandemic taught me about what is important. When things are striped down to the bare necessities out of necessity, you see what is most important and you go with that. It taught me about the resilience of the human spirit. It taught me about the need for connection. It taught me that we are stronger than we know and can endure more than we ever imagine. 

I am thankful for the things I learned in the last year and the end of the previous year. Now I am ready to return to a normal school year. Here's hoping next year can resemble the best things I love about teaching a little more. Let's move on!

Sprinkle a Little Magic While Bidding the School Year Goodbye

This week is it, the end of online school. We will pack away the ipads and the worksheet packs with very little hoopla, and say goodbye to another year. The year that made history. It feels strange saying it, but summer is upon us and in another week, we will begin a new normal without any connection to these tiny or not-so-tiny humans that have made a way into our hearts forever.

But does it have to be this way? I am here to say that it does not! We do not have to slide from this school year into summer with little notice and no celebration. These babies may have been in our classes for three fourths of a year, but they will be held in our hearts forever. So let's get out our party hats and see what we can do to sprinkle a little magic while bidding this year school goodbye. 

If you have been a teacher for any amount of time, you know that teachers love to see what other teachers are doing so they can, well, get ideas for their own rooms. Sometimes you can just take an idea and run with it or other times, you tweak the idea to make it your own. There are thousands of teachers on YouTube, Pinterest, posting on blogs, on The Gram or even Facebook. If you spend enough time there, you could come away feeling inadequate, but just remember you are not seeing the day-to-day, but the highlight reel. This is the best of what they do in their rooms and  while it can be magical, just remember, it is NOT the day-to-day. We all have magic in our classes if we stop to look around. 

With that being said, I love looking for new ideas around, especially on Instagram. One of my friends and coworkers is known as  Learning With Mrs. Fresh. I love her idea of putting together little bags for her students.  She included a letter to each student as well as a class picture. She added in some fun touches (candy, pen, glow stick). How easy is that? And what better way send the class off on summer break and let them know that you care? Also, her school did a virtual school spirit week, which I adapted and am using during the last week of school. Let's bring the fun engagement. We can STILL do it, despite being separated by distance. Here is a look at what we are doing on the last week of school. 

My whole school is not hosting a school spirit week. But what's to stop me from doing that in my class? Nothing at all! I am most excited about our Taco Tuesday. In class, we have regular lunch bunches. Students look forward to coming to sit and eat lunch with me on Fridays. I always bring treats for the students who are in lunch bunch. A lot of times, I have made homemade chocolate chip cookies for them. I took this idea and decided to enjoy lunch with my class on Zoom. What I was trying to figure out was a treat for them. Then I had the idea to send them home (after our last pick-up) with a bag of ingredients so they could make their own cookies. So, that is just what I did. I made each of them a bag of supplies and passed it out to them. I am uploading a quick tutorial on YouTube so they can bake the cookies at home with their parents and then have them for the lunch bunch on Tuesday. I cannot way. And neither can they. I keep getting questions about when they can bake the cookies. This is going to be fun!

Another idea that I loved on Instagram was these affirmation flowers. I saw them on Pencils Top Pigtails. I loved this idea so much that I decided to create some of my own.

The only thing was, that I sent my husband out to Dollar Tree to snag some of these for my project and they only had Fourth of July themed ones. That was fine, but I had my heart set on these bright ones with multiple colors that were so beautiful. I went to another store and it was the same story. I just could NOT find the ones I wanted anywhere. A week later, with nothing, I decided that I would just get the patriotic ones and the kids would not know the difference. I went back to not one, but two stores and just found three of them total. I decided to go to one more store that I had not been to previously and I hit the jackpot and was able to get enough for my whole class in the colors that I wanted. I was so excited! I am planning to do a drive by, not sure if you would call it a parade, but at least to plant a flower in the yards of my students and spread a little love. 

Whether you do something "big" or "small" teacher, you are amazing!