While some of us may be nearing the end of school, there are still several weeks to go and the planning for virtual end-of-year activities has begun!
I am so excited to share with you some of the ideas that I have gathered that would be fun to use in the virtual learning environment. The best end-of-year virtual activity is the last one so be sure to read to the very end.
Celebrate the end of a very, very memorable year
Unquestionably, the year 2020 has been a memorable one. If you’re like me, you want your students to remember the positives of their time with you. Why not celebrate the culmination of learning with a virtual end-of-year activity? I hope you will find a special way to commemorate your time with your students. Let me tell you: you are in luck. Here are a handful of ideas that will get you started with planning virtual end-of-year activities.
Virtual End-of-year Memory Book
If we were in our actual classrooms I would absolutely be creating an end-of-year memory book with my students. This end of the year activity is favourable because it gives your students something tangible. Check out virtual memory books here.
Virtual Spirit Days
Students get so excited dressing up for Spirit Days and the excitement can be felt in the air! Try adding Spirit Days to your end-of-year activities list. It is sure to be a hit when you have your virtual meetings with students. Without a doubt, you will want to survey your kids (try a Google Form). Find out what themes for Spirit Days they would like to participate in. Doing this will garner more student participation.
Here is a list of Spirit Day themes you can try:
- Beach Day
- Pyjama Day
- Backwards Day
- Princess & Pirate Day
- Crazy Hat Day
- Tie-Dye Day
- Sunglasses Day
- Moustache Day
- School Colours Day
End-of-year Activities that Spark Student Voice
This end-of-year virtual activity is impactful. It gives students a platform to be heard and an opportunity to reflect on the year as a whole. Reflection is an integral component of learning, so in offering this opportunity for students to share on a given topic on Flipgrid, you will undoubtedly reinforce the importance of looking back to recount learning.
Flipgrid is a website where students go to share short, authentic videos based on topics that educators create on a given grid. As an end-of-year activity, you could create a grid where students teach something to their peers that they learned this year. Another idea on what you can do in Flipgrid is to have them showcase their best work, favourite activity, best memory or message for students entering the grade for next year. The possibilities are endless so if you think Flipgrid might be the end-of-year activity for you and your students, click here to get started with your first grid.
The Ultimate End-of-year Activity that is sure to WOW your Students
The past few months have tumultuous to say the least between distance teaching, parenting, and surviving the chaos of distance learning, social isolation and equal human rights for all, and if you’re not sure what I mean by that, just check out my post on a DITL of a Teacher-Mama. It’s hectic. It’s messy. At the same time, it’s untrodden and new and I like that.
Unquestionably, I want to end the year with something memorable, enjoyable and FUN! If you’re new to this neck of the woods, you should know that I committed to trying to bring learning outside as much as possible. Certainly, bringing virtual learning outside is a challenge but I have found a way to bring the outside IN!
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You’re Invited to our End-of-Year Virtual Camp-Out
That is exactly how the end-of-year activity with my students will start. The virtual-end-of-year activity is going to be a Camp-Out and will start several weeks before the day of the camp-out with a note to parents.
Your invitation to students and to parents can include the date, time, who is invited (the whole family!) and all the necessary items for a happy time at camp. Keep reading to see the suggested packing list.
To prepare, you will need some props to add to the drama of this special event. You can wear camping clothes such as a T-shirt and shorts, a camp hat, and don’t forget a mosquito net and bug spray. Add to the setting by bring your laptop and hosting your meeting from inside a camping tent! Don’t forget to bring a lantern for superior lighting.
To add to the ambiance while keeping safety in mind, you can add a campfire. The best one I found that I love to use is on the website called ClassroomScreens.com. If you have not found this website yet you are going to love it! It is full of useful tools such as text boxes, timers, noise-level indicators, and more.
Campfire How-to
Literacy Component for End-of-year Camp-Out
Once the fire is lit and bug spray as been applied, you and your students can sit down and enjoy a spooky campfire story. Virtual end-of-year activities can be educational and entertaining at the same time. While I would love to share my favourites here, I think it would be appropriate for you to choose a story based on the unique needs of your students based on age and maturity level. Be careful to choose a story that is age-appropriate for your students with a simple google search of “spooky campfire stories”.
Don’t forget to add to the chilling atmosphere by reading with the flashlight directed at your chin. Everyone knows that the spookiest stories are read that way.
S’mores and Songs at Camp-Out
As part of the packing list suggested to parents in the weeks leading up to the camp-out, ask parents to provide ingredients for s’mores. To make a s’more, a classic campout treat, students will smoosh a marshmallow with a piece of chocolate between two graham crackers. This sweet treat would be scrumptious to eat while listening to campfire songs. If you’re singing, wait until afterwards to eat to avoid choking.
Being a Guider with the Girl Guides of Canada and growing up a guider, I have plenty of practice singing campfire songs around real campfires. However, this virtual sing-a-long will look different. You can create a google slideshow with a link to each campfire song and play the slideshow in the virtual meeting. Otherwise, you can just lead your students in song yourself!
Cue Tears and Say Your Good-Byes
After the sing-a-long, send of your students with your good luck in the next grade speech. We all have one of those, right? Hopefully you find the perfect virtual end-of-year activity for your celebration and enjoy making memories with your students.
Do you have a great idea for a virtual end-of-year activity? I would love to know it. Please share it in the comments below.
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