Graduation & End of the Year Activities

Graduation & End of the Year Activities Graduation & End of Year

Graduation / End of Year

Bulletin Board Idea I love doing this bulletin board for the last few weeks of school. I have miniature allligator cutouts for each child and one large "teacher" alligator for the middle of the board. When there are as many days left in school as there are children in my class, I put up this board. On the back of each small alligator is one child's name. To count down until summer vacation, one child per day pulls off a new alligator and we see how many days are left. The child who pulls off the alligator looks on the back to see whose name is written. That child wins a prize from our classroom treasure box. On the final day the kids all say, "See 'Ya Later Alligator!" to the "teacher" alligator.

Literature:

Songs:

Graduation

Do you remember way last Fall When I was only just this tall? Now look at me ... I'm way up here! My, I've grown a lot this year! In fact they think I'm really great ... That why I get to graduate!

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, Zip-a-dee-ay, My, oh my, summer's coming our way. Plenty of sunshine, swimming and play, Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, school's out today.
There's a sadness in the air. It's over. It's done, but wasn't Kindergarten fun? Oh, zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay, Summer's coming, coming our way!

The Kindergarten Class

[tune: "The Addams Family"]

Refrain: Da-da-da-dah (snap,snap) Da-da-da-dah (snap,snap) Da-da-da-dah, Da-da-da-dah, Da-da-da-dah (snap,snap)
We learned our ABC's And counting one, two, three's And now we know all these - THE KINDERGARTEN CLASS!
And we learned how to share, And we learned how to care. Just ask us if you dare - THE KINDERGARTEN CLASS!
(Refrain)

It seems we've just begun, And now it's almost done. This year's been so much fun - THE KINDERGARTEN CLASS!
So we must say so long With this our little song. But we'll be back before too long - THE KINDERGARTEN CLASS!
(Refrain)

First Grade, First Grade [tune: "New York, New York"]

Start spreading the news We're leaving today. We want to be a part of First grade, first grade.
We've worked very hard Our teachers are proud. So open up those doors to First grade, first grade.
We know our alphabet And numbers too. We all can write our names And tie our shoes!
So when summer's done And we're finished with play Our mom's will send us to First grade, first grade.
If we can make it here We'll make it anywhere. So here we come First grade, first grade.

Off to First Grade

[tune: "Oscar Meyer Theme Song"]

Oh, I'm ready to go off to the first grade, That is where I really want to be -e -e 'Cause when I go off to the first grade, Everyone will think I'm really neat!

What We Did This Year [tune: "Beverly Hillbillies Theme Song"]

Come and listen to the story about what we did this year, We've been working very hard and we think that it is clear. We have learned a lot and made a lot of friends. We're leaving Kindergarten and we're on our way again. First Grade, bigger numbers, bigger words.

Click here to read: All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

Poems:

To My Class To my class, I'm glad I was your teacher I've come to love you so. I can't believe the end is here. I hate to see you go. Remember all the fun we had in all the things we did, But most of all remember... You're a very special kid!	Your Flower I've worked with your flower and helped it to grow. I'm returning it now, But I want you to know... This dear flower is precious, As dear as can be. Love it, take care of it, And you will see... A bright new blooom, With every day. It grew and blossomed In such a wonderful way. In August just a bud, January, a bloom; Now a lovely blossom I'm returning in May. Remember, this flower, As dear as can be, Though rightfully yours, Part will always belong to me!
Great Expectations - Maria Cuellar-Munson It's time to say, "Good-bye." Our year has come to an end. I've made more cherished memories And many more new friends. I've watched your children learn and grow And change from day to day. I hope that all the things we've done Have helped in some small way. So it's with happy memories I send them out the door, With great hope and expectations For what next year holds in store.	Kindergarten In Bloom Spring is here, Let's give a cheer! Our world is filled with beauty. As flowers bloom, They need more room, since growing is their duty. They reach new heights with such delight, to have begun so small. We too, are changing, not rearranging, but growing strong and tall. Our minds abound with letters and sounds. We're reading more each day. So give us room to grow and bloom. We Kindergartners are on our way!
On to First Grade - www.songsforteachers.com We've learned a lot of things this year, There's so much that we know! Our teacher taught us everything, So now it's time to go. We've got so many things to learn, There's lots we have to see. So, on we go to FIRST GRADE and - We'll make you proud, you'll see!	Do You Remember? Do you remember way last fall when we were only this tall? Now look at us we're way up here, and my we've learned a lot this year. In fact they think we're really great, that's why we get to graduate.
Kindergarten Memories - Paulette I know numbers, I know shapes, I know that purple stands for grapes. I know red and white and blue, I know green and yellow too. I know what police officers and mayors do, firefighters and nurses, I know them too. I'm an artist. I can paint. I try hard to not say ain't. I have rhythm, I know sounds. I've had ups and I've had downs. I've been quiet. I have giggled. I've sat still, at times I've wiggled. I've worked hard all year for this degree. There now, aren't you proud of me?!!	Special Person Kindergarten Mrs. Anderson 2004-2005 You're a very special person, ________. And I wanted you to know, How much I enjoyed being your teacher. How fast the year did go! Please come back to visit me As through the grades you grow Try hard to learn all that you can There is so much to know! The one thing I tried to teach you To last your whole life through Is to know that you are SPECIAL There's no one else like you! * I add a picture of the child at the end of Kindergarten at the top of the poem. I print it out and then laminate the poem to make a bookmark for the child to keep. I usually write something unique to that child on the back of each bookmark.
A, B, C Farewell * Click to view poem on a separate page *	The Volunteer - author unknown The Volunteer is one with a heart so sincere. No task too large - No task too small. One who will help with anything at all. Who will help be there in the morning light - or help into the dark of night? The Volunteer, our extra hand, on whose future our dear children stand. Never anyone so dear as a Wheeless Road Volunteer! * We had two wonderful male volunteers this year. To show our appreciation, I made this poem into a little book for each of them. I had each child trace his/her hand and color it appropriately. He/she then added their name to the page and a little picture of himself. The volunteers LOVED this! The Volunteer Printable

: End of Year Countdown Activities:

Let's End the Year With a Bang!

Label each of five paper strips with an eynd-of-the-year surprise, such as lunch outdoors, a popcorn party, popsicles, or a video. Place each strip inside a balloon; then inflate the balloons. On a bulletin board, display a character cutout holding five balloon strings. Title the display "Let's End the Year With a Bang!" Attach the inflated balloons to the ends of the strings. Pop a balloon each morning of the last five school days and enjoy the resulting surprise that day.

In the April/May 2003 issue of Mailbox Magazine, there is a cute hound dog pattern that you can enlarge and create a cute countdown bulletin board. The dog can be blown up onto poster board and then cut in half. Make a body section for each child to decorate and add a countdown number onto each. As each day passes, have a child remove his/her section, moving the back end of the houd a bit closer to the front. As the dog gets closer - so does the end of the school year! (The idea was sent in by Sandy Agne - Tipton, IA) I paraphrased the description so you can create your own.

Teacher's Helper Magazine - June/July 2001 issue - has a Kindergarten Memories Booklet that is cute to use about what students learned throughout the year. You have children create the booklet pages and also decorate a person pattern (provided) to hold the Kindergarten Memories booklet. Cute keepsake for parents!

Give a batch homemade playdoh as an inexpensive gift for your class. Attach the recipe for how to make homemade playdoh to each baggie, and a cookie cutter for fun!

Cindy at The Virtual Vine suggests giving out inexpensive sand pails writing "School's Out For Summer" with a paint pen on the outside of the pail. Inside the pail, put playdoh, a ist of sight words, pencil, a coupon, anything! I love this idea!

Going along with a beach theme for the last few "fun days" of school - you could give each child an inflatable beach ball to take home. Children could have their friends collect signatures (with a sharpie marker) from each of his/her classmates.

Make a unique cake for your graduation ceremony refreshment using this recipe for a Diploma Cake. Make a sponge cake in a jelly-roll pan. Spread it with fresh sliced strawberries and/or blueberries, or even jam, and then roll it up like a jelly roll. Frost it with whipped cream. Then take ribbon in your graduate's school colors and wrap it around the cake and make a bow. For an edible ribbon, use fruit roll-up snacks cut into ribbon width.(The link to the above website may be outdated.)

Make these edible graduation caps using miniature peanut butter cups. Place a miniature peanut butter cup, bottom up, on a plate. Top with a small dollop of frosting or peanut butter, then press on a chocolate-covered graham cracker. For a tassel, tightly rolll up a small square of a fruit rollup snack. Cut fringe on one end and attach the other end to the center of the graham cracker with another dab of frosting or peanut butter.

I always look for some unique awards to give each of my kids at the end of the year. I found these wonderful Candy Bar Awards at Teaching Heart that are too cute!

I made a wonderful keepsake for my Apprentice Teacher this year that turned out really cute. I took a picture of my class in front of our school sign. I think printed it out to a 5x7 picture. I mounted it on a piece of colorful tagboard then had each student sign their names around the edges of the "mat." I then added a special message using scrapbooking sticker letters and other school-type embellishments.

Our school does not purchase yearbooks, so I decided to create my own this year. I used some cute summer-y clipart from DJ Inkers and decorated the cover of construction paper. I headed it: "Mrs. Anderson's Kindergarten." On the inside I had created 3 rectangular boxes for each page. I also made a copy of each child's name and printed those out. Finally, I printed out a small school photo of each child. Students added a name to each box and then found the appropriate picture to go with it. I added a class photo and a picture of myself and my assistant to the back cover. When the kids finished putting their books together, they had each other sign their yearbooks. It was a lot of fun!

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