End of the Year Bulletin Board Idea for Elementary

The end of the school year in the elementary classroom is crazy enough without having to think about and plan an end-of-the-school-year bulletin board! I know, I know, you want to end the year with a cute bulletin board to say goodbye, and your school may even have an end-of-the-year bulletin board contest that you want to win, but you do not need any more stress when it comes to the end of the year!

That is why you will LOVE my go-to end-of-the-year bulletin board that is simple to create and student focused! Plus, when you bring the end of the school-year theme "Bugging Out for Summer" into your classroom to go along with the end-of-the-year bulletin board display, you will have your kids focused, working hard, and enjoying the last week of school!

So, let's dive into how you can create a simple, meaningful, fun, student-centered bulletin board for the end of the school year with the theme "Bugging Out for Summer!"

1. Brainstorm Summer Activities

Since this bulletin board focuses on student excitement for summer, get them brainstorming about all of the things that they are excited to do when the summer finally arrives..from family trips to just sleeping in late, get them brainstorming! They do not have to write about a big trip or anything costly, even running around outside catching fireflies is a good topic to write about!

Once they brainstorm, have them select one of the things that they are excited about for summer. Students should write a short paragraph including a few reasons to support why they are excited about that summer event.

2. Use a Ladybug Template

Once student's work has been edited, use a ladybug template for students to write their final copy. I have students write on lined ladybug templates and create an illustration on a blank ladybug template. After students have written the final copy of their summer writing and completed a colorful illustration page, follow these directions:

To assemble the ladybug...

✅cut out writing ladybug template

✅ cut out illustration ladybug template

✅ staple both together, with writing on top

✅ have students create a border with red or black paper by tracing the ladybug on construction paper, leaving about an inch border, and staple or glue together 

3. Use Pipe Cleaners to Pop

Since the heading of the bulletin board is "Bugging out for Summer," you can create the bugs to look like they are moving around with excitement by using pipe cleaners. Simply cut one pipe cleaner into six pieces for each of the legs. Then, tape the piper cleaners down, bending them up towards the bug to make it look like the ladybug is moving with excitement. Now, they are ready to add to the bulletin board.

Now that your bulletin board is complete try these ideas to take the buggy theme even further to make the end of the year engaging!

4. Grab a Buggy Read Aloud

You will love these buggy read-alouds that pair nicely with this themed bulletin board and writing project...

✅ Out of Nowhere by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

✅ Evelyn the Adventurous Entomologist by Christine Evans

✅ What if There Were No Bees? by Suzanne Slade

✅ Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe

5. Make an Independent Packet

There is no better way to manage your students at the end of the year than by providing a packet of fun, independent work that students can work on throughout the day, especially on days when your schedule is crazy! Tie in the bug theme with nonfiction reading passages, poetry, puzzles, a word search, math practice, and anything that goes with the buggy theme works!

I love to add a coloring cover page to staple to the top of the work packet to give the students an extra brain break as they work through the packet!

6. Create A Game

Once we have completed the writing and illustrating for the bulletin board display, I have students use that same theme to create their own math game! This project is called Bugging Out for Math! The kids LOVE this activity! 

There are no strict rules or directions, except the students need to create a math game based on one skill that they learned that year. You can have them pick a skill like multiplication or assign each group or pair of students a skill to avoid overlap. The kids work in pairs or in small groups and create their game using one of the given spinners or game boards. Once all groups are done, we have a game day. I call it Bugging out for Games Day. The kids take turns playing each other's games. It is a lot of fun and a memorable activity for the last week of school! You will be impressed with the games that the students create!

Grab this done for you set and print and go!

Reading passages, fun independent packet activities, bulletin board kit, AND math game project in one place!

The end of the year does not have to be crazy and stressful! This bugging out for summer theme is fun and engaging and will have your students focused and working hard as the year winds down and summer approaches! And since this bulletin board kit is done for you, all you have to do is print and go! Happy summer!

You would also love to read:

7 Ways to Celebrate the End of the School Year

10 Easy and Fun End-of-the-Year Celebration Ideas

Countdown to the Last Week of School with Picture Books

End-of-the-Year Project Tips

Field Day Management Hacks Every Teacher Needs

End-of-the-Year Classroom Management Tips That Work

Looking for more end-of-the-school-year activities that kids love? See more HERE.

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Summer Reading Kickoff Idea

The end of the school year is a magical time of the year! 

My students always impress me by the time the final weeks of school start to creep in. They work hard independently and in cooperative groups, and ooze with excitement for the adventures that lie ahead of them, both in the nearing summer break and not so far away next grade level.  

As exciting as this time of year is, I know my work is not done! 

I LOVE to use the close of the school year to get my students excited about summer reading. That is why right after spring break ends, I implement a kick-off to summer reading program in my classroom. It is an amazing way to begin discussing and kicking off summer reading filled with new books, authors, parent volunteers, and a class created a summer reading book list that students are excited to read!

Sounds fabulous right? It is! And it is so simple to organize! In a nutshell, you will be welcoming guest readers into your classroom to read aloud the first two chapters of their favorite, or any children's chapter book to get students excited to finish reading the book over the summer.

Here is your go-to guide to kicking off summer reading in your classroom to get your students super excited to read this summer! 

Update: If you are currently not inviting guests into your classroom this year due to COVID19, try inviting a variety of staff members and former students who are in the building to read to your class. If no visitors are allowed in your classroom, try reading outside while the weather is nice. You can also have your own students be the "guest reader" each week, sharing their favorite chapter book to create your class list of books. Your student can read aloud or they can do a quick book talk to get students excited about the book.

Look at your calendar and plan!

I always start this summer reading kick-off program the first week after spring break. Our spring break is usually later in the year during April, which leaves us about eight weeks left of school.  By this time, the kids are excited and already talking about summer, making it the perfect time to hone that energy into getting them excited about reading.  You can really start at any time. You may choose to set this program up every day during the last two or three weeks of school. Whatever works with your schedule is the way to go! I like to stretch it out, so depending on the number of volunteers that I have participating, I set aside two 15 minute blocks of time each week. As the year comes closer to an end, I usually add another 15-minute time block. I love using the end of the day to schedule the guest reading visits. It is the perfect time to allow a few extra minutes of reading depending on the length of the chapters and the engagement of students and to have the kids leave for the day excited about a new book!

Reach out to parents!

Update: If you are currently not inviting parents into the classroom this year due to COVID19, try inviting a variety of staff members and former students who are in the building to read to your class. If no visitors are allowed in your classroom, try reading outside! 

My school hosts spring parent-teacher conferences, so I use that time to enlist parents to jump on board and participate in our classroom's summer reading kick-off. I have signup sheets ready to go and direction sheets copied for parents to take with them so that they know what they need to do. I give parents a few days to decide on a book that they will be reading and then ask that let me know the book's title and author so that I can avoid duplicates being read.  If parents send me duplicate titles, I simply ask them to pick again or even offer a suggestion for them. I keep a running list of titles read so that we can create a class summer reading list that will be sent home with the students attached to their final report card. You do not need to organize this during conferences. You can simply send home a parent letter explaining how you want to kick off summer reading and have them sign up just as if they were signing up for conferences. 

If you need a formal letter to help organize this, click HERE.

Get organized!

An accordion folder is the perfect organizational system to implement this program. Make all of the copies you need ahead of time. Create a chart of the parents and books that are being read so that as volunteers come to read, you can just add the title, author, and reader's name to the list. This makes it easy to just snap a picture at the end and add it to your classroom website for the kids' reference. It also makes it easy for you to type up the list, too. Don't forget to remind the students about appropriate behavior when guest readers arrive. Create a list with your students about appropriate behavior when a guest reader is in the room. This is the time of year students always need extra reminders, so being proactive before parents come into the classroom is key! That way, students can truly reap the benefits of listening to all of the books being shared. 

Grab all of the organizational materials you need HERE.

Helpful hints…

Update: If you are currently not inviting parents into the classroom this year due to COVID19, try inviting a variety of staff members and former students who are in the building to read to your class. If no visitors are allowed in your classroom, try reading outside! 

After many years of implementing this Summer Reading Kick-Off program, I found similar issues arise year after year. Here are some tips to help you plan and implement your own Summer Reading Kick-Off program in your classroom:

• Don't limit yourself to parent volunteers! Be creative and think of others you can invite into the classroom and read, especially if you have low parental involvement. Some people you might ask to read include: grandparents, older siblings, your own former students, your family members, administration and special area teachers in your building, and of course members of your town's community to make it a whole community program!

• Have a list of several book titles and authors prepared ahead of time for parents who ask for recommendations. Also encourage volunteers to read from their favorite chapter books as children.

• Have a basket of chapter book read alouds for when volunteers come without a book or forgot their book at home. It happens!

• If you have a classroom website, post the titles and authors as they are read for both student and parent reference. This helps avoid repeat books being read.

• When you create your classroom list of summer reading titles that were shared, include who read aloud that book. Some students cannot remember the name or author of the book that was shared, but they can connect the reader with the book.

That's all there is to it! 

Don't forget that even though all of your classroom visitors are reading new books to your students, your students will never tire from wanting to hear you read aloud, too! 

Enjoy the final weeks with your students and encourage your kiddos to read, read, read this summer!

                          You might be interested in reading:

End of Year Must Do Activity

End of Year Read Alouds

End of Year Ideas for In Class and Remote Learning

End of Year Project Tips

Holding Book Talks in Your Classroom

  Create an end of the year Summer Reading Bulletin Board with this set:

  Send home notes of summer reading 

encouragement, also included in this set!

                Looking for engaging end of year activities

?
                                        Try These!

 

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*affiliate links: “Think Grow Giggle is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.” (source: Section 5)

Nothing goes better with reading chapter books than graphic organizers to help students fully comprehend what they are reading. Become a subscriber and grab this set for FREE today!

4 Read Aloud Books for the End of the School Year Upper Elementary

It seems that each year, the school year flies by faster than the year before! September, November, the holiday season, February, BLINK, and suddenly, it is the end of the school year and you are looking for that perfect read aloud for your upper elementary classroom!

Those last few weeks of school are as crazy as the first few. End-of-year assessments, report cards, assemblies, celebrations, and fitting in the last pieces of the curriculum. My plan book for the last few weeks of school fills up so quickly, which is why I can never plan too early for those memorable end-of-year activities and read-alouds. 

And I don’t know about your end-of-year schedule, but mine always seems to be choppy, with small windows of time to do activities here and there. To make the most of those in-between times, I like to be prepared with as many end of year activities as possible! These sweet picture books and activities are the perfect way to fill those holes and create even more unforgettable moments with your students.

Here are my favorite four picture books to read aloud during those last few weeks (or days) of school with your students. 

1. Breathe Written by: Scott Magoon

This book stumbled across my path recently, and I couldn’t be happier to have found it! What a sweet book that is a quick read perfect for that emotional last day of school!

This book can really stand alone as the last thing you do with your students before dismissal on the last day. Each page is incredibly meaningful with powerful words that not only represent the expectations that you had for each student during the school year but also the hopes that you have for your students for the summer and as they continue to grow. Have your students complete this illustration and writing companion activity about how they plan to spend their summer, following a read-aloud of this book. 

Grab the free activity to use with this book right here!

2. The Raft Written by: Jim LaMarche

If you follow me on social media, then you know I absolutely adore this book! 

We read it at the beginning of the year and refer back to it all year long during almost every reading unit. We use it to help identify character traits, how the character changes, theme, symbolism and just about any other reading topic you can think of. The main character in this book has to spend the summer with his outdoorsy grandmother who does not have a TV. The main character, Nicky, thinks he will have a terrible time but instead ends up having a summer filled with discovery. We can never get enough of this book! If you have already read it this year, revisit it and try this summer sketches and writing companion activity with your students to mirror what the main character does in the book. 

3. My Teacher Likes to Say Written by: Denise Brennan-Nelson

This book is so much fun to read and a perfect way to wrap up the school year! 

It is a compilation book of classic idioms, proverbs, and clichés that you have surely said at some point during the year! Not only does this book illustrate each saying to help them understand what each means, but the author explains each in detail. Wonder which one of your catchphrases has stuck with your students this year? Have your students complete this reflection activity all about you, after reading aloud this book. These come out adorable! Compile into a book for a fun memory book. 

4. Last Day Blues Written by: Julie Danneberg

Is there a more classic story to read to your students on the last day of school? This companion book to First Day Jitters, The Big Test, and First Year Letters, also written by Julie Dannenberg will give you and your students all the happy feelings as you realize your school year has come full circle, especially if you have read the other titles in this series during the year. 

The characters in Last Day Blues worry that their teacher will miss them all summer long (how sweet)! The book focuses on the students coming up with ways to make sure that their teacher is not sad all summer without them. It is a heartwarming story and your students will love to see these familiar characters once again. What better way to reflect upon this book, then by having your students illustrate and write about what they think YOU will do all summer long! Have your students create two different illustrations in the sunglasses on this page and write about the two things that they can "see" you doing over the summer. 

The end of the school year sure is an emotional roller coaster! Reading these books together at the end of the school year always help us to relax and reflect on the many days and memories we shared together. I look forward to sharing each and every one of these picture books with my students each year. I hope that you enjoy sharing them with your students, too! 

You will love to read:

End of Year Activities: For In Class and Remote Learning

End of Year Read Alouds

Must Do End of the Year Activity

Kick off Summer Reading in Your Classroom Now!

Tips for End of Year Projects

Check out my favorite end of year projects!
Like this one!

 

*affiliate links: “Think Grow Giggle is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.” (source: Section 5)