Beating the End-of-School Slump
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Gail Junion-Metz -- School Library Journal, 05/26/2010
www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson268.shtml
Kids begin to get antsy at this time of year, and teachers and school librarians struggle to keep them engaged. Rather than succumbing to the temptation to start summer vacation early, check out these great end-of-the-year activities and lesson ideas that combine fun and learning.
Start exploring by clicking on one of the five lessons plans provided. (I especially liked “Thinking Ahead to Next Year” where students write letters to themselves – to be mailed at a future date – and to the teacher who they’ll have next year.) Next, click on the article “Wind Up Learning as the Year Winds Down” (found in the beige “More Ideas…” box). Here you’ll find lots more creative things to keep kids learning and happy. Especially noteworthy, and yummy, is “Tin Can Ice Cream” as well as “T-Shirt Memories” and “Produce a TV Commercial”. (BTW - if you’re a public librarian, most of these end-of-school ideas can easily be morphed into “Summer Reading” activities.)
Also included in the “More ideas” box are lots and lots of summer reading lists, “Ten Games for Classroom Fun”, tons of creative math fun, and super “Write Stuff” activities. You’ll be sure to find something here to keep kids interested, delighted, and learning right up till the last day of school.
