May 22, 2008

End the Year with a Fun Activity

Ending the year with a bang instead of muddling through to the end is difficult when students take high-stakes tests in the last moths of school. The weather becomes nicer, and students wish to be outside instead of cooped up inside a classroom.

One idea that my colleges and I do is to let creativity reign. We complete a cross curricular project called When We Were Your Age. Teachers complete cross-curricular lessons on pop culture, historical events and what is really was like when we were their age during this week.

We hold a style show showcasing the music and the clothing fads of the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's. Students model clothes, lip sync to the "oldies but goodies" and dance. Students get to showcase their talents on stage.

Another day is spent watching a movie, usually "Back to the Future". Then an assembly is held where students come dressed in outfits from the various decades. Prizes are given for the best outfits, best hula-hoopers, best hands with a yo-yo and the best music trivia knowledge. The week ends with a dance at the end of the school day where only the "oldies" are played. All of the students line up to do the Hustle and Pop Corn dances.

This project is a great way to end with enthusiasm. Students have fun, and they even learn a little bit with a smile.