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End of Year Community Building Fun! 

It’s been ANOTHER crazy year together. But you know what hasn’t wavered? The strong classroom community that you all have built and sustained together. It’s time to end how you started it; like a family. In this post, you’ll learn some fun and engaging ways to end the school year strong and keep that little family bonding until the last day!

End of the year community building activities

Spread the Love

Here’s an awesome activity that turns into a lovely keepsake for your students. Each day, create an anchor chart for a student and have all the other students write what they’ve loved about them throughout the year. At the end of the day, gather and share all the nice things students wrote about that person and allow them to take it home as a gift! It’s such an easy and meaningful activity for students. You will hear SO many sweet things and it’s something for them to cherish for forever!  end of year classroom community activityend of year classroom community activity

end of year classroom community activity

Count it Down

Make every last day count together with a fun themed countdown! Setup your balloon bulletin board with THIS freebie and have a blast continuing those connections and make those last days together really special. From Crazy Hair Day to Nickname Day, your students will enjoy and love those themed days while continuing to create new memories together!

end of year ABC countdown FREEBIE end of year ABC countdown FREEBIE

Or have everything done for you with the digital and interactive End of Year Countdown Display!

digital interactive end of the year countdown

Digital End of Year Countdown

Reflect & Show Off!

You’ve done A LOT of learning as a family this year. Take the time to reflect on that together and celebrate all the great accomplishments you all have made! A brain dump is an easy and engaging activity because it’s as simple as a piece of anchor chart paper and their brains. Have some sweet carpet time and discuss ALL the things you’ve learned throughout the year. It’s rather impressive to see what they come up with. You can check out some of ours from first grade below! Then, after dumping brains, allow students to go off and show what they know with a topic of their choice. It’s learning AND fun that students LOVE! 

end of the year brain dump activity end of the year brain dump activity

Another fun way to have students show off how they’ve shined this year is with this reflection writing craft! Being able to reflect is an important skill, not just for students, but all of us. It helps us to grow and learn from past experiences and gives us joy to remember what we’ve already mastered and overcome. Students will love completing this adorable craft while reflecting on what they’ve learned this year!

end of year writing craft

End of the Year Activity Pack

Treasured Memories

180 days is a lot of days to create a lot of memories, some tough, some sweet, and others downright hilarious. These are things that will be cherished for a lifetime. Get nostalgic with your students by reflecting on those memories together while creating a personalized keepsake! Have students create their own flipbook with an individualized topper that represents THEM! It’ll be something that can look back on for years to come. 

end of the year memory flipbook craft

end of the year memory flipbook end of the year flipbook

End of the Year Memory Flipbooks

Get Moving!

We know the end of the year is CRAZY! Why not make use of all that vibrating energy they have with some fun team building activities?! One of our favorites is a good game of what you rather. We like to add a movement piece by having students run to either side of the classroom based on their answer. You can have them pair up with someone with the same or opposite answer as them to talk about why they chose that answer. It’s a great way to continue connecting, moving, and having fun!

digital end of the year would you rather

end of the year would you rather

End of the Year Would You Rather

 Another great team building activity that helps release that extra energy is with a scavenger hunt! Divide them into teams and let them go explore! They can search the classroom, the building, or even get them outside to find items you’ve set them out to scavenge for. Another super fun end of the year activity to keep your classroom community going strong until the last day! 

digital end of the year scavenger hunt

digital end of the year scavenger hunt

Digital Editable Scavenger Hunt

Minute to Win it!

These games are a BLAST! Teamwork is a must for students to win and they will have SO much fun working together to try and beat these challenging tasks in 60 seconds. Check out some of my favorite end of the year minute to win it games below:  

  • Solo Racing:  Students receive a straw and solo cup as their only materials to race their cups to the finish line. Each player on their team has to try to blow their solo cup across a designated space (a few desks together work great!) before the other team! Make sure to clearly mark the starting and ending points with tape for students. Not only do teams have a great time, they also get some meaningful time to practice being a cheerleader for their teammates! 

 

  • Cookie Face: Who doesn’t love food and fun?! Each player on the team has to sit an Oreo in the middle of their forehead. Using ONLY their face, the challenge is to get the cookie in their mouth. The first team to get their cookies to their mouth first wins! It’s a pretty funny sight to see them squirm to try and get the cookie down their face, you’ll get lots of laughs, and of course they get a delicious snack when they succeed! 

 

  • Marshmallow Windstorm: Teams are divided up on either side of a table with a piece of masking tape down the middle. They have to use straws to blow as many marshmallows on the other side of the tape as they can in one minute. The team with the most wins! 


  • Puzzle Palooza: Divide teams up and have them work together to complete a puzzle before the other teams do. Simply use puzzles that have the same amount of pieces and let students get to constructing! This can be done with classroom created puzzles like 100 charts or dollar store puzzles!


  • Build it Up: Have students work together to create the tallest structure they can in one minute. This can be done with any material such as cups, blocks, or anything else you have on hand. The team with the tallest standing structure at the end wins! 

 

If you love these, you’ll love the complete End of the Year Minute to Win Activity Pack complete with embedded 60 second timers, activity directions, and slide displays! 

End of the year minute it to win activities

End of the Year Minute it to Win it Activity Pack

Our Class will Always be a Family

Your class will always feel like a family after all the time you’ve spent together and all the memories you’ve made. A great end of the year activity to cherish forever is to create a classroom yearbook together. I love reading Our Class is A Family by Shannon Olsen before putting together our own yearbook. Check out this adorable classroom craft that you can add however many pages to accommodate your students and let them decorate their book. Have enough wallet sized photos of the students to paste on the pages and then give them some time to sign each other’s books on their page. They will enjoy this last little bit of time together and have something to remember all of their friends by. Grab it FREE by subscribing!

our class is a family craft

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I really hope you enjoyed learning about ways to end the year strong with your students and the community you’ve built together!  Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list! Not only will you get the most up to date tips, tricks, and classroom projects… and of course more fun FREEBIES including the Brag Tag FREEBIE! You will also have exclusive access to tons of digital how to videos! If you would like to learn about this and other things happening in my classroom follow me  @sweetnsauerfirsties on Instagram.

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Cheers to the weekend! 🥂 What are you looking Cheers to the weekend! 🥂

What are you looking forward to this weekend?
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One of my favorite tips from @missingtoothgrins 😂

What candy is your favorite to collect this time of year? 
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It’s World Read Aloud Day! 📖 @scholasticinc It’s World Read Aloud Day! 📖 

@scholasticinc has live read alouds ALL DAY!! 👏

Check them all out now with the link on my profile. 

What are you reading aloud today to your students?
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At the happiest place on Earth! 😍 What’s mak At the happiest place on Earth! 😍

What’s making you happy this week?
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I mean.. it’s not wrong. 🤷‍♀️😂
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The 100th day of school is HUGE! It’s a time t The 100th day of school is HUGE! 

It’s a time to celebrate all the hard work and learning done together. It marks an important time that signals that we’ve spent more than half the year together! 

There are so many fun, engaging, and simple ways to celebrate that make it a memorable experience for students. 

Swipe left to see some of the fun ways we’ve celebrated together and learn easy and engaging ways now with the link on my profile or drop a 🤩 and I’ll share the link!
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#elementaryteacher #teaching #classroom #teachingideas #classroomideas #education #handsonlearning #teachertribe #teacher #teachers #teacherlife #teacherproblems #firstgrade #firstgradeteacher #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofig #igteachers #iteach #iteachfirst #kindergarten #igconnect4edu #teachershare #teacherspayteachers #weareteachers #makelearningfun #100thdayofschool #teachertips #classroomfun #100daysofschool #100thday
Save this for easy and fun 100th day ideas! The 1 Save this for easy and fun 100th day ideas!

The 100th day doesn’t have to be overwhelming, there are TONS of easy and low prep ideas to help your students have a blast and make it easy to plan for YOU.

🌟 Have a scavenger hunt for 100 items (erasers, candy, etc).
🌟Stations are my favorite management hack for the 100th day. They rotate through fun activities all day while you get to spend more time with each group.
🌟 Pocket chart games are easy and engaging. Students work together to hunt for the special item while practicing number sense, recognition, and patterns.
🌟 Would you rather is an easy way to get kiddos up and moving while connecting. This is a great no prep time filler!
🌟 Crowns are the perfect and quiet activity to show off all their learning and make a great keepsake. 

Learn about these activities and more with the link on my profile! You can also drop a 🥳 and I’ll share the link!
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Well this should be fun! 😝 What is something yo Well this should be fun! 😝 What is something you say 2451 times a day as a teacher? Let us know below! ⬇️
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It’s time for #tptfreebie Friday! 🥳 Grab thi It’s time for #tptfreebie Friday! 🥳

Grab this adorable and no prep color by code activity.

It’s an easy and engaging QUIET activity that students can enjoy as morning work, a time filler, fast finisher, or even as homework!

Grab your FREEBIE now with the link on my profile or drop a 🤩 and I’ll share the link!

When is your 100th day? Let us know below! ⬇️
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Cheers to the weekend! 🥂What are you looking forward to this weekend?•••#elementaryteacher #teaching #classroom #teachingideas #classroomideas #education #handsonlearning #teachertribe #teacher #teachers#teacherlife #teacherproblems #firstgrade #firstgradeteacher #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #iteach #iteachfirst #disneyteacher #igconnect4edu #teacherssupportteachers #teacherspayteachers #weareteachers #teacherstyle #teachermomlife #teachertravels #teacherweekend #teachermom ... See MoreSee Less

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Lindsay Sauer
One of my favorite tips from @missingtoothgrins 😂What candy is your favorite to collect this time of year? ••••#elementaryteacher #teaching #classroom #teachingideas #classroomideas #education #handsonlearning #teachertribe #teacher #teachers#teacherlife #teacherproblems #firstgrade #firstgradeteacher #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #iteach #iteachfirst #teachingtips #igconnect4edu #teachermemes #teacherspayteachers #weareteachers #teacherhacks #classroomfun #teacherhumor #teacherquotes #classroomcommunity ... See MoreSee Less

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It’s World Read Aloud Day! 📖 @scholasticinc has live read alouds ALL DAY!! 👏Check them all out now with the link on my profile. What are you reading aloud today to your students?••••#elementaryteacher #teaching #classroom #teachingideas #classroomideas #education #handsonlearning #teachertribe #teacher #teachers#teacherlife #teacherproblems #firstgrade #firstgradeteacher #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #iteach #iteachfirst #teachingtips #igconnect4edu #worldreadaloudday #teacherspayteachers #weareteachers #scholastic #classroomfun #makelearningfun #readaloud #classroomcommunity ... See MoreSee Less

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I mean.. it’s not wrong. 🤷‍♀️😂••••#elementaryteacher #teaching #classroom #teachingideas #classroomideas #education #handsonlearning #teachertribe #teacher #teachers#teacherlife #teacherproblems #firstgrade #firstgradeteacher #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #iteach #iteachfirst #teachingtips #igconnect4edu #teacherssupportteachers #teacherspayteachers #weareteachers #teacherhacks #teachermemes #teachertruth #teacherquotes #teachershare ... See MoreSee Less

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Lindsay Sauer

6 days ago

Lindsay Sauer
The 100th day of school is HUGE! It’s a time to celebrate all the hard work and learning done together. It marks an important time that signals that we’ve spent more than half the year together! There are so many fun, engaging, and simple ways to celebrate that make it a memorable experience for students. Swipe left to see some of the fun ways we’ve celebrated together and learn easy and engaging ways now with the link on my profile or drop a 🤩 and I’ll share the link!•••••#elementaryteacher #teaching #classroom #teachingideas #classroomideas #education #handsonlearning #teachertribe #teacher #teachers #teacherlife #teacherproblems #firstgrade #firstgradeteacher #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofig #igteachers #iteach #iteachfirst #kindergarten #igconnect4edu #teachershare #teacherspayteachers #weareteachers #makelearningfun #100thdayofschool #teachertips #classroomfun #100daysofschool #100thday ... See MoreSee Less

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  • Are you looking for ways to teach kindness to kids in the classroom? Today, I’m sharing my favorite teacher tips on helping your early elementary students understand kindness in the classroom. Some of my favorite kindness activities for kids is setting expectations and modeling kindness. We love reading, How Full Is Your Bucket? By Tom Rath and more. It’s important to role play ideas for kids in the classroom. Kindness anchor charts are great to create during whole group and small group lessons.
  • Do you need some ideas about teaching money to your first grade students? Check out my favorite teaching tips on money for kids. First, have your students watch some BrainPop Jr. videos and books about money for kids. Money anchor charts are fantastic to use during math whole group to better K-2 students' understanding. The CRA Math Model is perfect for understanding money for kids. I also share my favorite math centers like money puzzles, money bingo, and math money games!
  • Have you been looking for end of year classroom community activities? These classroom community building activities are perfect for your K-2 classroom! I love creating an end of year anchor chart so students can write down their favorite memories of first grade. K-2 students will love the balloon bulletin board countdown with themes. Early elementary students enjoy creating a reflection writing craft, first grade end of year memories, would you rather end of school year game, and much more!
  • Have you been wondering what the benefits of reading aloud to children are? Today, I will share why reading aloud to children is important. Reading aloud increases children's vocabulary, building fluency, and reading comprehension. It’s important to teach elementary students how to choose the just right book. I love doing interactive read alouds and think alouds during my picture book reading. Check out how I incorporate writing about reading, building my classroom library, and reading at home.
  • Do you need some ideas about teaching money to your first grade students? Check out my favorite teaching tips on money for kids. First, have your students watch some BrainPop Jr. videos and books about money for kids. Money anchor charts are fantastic to use during math whole group to better K-2 students' understanding. The CRA Math Model is perfect for understanding money for kids. I also share my favorite math centers like money puzzles, money bingo, and math money games!
  • Have you been wondering what the benefits of reading aloud to children are? Today, I will share why reading aloud to children is important. Reading aloud increases children's vocabulary, building fluency, and reading comprehension. It’s important to teach elementary students how to choose the just right book. I love doing interactive read alouds and think alouds during my picture book reading. Check out how I incorporate writing about reading, building my classroom library, and reading at home.
  • Are you looking for ways to teach kindness to kids in the classroom? Today, I’m sharing my favorite teacher tips on helping your early elementary students understand kindness in the classroom. Some of my favorite kindness activities for kids is setting expectations and modeling kindness. We love reading, How Full Is Your Bucket? By Tom Rath and more. It’s important to role play ideas for kids in the classroom. Kindness anchor charts are great to create during whole group and small group lessons.
  • Have you been looking for end of year classroom community activities? These classroom community building activities are perfect for your K-2 classroom! I love creating an end of year anchor chart so students can write down their favorite memories of first grade. K-2 students will love the balloon bulletin board countdown with themes. Early elementary students enjoy creating a reflection writing craft, first grade end of year memories, would you rather end of school year game, and much more!
  • If you want to know more about the science of reading, now is your chance. Today, I will share why the science of reading is important to learn and understand for our elementary students. The 5 essential components that make up reading instruction are phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. For K-2 students it is important to spend approximately 40% of your instructional block focusing on phonemic awareness skills and phonics skills.

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