If it’s the last week of school you may be feeling overwhelmed with everything you have to do to get your room ready for summer. Fortunately, if you enlist your students to help it’ll be much less of a burden.
Every year my students literally beg me to help get the classroom packed up. I’ve taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade and at every age, they want to help. I would find random things for them to do and then really focus on getting my room packed up for summer once they were gone.
Last summer I was getting married a few weeks after the last day of school and knew I needed to be 100% done with my room on the last day of school. Not an easy feat for me as a recovering disorganized teacher. I made a list of all the ways my students could help and we got to work during indoor recess, waiting for the bus, or as early finisher activities. One thing I realized is the ownership my students have with their classroom. For me and my students, it’s like our second home that we have taken care of all year. When the students are able to pitch in they feel extra privileged, even if it’s just running an errand.
Here are 5 ideas of activities your students can help:
- Test and sort dry erase markers, anchor chart markers, highlighters, pens-basically anything that has ink that can dry out. Give them a whiteboard or a blank piece of paper and let them have at it!
- Play recess games/puzzles to ensure it has all the pieces if not it’s time to get rid of them!
- Sort books in the classroom library to return them back to their original baskets and make a “book hospital” pile of damaged books.
- Take down bulletin boards.
- Sharpen all unsharpened pencils for next year.
Did I get your wheels turning? I’m sure you can think of your own needs. I have created a FREE checklist of student jobs that you can download right now. Just CLICK HERE or this picture:
This freebie includes the student job checklist, but it is an entire guide to planning the last month of school!
Have a great summer!