Wrapping Up Right: End-of-Year Activities Your Students Will Love

Hey fellow Teacher Friends!

As the school year winds down, the energy in our classrooms shifts. The countdown is on, and while our students may already have one foot in summer, we know the importance of finishing strong. This time of year can be a great opportunity to reflect, celebrate, and reinforce learning—while also having some well-earned fun!

Here are some of my favorite end-of-year activities that strike a balance between meaningful and memorable:

1. Memory Books

Have students create personal memory books or digital slideshows reflecting on their school year. Prompts like "My favorite project was...", "A challenge I overcame...", or "My proudest moment..." allow students to see their growth and give them a keepsake to take home. I've included links to some of my memory books I've created to share! 

2. Classroom Awards (With a Twist)

Forget generic awards—get creative! Let students nominate peers for fun and thoughtful titles like “Future Author,” “Most Likely to Start a Movement,” or “The Kindness King/Queen.” This promotes community and leaves everyone feeling appreciated.

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3. Letter to Next Year’s Students

This is a powerful reflection tool. Ask your current students to write letters to the students who will be in your class next year. They can offer advice, share their favorite memories, or describe what to expect. It’s authentic, and next year’s students love reading them!

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4. STEM or Art Challenge Day

Let your students’ creativity shine! Set up design or building challenges using everyday materials, or host a themed art day. One year, we did a “Design Your Dream Classroom” project—some students even included hammocks and snack robots!

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5. End-of-Year Escape Room

Whether digital or paper-based, a themed escape room is an engaging way to review concepts learned throughout the year. Bonus points if it’s summer-themed (think: “Escape the Boring Vacation”).

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6. Classroom Time Capsule

Each student contributes one item (drawing, photo, note, or memento) to a class time capsule. Seal it with the plan to open it in a future grade or mail it to students in a year. It adds a layer of anticipation and nostalgia.

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7. Outdoor Learning Day

If the weather cooperates, take the classroom outside. Reading circles under a tree, sidewalk chalk math problems, or a nature scavenger hunt can refresh everyone’s spirits.

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8. Student Showcase

Host an in-class “gallery walk” where students display their work or present a favorite project from the year. Invite other classes or families if possible. It's a great way to show growth and end the year with pride.

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9. Gratitude Circles

On one of the last days, sit in a circle and pass around a talking piece. Each student shares one thing they’re grateful for from the year. It builds connection and helps end the year on a meaningful, emotional note.

As teachers, we know the end of the year isn’t just about closing a chapter—it’s about making sure every student leaves your classroom with confidence, pride, and great memories.

Wishing you a smooth, joyful finish to your school year. You’ve earned it!

XOXO,

Casey

After Testing Tricks

It's been a while and I'm hoping to get back on here for some fun and engaging posts! 

A Fun and Easy Teaching Trick for After Testing

Testing time can be exhausting for kids. After all that bubbling in answers and thinking hard, they need something fun but still engaging to do. That’s where Choice Boards come in!

What is a Choice Board?

A Choice Board is like a menu of activities where students get to pick what interests them. It keeps them busy while still learning—without feeling like extra work.

Why Choice Boards Are a Great Idea

1. Gives Students Control: Kids love having options and making their own choices.

2. Works for All Learning Styles: Whether they like moving around, drawing, reading, or building, there’s something for everyone.

3. Takes Away the Pressure: No grades, no stress—just fun learning activities.

4. Covers Different Subjects: You can include reading, math, science, and creativity all in one place.

Choice Board Activity Ideas

Here are some fun activities to keep kids engaged after testing:

• Tall Tale Time: Write a funny story about a superhero with a unique superpower.

• Build It Up: Use toothpicks and marshmallows to build the tallest tower you can.

• Doodle Away: Draw a picture showing how you feel now that testing is over.

• Book Talk: Pick a favorite book and share why you love it.

• Nature Hunt: Go outside and find five cool things in nature, then describe them.

• Puzzle Time: Solve a fun brain teaser or crossword puzzle.

How to Use a Choice Board in Your Classroom

• Let students pick a few activities over a couple of days.

• Offer a mix of individual and group activities.

• Include a mix of hands-on and written activities to keep it interesting.

• Get students involved in creating their own Choice Board options.

Final Thoughts

Choice Boards are a great way to keep kids engaged after testing without adding extra stress. They let students have fun while still learning in a relaxed way.

Writers Center Area: Writing Kit Idea for Organization

Organizing a writing center in an elementary classroom can be simple if you have the right package! One of the hardest parts of teaching writing is guiding students through the entire writing process as they move along through a piece of writing. That's what led me to create this Writing Center Kit that helps keep them organized and walks them through the different forms of writing. 

With this kit, students can learn about the three forms of writing while covering all 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade writing standards without even realizing it. This kit includes easy prep activities, printables, and a center station set-up (posters, prompts) that will help you build organized writing centers! These centers focus on opinion, informative, and narrative writing for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades Common Core.

What’s Included

• 60 Task Cards that cover the three forms of writing: leveled for 3rd-5th grades
• Common Core posters for each type of writing
• Sentence starter cards for each type of writing leveled 3rd-5th
• Transition Words: First detail (3-word cards), Middle details (5-word cards), Last Detail (3-word cards), and concluding sentence (3-word cards)
• “I Can” statement posters for the writing standards for 3rd-5th
• Opinion, Informative, and Narrative Posters (3)
• Blank coordinating cards for you to add your own touch!! They're EDITABLE in PowerPoint (A list of fonts used is included!!!)
• Recording Sheet Checklists
• Answer Sheet for recording writing responses
• Black and White Printer Friendly version included!!!!
• BONUS: A doodle B+W with a POP of color theme 
  

Easy Prep Spring Bulletin Boards

Spring Bulletin Board

It's time for spring, well, I actually just have spring fever and I can't wait for winter to end! Period. I despise colder days and hate socks so that really doesn't help a thing. Prepping for spring is all about making the atmosphere inviting in the classroom! I will admit that sometimes as a teacher, I am a wee bit of a procrastinator when it comes to changing up the theme of my decor with the seasons. It's tough, people. It is a challenge to make sure you're getting everything accomplished in a day as an educator, end of story. 

So with all that being said, I have created some Spring bulletin board kits with easy prep decor for your classroom! I hope they can help to brighten up your room. Even on those colder last few weeks of winter, maybe they can help to make coming into school a little easier. 

Boho Spring Bulletin Board

Running a Biz...Side Hustle Madness

So I just gotta say...anyone out there that thinks running a business is easy as a side-hustle and a day job too has no clue what they're doing haha. I literally cannot tell how I'm doing with my shop updates. I've done so many my brain is almost mush. 

I've worked my little guts out updating resources this summer and making them even better for classrooms and improving dated resources. I'll be honest, I am one exhausted momma and sometimes I wanna give up. I work late at night. I do my best to work when their little eyes are closed and they are snuggled in their beds. Life as a momma and even for you dad's out there, and having a side hustle can be tough, but it can also be rewarding. 

I feel like those those rewards sometimes come slow and yes sometimes we can get discouraged, but other times I feel like just giving it my all and never giving up. Feels like that is the best thing that I can do for myself and my babies. 

I hope you all, teacher-preneurs and all are having a wonderful summer! It has flown by and the days of summer are soon coming to a close for me. I hope those of you who still have another month or so soak it up!!

Casey

Long Division-A New Way and Updating Projects

It's that time when summer rolls around and I start revamping all of my current resources to make them better than they were. I've been working my little tussy off this week and last updating older resources. These things just needed some serious love, one in particular that taught a specific way to teach and learn long division. This little guy has somehow brought me so much love in my shop, but it was very dated.

Long division the old fashioned way just isn't that much fun. Well, nothing math is really that fun for me haha. Okay, so with this resource I show how to divide using tens, hundreds, and thousands. See a part of the teacher guide I created below. This baby needed updated, it was absolutely horrid in my eyes. I'll show you a before and after at the bottom of this post. Oh, dear lawd, I am just relieved I've got it revised and uploaded! Yes, it did take me some time, but I feel that it, directions and all were worth the effort. 

BEFORE's AND AFTER's

 

  

GEEZ....the pieces to the right just look more cleaned up and so much AMAZINGNESS!!!!!!!!!! I have really grown up in the last ten years as a TpT seller!! This is proof that practice really does make a difference! 

As Independent as they come

If there’s one thing I’ve realized over the last year, it’s that I can do just about anything on my own. It might take me twice as long when it comes down to it, but it’s doable. Just like yesterday, I had ordered a couple of patio chairs and boy were they heavy when they arrived and in a million pieces 🤦🏻‍♀️. I managed to scoot the entire box inside my garage and take them out piece by piece. Look at me from last Halloween. I dressed up as Rosie the Riveter. I thought this image was very fitting for this post! "We can do it!" 

Being a girl, a small one at that and trying to carry heavy things, move furniture, tear down playhouses, mulch the landscaping, haul trees (sorta), clean out the drains (screaming while doing so because that's just gross), or even fixing a toilet, is not fun. Did I mention that I run a small business as well? With all that being said, I can honestly say I’ve come to the point of independence, even if I do occasionally shed a few tears while doing so. 

So if you're out there and you're thinking, you can't do this, or that or you don't got it, you most definitely can, we can do it! So don't be worried or scared! Time marches on and time makes all things better!

Praises and more Praises

Hello, my fellow readers and clientele out there. I have a lot on my mind. I have been slacking on blogging as I have been very busy with my virtual assistant tasks, praise the Lord. This is a blessing in itself, but has also become a stressful side of my life. Teacher by day and entrepreneur by night haha. 

I need to confess something. Over the last year or so, I haven't gone to church in a long time, well, thanks to Covid for happening, that didn't help. I went this last Sunday, Easter and found that it was really nice to actually be sitting in there even if I was thinking boy, oh, boy, I'm gonna get the Covid. 

In all honesty, this moment on Easter Sunday reminded me of the good old days with my Grandpa. He was the best for taking us to church. I was maybe 11 years old when I started going to church some with him. By the time I reached 13 years old, I was ready to give my life to the Lord. I will never ever forget that moment. My heart was pounding a million miles an hour, Preacher Bill was standing up front praising the Lord, and I was terrified, and leave it to me to be thinking, I'll bet everyone's ready to go to lunch, haha. So way back then, I felt content, and my life went along without derailment. 

Fast forward 20 years later and here I sit, a tad bruised on the inside, but blessed beyond belief, listening to the rain tap on the roof, and the thunder roll, with two beautiful children, one beside me snoozing comfortably away. That legit turned into a testimony. So sorry, but the Lord has honestly blessed me beyond measure and I want to do this life right. I can't imagine my life without my babies, or my family and friends. 

We must always keep going and always turn to the Lord, or we will constantly be lost without realizing it. We won't even know why nothing keeps our hearts content. My Grandpa once told me this and it stuck with me. I'm slowly getting that soul back, that sweet soul I once had. I hope if yours was once lost, it has been found!