Last Day Lessons

“Last day’s lesson? Sore topic!” says a fourth-grade teacher. “I can never predict how long the end-of-year assembly will last, so every year I end up either over-planning or under-planning the closure activity!”

Navigating the school year’s close can be quite challenging for educators. With various school-wide assemblies and the need to wrap up the curriculum, finding the balance of a quick-but-impactful activity can be tough.

However, incorporating one of the following interactive activities can transform the last days of school into a valuable opportunity to celebrate student achievements, share cherished memories, and strengthen the sense of community among classmates. These activities can be adapted to fit a time frame of 15 to 45 minutes, allowing teachers to maintain flexibility as needed.

Craft

On the last day of school, a third-grade teacher we asked said she wraps up the scrapbook page for the final bracha of Shemone Esrei. “Crafts are a joyful way to conclude the year, allowing students to take pride in their accomplishments,” she shares.

Compliment Cards

This is a creative twist on the traditional autograph page! Use this template to let students share compliments with their classmates.

Customize the document to create an individual sheet for each student. Then, circulate the sheets around the classroom, allowing everyone to write a positive note for each of their peers. It’s a way give everyone a little boost on their way out for the summer!

(file is editable here or download PDF)

Handouts

Download Color

Download Black and White

Download Color

Download Black and White

Download Color

Download Black and White

Download English/Yiddish/Grade Options

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Concentric Circles

Arrange students into two concentric circles, where each student in the inner circle is facing a student in the outer circle.

Each student will partner with the one directly across from them and take turns answering questions such as those in the questionnaire below. After they’ve exchanged responses, have the students in the inner circle step one position to the right to face a different partner.

Questionnaire

Prepare a sheet with thought-provoking questions for students to complete. If time allows for it, students can share their responses with the class.

Here are some sample questions:

What is one thing you are looking forward to next year?
What do you hope to achieve in your next school year?
What was your favorite thing we learned this year?
What was something that was hard at first but got easier?
Was there something you wish we had spent more time on?
What activity, game, or project did you like best?
What advice would you give to next year’s class?

Games for Review and Reflection

Download Editable Taboo Cards

Download Editable Icon Labels

Download Five-Second Rule Prompts

Taboo

Prepare a stack of Taboo cards in advance. Each card should have a target word related to your lessons at the top, followed by a list of related words or phrases (taboo words).

Split the students into two teams. One student acts as the clue-giver and tries to get their teammates to guess a target word by providing hints while avoiding a list of taboo words related to that target. The team has one minute to guess as many words as possible, earning points for correct guesses.

Download Sample Cards

Four Corners – Trivia Style

Label corners A, B, C, D. Ask multiple-choice questions. Students go to the corner of their answer. Eliminate wrong answers or just tally scores.

Pictionary/Charades

Students draw or act out terms or concepts from the year.

Five-Second Rule

Students have 5 – 30 seconds (depending on grade level) to name three answers that fit a given prompt.

Variation: Instead of naming 3 things, name as many as possible in 5 seconds (tally total points).

Download Prompts

Icon or Item Association Game

Print random icons on labels or pack items in a bag. Each student picks a random picture or item and associates it with anything related to this year.

Download Icons

MORE TO EXPLORE

Behind the Desk to Director’s Chair

The elementary school teacher’s guide to putting on a class performance Siddur play, Chumash play, Purim play, Tehillim play, Birchas Yaakov performance, Rosh Chodesh assembly, seventh-and-eighth grade performance… Most elementary school teachers have one of the above written into their contracts. Opinions and feelings, when we took a poll, were mixed. Excellent advice was a’plenty. Read, enjoy and get equipped! The Upsides Nechama is a sixth grade teacher who’s been running her annual class play for many years. She sees firsthand the positive outcomes of the efforts she invests to make a beautiful performance where every student can truly shine. “A lot of girls really have hidden talents. Giving a girl the responsibility to take charge can show you a side of her you never knew existed. Pushing a shy student to take a role you know she is really capable of can open her up, turning her into

No Work and All Play…?

Kvetches, thoughts and tips on teaching through play season by teachers like you. Join ‘em The majority of teachers shared roughly the same game plan: Don’t fight them – show genuine interest and share in their excitement. Hindy acknowledges that teaching during production season is definitely compromised teaching. “It’s not just the missed class time – it’s a serious lack of focus.” Still, she believes that these few weeks mean the world to so many students and create their fondest high school memories. “Make peace with the reality of play season and lean into it,” she advises. Liba says that when she gives her students time to talk about the play, they feel like she’s “in on it”. She finds that the more she connects with their performance, the better they snap back into real learning in her class post-play season. Of course, she tries to attend either the

Chazak, Chazak, V’Nischazek!

A Siyum Summary The standard celebration for completing a perek or significant amount of learning is the ubiquitous siyum. Aside from serving as a major incentive for students to keep on learning with vigor, the siyum makes an important statement to our talmidos: Every part of Torah is precious, valuable, and immeasurably special – and your hard work to gain knowledge and understand is a simcha to be celebrated. If planning a siyum for your class is still a challenge, you’re not alone. Class dynamics, time, school policies and a host of other factors can make it a daunting task. Read on for valuable pointers from teachers who have their siyum systems down to a science. The White Shirt What’s a siyum without a white shirt? It’s important to keep track of the date – if Rosh Chodesh is the same week, it can be challenging for mothers laundry-wise.

Mommy and Me Workshops

Mommy & Me Day is a special opportunity to welcome mommies into the classroom and celebrate the powerful connection between home and school. It gives mommies a meaningful peek into what happens during the school day, while helping children feel supported, confident, and excited about their learning experience. Why is a Mommy and Me Day important? Strengthens home–school connectionWhen mommies step into the classroom, they better understand the school’s values, routines, and learning goals—creating a true partnership. Builds children’s emotional securityChildren feel proud, confident, and safe when their mommy is part of their school world, which supports emotional development. Encourages meaningful parent involvement Mommies experience hands-on activities and gain ideas they can continue at home. Enhances social and language skillsShared activities promote communication, cooperation, and expressive language in a natural way. Creates joyful, lasting memoriesPositive school experiences tied to family build warm associations with learning