You finished another school year! And what a year it was. Let your students document the year with a Google Slides digital memory book.
Let’s be honest. It’s the end. You’re done. They’re done. But you still have a few more weeks and you need to be productive. This is the perfect digital activity to get you through those last few days. Your kiddos will love putting their creative minds to work as they complete each slide. When they’re done, they can add their own transitions and end up with a beautiful digital keepsake of the school year. This project can be completed in one day or spread out over a few days. It’s a great end of the year activity that will keep even the most spring-fevered (is that a word?) students engaged. You can even set up a day or two for students to present their finished projects and show off their creativity.
Directions are inlcuded on each slide. Students can add photos, pictures and clipart.
There are 15 pages for students to complete. This resource also includes two tutorial videos that demonstrate how to insert photos and clipart and how to add transitions.
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I usually like to introduce this project by sharing an end of the year read aloud. Here are some of my favorites with some additional activities you can incorporate. Click each book cover to take you to a YouTube read aloud.
Love is by Diane Adams
I love to use this book to introduce our memory book project. It’s the story of a little girl and her duckling who have to say goodbye. Use this book as a springboard for the memory book and as a class, brainstorm memories from the year and what you’ll miss about it.
Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems.
In the final installment of this series by Mo Willems, Trixie decides to give her bunny to a crying baby. You can use this book to talk about advice your students may want to give to next year’s class. Have them write letters to leave for the new batch of students and save them for September.
I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld
This inspiring story is filled with wished for a life well lived. Share this book with your students and brainstorm a list of wishes. Have each student create a wish page and put it together in a class book. You can even make a copy for each student to take home at the end of the year as a keepsake.
Breathe by Scott Magoon
The simple illustrations and text tell the story of a young whale venturing out on his first day alone at sea. Students can color this free printable as you dicuss the message in the picture. They can make this whale printable, too.
The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
This is a chapter book so I usually start reading it after Memorial Day break. It’s a great book to end the year with. I usually read a chapter after the students return from recess. I plan on getting the audio book and sharing it that way, too. There is no video link to this book.
Last Day Blues by Julie Danneberg
This is book 2 of The Jitters series of 6 books. I always start off the year with her first book, First Day Jitters, so I love to share this one at the end. Share this book on the last day to wrap up your year.
However you choose to end the year, I hope you walk away knowing that you made a difference in the lives of your students. Here’s to a great last few weeks!
