May 14, 2019
End-of-Year Reflection Activities for a Mindful Celebration
End-of-year reflection activities provide children with time to process and celebrate all of their learnings and successes from throughout the school year. They also present a great opportunity to deepen social-emotional skills, such as identifying feelings, while thinking about hopes and goals for the year ahead.
End the year with one or more of these intentional reflection activities. Add a healthy snack and you’ve got the perfect end-of-year celebration!
Personal Expression Reflection
Using available art supplies, encourage students to take 10 minutes to draw or journal something they learned and something they still wonder based on the past school year. If children are comfortable sharing, take turns reporting out.
Reflection Letters
Letter writing is a great way to reflect on the past year. Keep the reflection positive by asking children to write a letter listing 10 reasons they’re proud of themselves.
Consider adding movement to your celebration by incorporating a reflection walk. If safe to do so, encourage students to take a walk outdoors, stopping every few minutes to consider questions such as, “What did you enjoy the most this year?”; “What’s a favorite memory from this year?”; “What are you excited to learn next year?”
Posters for Next Year
Ask students, “How do you want to feel when you return to school?” Encourage them to channel these feelings into creating posters, signs, or banners that can be displayed when school resumes to welcome students back to class.
Summer Question Box
Students may feel a mix of emotions about summer. For example, some may be worried about meal access or settling into a new routine. Others may feel excited about the break from academic learning and the opportunity to spend more time outside. One way you can address these concerns and help students process emotions is by encouraging students and submit anonymous questions about what they may experience over the summer break. Doing so will give you insight into their current needs and provide an opportunity to facilitate some meaningful end-of-year discussion.