Teacher To-Do List System

With going back to school on the horizon, it’s time to get organized and think about creating to-do lists that work for you!

Having spent 30 years in education, I have tried about a billion different types of to-do lists. All of them have some good things about them and some limits, so it’s good to try out different systems and then put something together that works best for you.

The top seven time-savers for me are:

1 – use ONE planner that works for me

2 – keep a running “brain dump” list

3 – organize your brain dump list

4 – make a systemized weekly routine list

5 – make a systemized daily routine list

6 – when making your weekly list, check your brain dump list for top priority items to be completed this week

7 – when making your daily list, identify your top three priority tasks to be done each day.

Here’s my system.

1 – you need a place to keep your lists. This can be a paper planner or a digital planner – whatever works best for you.

Some of my favorite paper planners are listed here:

*Erin Condren teacher planner – https://amzn.to/3eqtunX

*Schoolgirl Style teacher planner

*Bloom teacher planner

*Happy Planner

Another option is to create your own planner with a simple binder and paper. If you do this, you might want to use some printable planning pages. Here’s a link to my printables on Teachers Pay Teachers.

2 – use blank paper in your paper planner (or a new doc in your digital planner) to keep a running “brain dump” list.

A brain dump is simply a list of whatever comes to mind that you need or want to do. This is where you can add things whenever you think of them. It can be messy!

This isn’t your regular to-do list. This is a place where you can get all of the stuff that might be overwhelming you out of your head and onto the page where you can get it organized and then get it done.

3 – next you can organize that brain dump list. Here are two ways to do that:

*use colored pens (like Flair pens) and label your tasks by priority, using ABC or 123 labels.

An A or 1 label = anything that is urgent (in terms of time frame) and important for you to do.

A B or 2 label = anything that is important, but not quite as urgent.

A C or 3 label = anything that isn’t urgent and might matter to you, but isn’t immediately important to do.

(A brain dump list is especially great for these items since they are written down and will probably eventually get done so they don’t keep coming to mind when you’re thinking about more urgent/important tasks. You can relax because they’re “on the list”.)

*use highlighters. You could prioritize your tasks the same way, but just use highlighters to indicate the different priorities.

4 – develop a systemized weekly routine list. This one tip has saved me lots of time.

To do this, think about your typical week.

Write down your weekdays as column headings.

You probably have planning meetings, team meetings, faculty meetings, etc. and they are all scheduled for the same day and time every week. Write these meetings down under the day they are scheduled.

Next, think about all the things you need to do every week. Maybe you want to have all ELA prep done on a certain day, all math prep done on another day, for instance. Maybe you have to turn in lesson plans to an administrator by a certain day. Whatever the things you need to do, list them under the appropriate day.

For example: if you have two meetings on one day, that probably would not be a good day for getting anything “extra” done. Be realistic. (I try to complete administrative and paperwork tasks on faculty meeting day. Those kinds of tasks can often be done in small bits of time and don’t take quite as much thinking work as lesson planning and grading takes.)

5 – Next, create a systemized daily to-do list, just like you did for the weekly list. What are your tasks that have to be done daily? Maybe you need to update the next day’s slides or materials, make notes about the next day’s reading groups or math groups, make copies, check off student work, do some straightening or cleaning. Whatever it is — make a daily list for each day of the week.

Each day’s tasks might have some of the same items on them, but some will be different. For instance, if you or your team send a weekly email to families, that might happen on a Friday or a Monday. Maybe it needs to be written on a Thursday or a Friday. Add those tasks to the particular days on which they need to be done.

A caution: be realistic. Try to keep these daily lists to no more than five to seven items. Or you could put an asterisk beside any items that are “would be great to do but the world will go on if you don’t do them”.
Remember that unexpected tasks or events will often get in the way. So starting with a pared-down and realistic systemized daily list is very important.

6 – As you create your weekly to-do list, you will check both your brain dump list (for the high priority items to be done this week) and your systemized weekly list. Look for where you can add the brain dump items to this week’s list. Some weeks you will be able to add items and some weeks you won’t. That is fine! Remember that the brain dump list is there so help keep all those tasks listed so they don’t keep cluttering up your mind.

7 – now for the daily list.

First, we need to identify the top three priority tasks. Take a look at your weekly to-do list and your systemized daily routine list for the day. Then identify the top three tasks you absolutely have to get done that day. Highlight or star those items, write them on a sticky note and pop them on your computer, whatever you need to do to keep those top priority items in mind.

Once you have completed those priority tasks, then get going on any of the other daily tasks.

To review this system:

1 – choose a planner that works for you and stick with it.

2 – start a “brain dump” list.

3 – prioritize your brain dump list.

4 – make a systemized weekly routine list (this list will be used every week. Although you can tweak it, this only has to be done one time.)

5 – make a systemized daily routine list (these lists will be used each day. Although you can tweak it, these only have to be created one time.)

6 – make your weekly to-do list, checking your brain dump priority items, and adding them to your systemized weekly lists.

7 – make your daily to-do list, identifying your top three priority tasks for the day (these may be things from your systemized daily list for the day), then add your other systemized daily routine tasks.

Remember that you can get my printable lists HERE!

Setting Boundaries

I’ve been obsessing a lot about boundaries recently.

(Do you ever have something on your mind – like boundaries – and then suddenly you start noticing things about that topic everywhere? Or is it just me?!)

Last week I enjoyed attending the “Teach Your Heart Out” virtual conference.

One of my favorite presenters – Gerry Brooks – gave a keynote address and he talked about some of the very same things that have been my obsession.

One of his points was about the saying “Not my circus, not my monkeys”. While he had a lot more to say about this, I got to thinking about it in reference to boundaries.

When COVID hit and we were all suddenly working from home, we quickly realized we needed to set some boundaries. Taking care of our own mental health by setting boundaries for work hours and for our availability suddenly became really important. We also realized that there were so many things that were totally out of our control – “not my circus, not my monkeys.” (That doesn’t mean that we weren’t worried about those things — just that we could do absolutely nothing about them.)

But setting boundaries is important all the time, not just during a pandemic and virtual learning. So how do we set them and how do we stick to them?

Summer break is important for lots of reasons, but most especially because it gives educators a chance to take a break. Even if we’re teaching summer school, creating curriculum, or attending professional development sessions, at least it’s a break from what we do during the school year.

We can’t be productive and go 100 mph all the time. Think about nature. There is a time for trees and flowers to bloom and a time for them to be more dormant. Ocean tides ebb and flow. Bears hibernate. Even our school year has an ebb and flow to it. We accept that in nature but we don’t always give ourselves the same grace to just “be.”

Part of this comes from reading books and viewing social media posts that make it seem as if everyone else is hustling and creating and doing and making things for their classroom next year and just generally being so much more productive than you think you are being. So you feel guilty or feel like there is something wrong with you.

There is nothing wrong with you! If reading those books is stressing you out, put them away and read them at another time (or never if that’s better for you).

If the social media accounts are making you feel like a slug, unfollow them for a while (or forever if that’s better for you).

You’ve probably heard Parkinson’s law: work expands to fill the time available. I would also add that people will happily take all the time and energy you want to give them.

You know as well as I do that when you are tired or stressed or overwhelmed or anxious, you are not your best self and end up making mistakes that don’t do anyone any favors. So it’s up to you to set the boundaries you need to preserve your own time and energy.

To be the very best teacher, parent, partner, friend, etc. you can be — you need to prioritize yourself and your own needs first. The only way to do that is to make a plan because the best defense is a good offense.

Here are 5 tips for setting boundaries:

1 – avoid anything that is making you feel guilty or lazy or unproductive. Just because someone else appears to be working or creating constantly, that doesn’t mean you need to be.

Other teachers might appear to be creating “all the things”. If you’re not ready for that yet, don’t do it! And don’t feel guilty. “Not your circus, not your monkeys.” At least not right now.

I know you know this, but here’s your reminder about social media: you’re only seeing their “highlight reel” of what they’re doing or creating. You’re not seeing them in their pajamas eating ice cream on the couch while watching Netflix. Remember that they are no doubt taking downtime too – they just might not be documenting that part of their lives, nor do they need to!

Stop reading the posts or just unfollow for a while if that is what’s best for you.

2 – schedule rest. I love Kendra Adachi’s book The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, & Get Stuff Done.

One of my favorite of her “Lazy Genius Principles” is to schedule rest. We’re so good about scheduling everything we need to get done – appointments, meetings, social events. But it’s also a good idea to schedule “white space” in your calendar or planner for just resting or allowing yourself to do whatever makes you happy when you get to that time.

When your scheduled rest time is planned, let go of all the other things you might be thinking you should be doing. That stuff is scheduled for another time. Right now it’s “not my circus, not my monkeys.”

3 – If you haven’t already done so, plan your summer! (It’s never too late, even if you only have another week left.) Read my posts about planning your summer fun, relaxation, and obligations HERE and HERE.

4 – say no to anything that drains your energy. Cut back on your kids’ activities, let go of some home tasks (or get help from someone else to get them done), avoid spending time with people who stress you out or drain your energy. “Not my circus, not my monkeys.”

5 – try some of my summer rejuvenation tips from THIS post. “Not my circus, not my monkeys” – not every tip works for everyone. Only choose the ones that YOU want to do and let the rest go!

Keep an eye out for my next post about setting boundaries when you’re back at school!

How to Get Out of a Funk – 12 Quick Tips

Recently a post called “Depression Tips” has been making the rounds on Facebook. It has a lot of good tips in it, but I prefer to call it “how to get out of a funk.” There is a big difference between true clinical depression and just being in a bit of funk (or bad mood or rut or whatever you want to call it).

Here are some of the tips from the post along with some suggestions I’ve added!

*Facebook post: take a shower. Shower. Not a bath, a shower.

I prefer a shower myself, but there is also nothing wrong with soaking in a bathtub, especially if it’s filled with good-smelling bubbles.

Some other luxuries to make your bath or shower even better:
Bath pillow
Bath caddy tray
Bath bombs
Aromatherapy stress relief bubble bath
Body wash
Fluffy bath towels

*Facebook post: Moisturize everything. Use whatever lotion you like.

Some good options:
Aveeno lavender stress relief body lotion
OGX coconut & vanilla bean lotion
Cocoa butter lotion
Neutrogena Hydro Boost face moisturizer
Loreal collagen face moisturizer
Burt’s Bees face moisturizer

*Facebook post: Put on clean, comfortable clothes.

Comfortable to me means “soft.” Here are some ideas:
Joggers
Yoga joggers
T-shirts
Long sleeve shirts
Fleece sweatshirt

*Facebook post: Put on your favorite underwear.

You can get creative here – whatever makes you feel good!

*Facebook post: Drink cold water. Use ice. If you want, add some mint or lemon for an extra boost.

We know that water is good for us, but it does get a little boring. Find some waters that make drinking them seem more like a treat. Some favorites:
Lacroix sparkling water
San Pellegrino sparkling mineral water

*Facebook post: Clean something. Doesn’t have to be anything big. Organize one drawer of a desk. Wash five dirty dishes. Do a load of laundry. Scrub the bathroom sink.

I agree that even just a little bit of cleaning or a little bit of organizing can change your whole perspective.

*Facebook post: Blast music.

Find or make some playlists with music that you love. Another option is to use Alexa to play some kind of music you love.
Echo Dot

*Facebook post: Make food. Don’t just grab a granola bar to munch. Take the time and make food . . . Prepare food, it tastes way better, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something.

Amen to that. My newest favorite cookbook is Half Baked Harvest Super Simple.

*Facebook post: Make something. Write a short story or a poem, draw a picture, color a picture, fold origami, crochet or knit, sculpt something out of clay, anything artistic. Even if you don’t think you’re good at it. Create.

I’ve suggested this myself before. It doesn’t have to be award-winning and you don’t even have to share it with anybody else. Just find something you would enjoy creating.
Some options to try:
Hand lettering or calligraphy
Crochet
Origami

*Facebook post: Go outside. Take a walk. Sit in the grass. Look at the clouds. Smell flowers. Put your hands in the dirt and feel the soil against your skin.

This is another suggestion that almost always works for me. Something about being outside and away from whatever (or whoever) is causing stress can do a lot to change your outlook.

*Facebook post: Call someone. Call a loved one, a friend, a family member. . . If you can’t bring yourself to call, text or email or whatever, just have some social interaction with another person.

Great suggestion. Try to make sure it’s a person who will cheer you up or affirm you in some way.

*Facebook post: Cuddle your pets if you have them/can cuddle them. Take pictures of them. Talk to them.

Pets are such a source of joy for many people. If you don’t have a pet, you can always observe animals while you’re outside – birds, rabbits, squirrels. Not snakes (unless that’s your thing!).

There you have it. 12 simple ways to get yourself out of a funk. Please take care of yourself and notice when your “funk” is going on for longer than it should. It may be time to get professional help and not feel guilty about that. This year has been like no other. We need to take care of ourselves and look out for each other.

Summer Rejuvenation for Teachers

We need summer rejuvenation more than ever this year.

This school year – rather, the past 15 months – have been surreal. We went from teaching in our classrooms in March of 2020 to suddenly learning how to use Zoom or Google Meet and transitioning all of our teaching and assignments to an online format. Even for those of us who went back to our school buildings this year, there were the challenges of learning to navigate teaching our in-person students while also engaging our students who remained remote. Not to mention managing all the health and safety protocols. If you’re a parent navigating all of this while also doing your day job, what you accomplished was near impossible.

I say all of this, not because you didn’t live it yourself, but to remind you: we did something entirely unexpected and monumental over those 15 months and we need to recognize our accomplishments.

So celebrate yourself and all that you did in whatever way works for you! Enjoy a celebration dinner out (now that more places are opening up) or have friends over for drinks or a meal. Make a list in your journal of all the amazing things you did (even if they were far from perfect). Buy yourself some favorite flowers or something new to wear. Enjoy a manicure, pedicure, haircut, or massage. Whatever makes you feel celebrated, go do that.

Then it’s time for some summer rejuvenation and self-care. Remember that self-care simply means taking actions to improve and sustain your own health.

Here are 12 tips:

1 – get some rest. I recently read a great book called The Power of When by Michael Breus. In this book, he provides a quick and easy quiz to discover your “chronotype”. You might be a Dolphin, a Lion, a Bear, or a Wolf. Once you know your particular chronotype, you can use the tips in his book to determine your particular best times to do just about anything, based on your biology and hormones. The book is particularly helpful for helping you determine your best sleep schedule. Getting the rest you need (at the times when you need it) will make a big difference in helping you feel rested, refreshed, and productive.

2 – eat right. This isn’t about any particular “diet.” This is about eating the foods that work for you, following an eating plan and lifestyle that is best for your body.

3 – meditate, pray, and/or write in a journal. Take some quiet time where you can calm all the thoughts swirling through your mind and get in touch with what you really need and what God has to say to you.

4 – plan your summer! I know, I know – you’re sick of planning. This kind of planning is fun though. Read my post about planning your summer and start making a big brain dump list of all the things that will bring you joy (and make you feel productive) this summer.

5 – spend time catching up with friends or family, especially with those you don’t see as often during the school year.

6 – read something every day. Whatever you want. Nothing for school (unless that’s what you really want to read). Here are some books in my beach bag to read this summer:
~The Sound of Glass by Karen White (She is a great writer, but this is one of my favorite titles of hers. I’m going to reread it this summer because I love the character of Loralee.)
~Giddy Up, Eunice – Because Women Need Each Other by Sophie Hudson (Sophie has written several great books, but this is another one that I want to reread.)
~Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand (Summer just wouldn’t be summer without an Elin Hilderbrand book. My other favorites from summers past are The Blue Bistro, The Island, Silver Girl, Beautiful Day, and The Perfect Couple.
~The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (Another favorite Laura Dave novel is Eight Hundred Grapes.)
~Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
~The Social Graces by Renee Rosen (Another favorite Renee Rosen novel is Park Avenue Summer.)
~The Island House by Nancy Thayer (Nancy Thayer, like Elin Hilderbrand, sets her novels on Nantucket. I’ve read a lot of her books but missed this one so I’m going to read it this summer.)
~The Lost & Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs
~The Woman Before Wallis: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal by Bryn Turnbull
~Summer Darlings by Brooke Lea Foster

Now, before you get intimidated by my list — there is no way I will read all of these books this summer! I just stash them away in my beach bag so I will have choices when I get some downtime to read!

7 – unplug as much as you can. Try to go to bed at a reasonable time (whatever that means for you), wake up without an alarm, limit watching the news, and cut down on social media.

8 – spend some time outside every day. Take a walk, go hiking, go to a local park, explore a state park, visit the mountains, or visit the beach. Even in the heat, find some part of nature to enjoy every day.

9 – get some form of exercise every day. Take a walk or jog, do some yoga poses, ride a bike, play tennis, go to Cross Fit, go to a barre class, try streaming a workout on Beachbody on Demand. Just move your body in some way every day.

As you find some types of exercise that you enjoy, think about how you can make this a regular practice during the school year as well. I get up super early and exercise before school because that works for me. It might work better for you to get some exercise right after school or in the early evening. Try to find a routine that you can continue into the school year.

10 – try some kind of artsy hobby or spend time doing a craft. There are lots of things to try, even if you don’t consider yourself to be an artsy person! Try some calligraphy or hand lettering, try some origami, take up knitting or crocheting. Play a musical instrument. Or learn how to do some kind of home improvement project! Interested in starting a teacher blog? Read THIS POST from CEO Teacher Kayse Morris about how to get started!

11 – schedule any doctor or dental visits you may have postponed due to COVID. It’s a good time to get those out of the way and make sure you are on a healthy path.

12 – get some fresh air and sunshine to get more vitamin D in your system. According to Healthline.com, vitamin D helps fight disease, reduces depression, and boosts weight loss.

Enjoy some summer rejuvenation – you deserve it!

Planning for Summer

If you’re a teacher, you’re a planner. But when it comes to summer, most of us are ready to put the planners away and enjoy some well-deserved time away from school.

Some of us may be thinking about the projects we have been putting off until we had more time and thinking about how we can best use our limited time in summer.

While we all deserve a break, it’s also a good idea to think about what will make you feel the most rested AND the most productive as you enjoy some time away from school.

Here’s how to do some planning for summer.

1 – make a giant brain dump list of all the things you want to do this summer. It can include necessary chores (like getting a mammogram or cleaning out closets) but it’s good to also include all the things you want to do in the summer (enjoy a beach vacation, spend time at the pool or the lake, go hiking in the mountains).

This is also a great thing to do with your kids if they are home during the summer. What makes them feel like it’s really summertime? What do they look forward to doing? Include their “bucket list” items on your brain dump list.

Don’t forget to include other things you enjoy doing in the summer like catching up on movies or Netflix, reading books, having lunch or drinks with friends. Everything counts! Remember that if you don’t schedule it, you might forget about it or it might not get done.

If possible: take that first week of break to do whatever YOU want. Binge watch everything you’ve saved to watch, sleep in (if your kids will let you) or take naps in the middle of the day. Take school email off your phone, read a book for fun (nothing for school), spend time outside. Give yourself permission to be a total slug for a few days.

Here are some fun tools to help you make your lists:

summer journal

Flair pens

summer stickers

2 – after you have listed every possible thing you can think of, start categorizing the items. What needs to be done at home? What appointments need to be scheduled? When are you hoping to travel? What events have already been scheduled? (Summer camps, Bible school, teaching summer school, etc.)

3 – list your weeks of summer with some space in between the dates.

4 – list items on the already set dates (scheduled events, vacation dates, medical appointments, etc.).

5 – start filling in the items that can only be done at home for the dates when you will be home.

6 – make sure you sprinkle in some summer fun activities, even for the weeks that have a lot of chores or home tasks!

7 – now as you glance over each week’s lists, look for where you may have overscheduled yourself or where you have too many items that can possibly be done during that time frame. Are there items you could rearrange or delete altogether? (Teaching summer school and helping with Bible school got deleted for me this year. That may not be the case every year, but this year it just felt like too much.)

8 – as you look at your weekly to-do list, remember to check this summer planning list for what you want to do or accomplish during that particular week.

The goal here isn’t to schedule yourself like an airport runway. The goal is to build in all the things you want and need to do so that you feel the most rested AND as productive as you want to be.

Take care of yourself and have the best summer ever!

End of Year Activities

As we head down the home stretch of this COVID year, I want to do as many meaningful and fun activities with my students as possible. But – I’m tired. So I am compiling some past ideas into this post so I can have them all in one place. I hope you get some ideas and inspiration here!

If you are in the school building with students:

*Have your students create a memory book about the school year. There are lots of ideas for this on Teachers Pay Teachers, but you can also make up your own prompts. Think about a list of favorites — favorite science unit, favorite thing you learned in math, favorite read-aloud book, etc. Open-ended prompts work best. You can make the memory book on paper, of course, OR you can make it into a technology project using Google slides. (A link to the memory book we use is in the “remote” section below.)

*Your students could also write advice for next year’s students. Think about open-ended prompts for this as well. While it’s fun to have a letter from every student that you can give to your students next year, it’s also fun to have groups of your students work on this project and create Google slides of that. You can show the presentations to your class next year.

*Write a six-word memoir about the year. We also do these on Google slides (clearly, we love that tool!) and our technology specialist incorporates them into a slideshow for our fifth-grade graduation event. You could create a slideshow for your own class. These are fun and meaningful.

*Do any of your students have a special talent or passion? Give them the opportunity to teach! This could be the result of a Genius Hour project, or it could be just a chance to share. This year, I have a student who has a passion for origami. We’re scheduling time for him to show some simple origami projects and my kids can’t wait. Another student developed a strong interest in the American Revolution and has created an entire Google slides presentation of his research. Ask your students if they would be interested in sharing something like this and you may be surprised at what they are capable of teaching everyone!

*Allow some (or all) of your students to interview a classmate — about the year, about what they look forward to for summer and for the next school year, about books they recommend. They can videotape the interviews. You, of course, have final editing rights! These are also fun to show the class.

*Have your students use Flip Grid or WeVideo to make brief videos about favorite books. Let them work together and create a script first, but encourage creativity and “selling” the book. You can show these videos to your class next year!

*If the weather and your school safety plan allow, spend more time outside. You could read outside, take whiteboards and do math review outside, play various review games outside. Take advantage of the spring and early summer weather.

*Your students could spend time writing thank you notes to adults in the school who make a difference to them. Rather than writing lots of notes (although that is fine too), encourage them to put some thought into it and only write two or three notes. This is an especially good activity for upper elementary students who may have been at the same school for several years.

*Make a graffiti wall out of bulletin board paper. Let students write things they will remember, funny moments or memorable moments from the year, what they will miss, etc. You could also let them use a whiteboard. Another fun graffiti activity is to do this outside with sidewalk chalk.

*My students love to answer “Would You Rather” questions during our class circle. Here’s a link to a great free resource for end-of-year and summertime questions!

*Get your students to help with end-of-year cleaning and organizing tasks. You’d be amazed at what they can do to help.

*Consider having an “awards ceremony” on the last day of school. There are some great ideas on Teachers Pay Teachers. This is one of my favorites. You can have your students vote on these or you could just award them yourself.

*Make plans for summer reading with your class. You could all brainstorm a list of books to read. Encourage your students to keep in touch with each other and talk about their books. Some options for talking to each other include actually getting together to talk, writing a letter and mailing it, using email, or using Edublogs.

If you and your students are remote learning:

*Make a digital memory book! HERE is a template for our fifth-grade memory book. You can make a copy and edit for your own grade level and needs.

*Here is a link to a distance learning memory book option from Not So Wimpy Teacher on Teachers Pay Teachers and another option from Teach Create Motivate.

*HERE are some fun writing prompts I am going to post in Google Classroom as extension writing activities.

*If you’re looking for a good math project, Jennifer Findley’s Extreme Playground Makeover looks like an engaging way to review geometry terms!

*Jennifer Findley also has an inexpensive math resource in Teachers Pay Teachers with several great review math activities for upper elementary grades.

*Make a Padlet wall for each student with the focus question “What do you like about . . . ?”. Send one Padlet wall link to your students daily (through email or post in Google Classroom). Then each student can add brief notes or stories about the focus student. You can print these Padlets and either email or snail mail them to your students.

*Have your students interview each other about the school year and put those interviews together. Some interview question options:
~what are your favorite memories?
~what were some funny things that happened this year?
~what will you always remember? (I bet I can guess one answer to this question!)
~what did you love about this class?
~what did you love about this grade?
~what was your favorite field trip and why?
~what were some favorite books you read or heard this year?

This is another good idea for having your students interact with each other.

*Collaborative class book – I love this idea because your students create the book together. This helps mitigate some of those feelings of being isolated from each other.

*Host an end-of-the-year talent show on Zoom or Google Meet. Other options are sharing your pet or sharing something you made or created.

*On the last day of school, have one last meeting together but make it a virtual picnic! Have kids bring a blanket or towel and some snacks. Just sit and eat and talk and enjoy the last bit of your school year together.

If you want more ideas, see my post on Distance Learning End of Year Activities.

If you are looking for some great picture books to share with your students at the end of the year, see my post HERE.

What are some of your favorite end-of-year ideas?

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