10 Fun Activities to End Semester 1 on a High Note

Introduction

We are almost at the end of semester 1, and what a rollercoaster ride it has been. As the semester comes to an end, you may be looking for some creative ways to end on a high note. Due to the busy schedules of students and the crowded curriculum of the school, the teacher does not always have time to do fun things with the students outside of the unit. Last week of semester is a time for students and teachers to relax from their academic work and have fun. Here are ten fun activities I’m thinking about doing with my students. Read on to find out what they are!

Sailboat retrospective for reflection

As the first semester of school draws to a close, it’s important for students to take a moment to reflect on the successes and challenges of the semester collectively. Sailboat retrospective provides students with an opportunity to share their experiences, anticipate roadblocks, and brainstorm solutions.

Start by drawing a sailboat on a whiteboard or piece of paper and explaining the sailboat metaphor to students. On the whiteboard or paper, draw the following elements and write down the questions.

1. Wind _ what has helped you moved forward this semester?
2. Sun – what has made you feel good?
3. Anchor – what has held you back?
4. Reefs – what potential risks/challenges may you face in the second semester?

Prior to posting the four questions on the paper or whiteboard, ask students to respond to each question individually. They can provide multiple answers to each question, one answer per sticky note. Having answered all four questions, students can post their responses on the whiteboard or paper and discuss them. Similar ideas can be grouped together. Consider possible solutions and strategies that could be implemented next semester for each challenge/risk. At the end of the activity, ask students to share something they have learned about themselves during the semester.​​

In participating in this activity and reflecting on these aspects, students will gain a deeper understanding of themselves, their strengths and challenges, as well as an insight into the collective class experience. Visit OneHe’s website, Sailboat Retrospective for Reflection, for more information.

The ABCs of reflection

The ABCs of reflection can be engaged in several ways.

Learning Experiences

Start by providing students with a simple but effective way to reflect on their semester. Having them write down words beginning with each letter of the alphabet that come to mind when they think of their experiences. A could represent accomplishment, B could represent books, and C could represent creativity. Have them share these words with a partner or small group to discuss what they have learned this semester.

Favorite Memory

Ask students to take some time to write down their favorite memory from the semester. Have them share it with their peers and explain why it was so special. This activity is a great way to celebrate all the successes and good times of the past few months!

Memorable Lesson

Reflection can also be a great opportunity to talk about lessons learned during the semester. Ask students to think of one important thing or fun activity they learned during their classes and explain what made it so meaningful. This is a great way to get a conversation going and highlight any interesting lessons they learned.

Make a class Spotify playlist

There’s no better way to celebrate the end of semester one than with some music! It is always a big hit with my students of all ages to create a class Spotify playlist! Students can create a holiday music playlist, Semester Hits, Semester celebration playlist, etc. This can be an excellent way to introduce different music genres, promote collaboration and ensure everyone has a good time.

Creating the playlist is simple – all you need is a Spotify account. Then get everyone in the class involved by having them submit their favorite songs. You can also have them contribute songs that they think best represent the class as a whole. Once you’ve compiled the list, make it available to the whole class by sharing the link. That way everyone can listen to the same music while they’re studying or just hanging out.

Making a class Spotify playlist is not only fun but also helps create a sense of community among students. In addition, it’s an easy way for them to share their favorite tunes, which allows me to find out what the young generation is listening to. So why not get your class together and make a playlist today?

You can also use a padlet instead of Spotifly to let students share one of their favorite songs.

Box of lies

This ideas was inspired by the Late Night Show hosted by Jimmy Fallon. In his show, he always has an audience member come up and open a box that contains something that is often unexpected or unpleasant for them. The person always ends up laughing in surprise or disgust at what’s in the box, and it’s always hilarious. So this activity will be divided into two parts: first students will try to guess what’s in their boxes; then they will open them and laugh or react accordingly.

It is not always easy to prepare boxes with mysterious objects inside in time. As an alternative, you can prepare photographs that are ridiculously funny and ask the students to describe or make up a description for the image. If you happen to have the game Bubble Talk, just use the pictures from the kit. I recommend showing students a video clip of the box of lies so they can get a sense of what the game is like. For such games, it seems we can utilize the class dividers that were invented for the Covid social distancing rules!

Face pareidolia scavenger hunt

I came across a lesson plan for the New York Times a while ago called “How to See Faces Everywhere?” We have worn masks for a long time and I sometimes miss seeing faces! Sussan Warde, a scientist, says “Your brain is tuned to see faces everywhere,” and this phenomenon is called “face pareidolia”. Face pareidolia is when we take an everyday object and find a face in it. It is the same phenomenon that causes us to see shapes in clouds and faces in rocks.

For this activity, I showed students the suggested youtube video on the lesson plan, Why Do we See Faces in Objects, first. Then we have briefly conversations on:

• What is face pareidolia?
• Why do humans experience it?

I set up a Padlet in advance and sent students on a “happy face” scavenger hunt around the classroom, outdoors, or around the school. Tell them to collect as many objects as they can, and then ask them to see if they can find faces in each item. Give them an allotted time limit and then bring everyone back together to show their photos.

Students will amaze you with their creativity! After they share, it’s time to discuss why they chose certain objects, what other shapes or patterns they could find, and how many faces were in each item. It’s a great way to wrap up the semester while getting them to think outside the box.

The T puzzle

The T Puzzle is one of the fun activities you can do with your students to help them develop communication skills, listening attentively and asking questions. This is a type of “dissection puzzle” that involves cutting apart shapes, such as squares and triangles. In a trio, one student observes the communication process, one is instructed on how to arrange the pieces to make T, and the third follows instructions and asks questions. This activity requires students to think critically and work together as a team to solve the T Puzzle. It’s a great way to get them engaged and also helps build their problem-solving skills.

Here’s how it works:

1. Print out T puzzle template.
2. Give the pieces to the student who has to put them together to form the letter “T” in an envelope.
3. Give the solution to the student who will instruct their partner to arrange the piece into T. The instructor should not reveal the solution.
4. The observer should remain silent and only observe the process.
5. Give the students 10-15 minutes to solve this problem.

Students can also be given pieces of the T and work in pairs or independently to figure out the T letter. An activity such as this is a great way to conclude the semester in a positive manner. It will not only keep students entertained, but also allow them to solve problems critically and creatively. Try it out and see how your students react! . Visit T PUZZLE (Boggle Your Mathematical Mind) for more information.

Design drone delivery system (a maker challenge)

I’m a big fan of John Spencer and always find opportunities to test out his maker challenge. Engaging students in design thinking challenges has many benefits, which I previously discussed in my blog post 10 Ideas to End the School Year. It was called a ‘Maker Challenge’ by John Spencer. “Create a drone delivery system” maker challenge is a great activity for students to be innovative, and the materials are easy to prepare.

This task can be done in teams or individually, depending on the size of your class and the amount of time you have left. With this challenge, each student or team will be responsible for designing a drone delivery system that can drop a package from at least 4 meters above the ground without breaking the items inside.

In addition to being a great way to end the semester on a positive note, this challenge is also a great opportunity for students to develop key skills such as problem-solving, creativity, collaboration and communication. As they work on this project, they’ll be able to apply the knowledge they have acquired throughout the semester and gain hands-on experience in the world of engineering and design.

By the end of this challenge, you’ll have a room full of creative minds ready to tackle whatever comes their way. Get your students excited about this project by providing them with the materials they need to get started and setting up some friendly competition between the teams. Who knows – maybe you’ll end up with a few aspiring inventors in your classroom!

For more maker challenges, check out John Spencer’s 10 Creative Risks to Take with Your Students This Year.

Gratitude towers

As semester one comes to an end, it is a great time to reflect on all the wonderful experiences and help we received. Throughout my life, I have been blessed with many wonderful people and have received lots of wonderful help and support. Gratitude helps me overcome adversity in so many ways, not the least of which is staying calm and refocusing. As a teacher, I strongly believe the importance of teaching gratitude to students as this is vital to their ability to manage their emotions on their own. Building a Gratitude Tower with our students is a wonderful way to celebrate learning.

I got the idea from the blog post, “Gratitude Towers for Social Awareness and Stem” on Technote. Gratitude Towers are a fun and creative way for students to recognize and appreciate all that they’ve accomplished over the course of the semester. The activity itself involves having each student take a few pieces of index cards and write things that they are grateful for or things they have achieved, one index card per idea. When they are finished writing, they will assemble the papers into a tower. Next, their assignment is to brainstorm and sketch their strategy for building a tower using index cards. As the tower grows, it’s a visual representation of all the good that the semester has brought.

At the end of the activity, have each student read out their tower and share their accomplishments with their classmates. This activity can be a very powerful and emotional experience for both the students and their teachers, as it allows everyone to take a moment to pause and reflect on all that has been achieved.

This simple activity is sure to bring some positive energy and cheerfulness to your class’s end-of-semester gathering. Not only will it create an uplifting atmosphere but it also gives students a chance to recognize their hard work and feel proud of their accomplishments.

Appreciation circles

Having an appreciation circle is another way to develop gratitude with students. This is another great way to wrap up semester 1 with students. Appreciation circles are a fun and easy way to give your students the recognition they deserve.

1. Start by sitting students in circles. It is important to have students sit in a circle to build a community, as I discussed in my blog post, 10 Ideas to Introduce the Hidden Curriculum in the First Weeks. It might be helpful to divide students into 2-3 circles if you have a large class.
2. Next, give each student a piece of A4 paper and ask them to write their names on it.
3. After that, they pass their papers clockwise. The students receive the paper and write down what they appreciate about the person.
4. The paper should be passed until the round is complete.
5. Upon completion of the round, each student should receive their own paper.
6. Students take a few minutes to read what others appreciate about them.

The activity can be especially meaningful for kids who don’t get enough positive feedback at home or get into a lot of troubles at school. Finally, don’t forget to offer your own appreciation for your students! Let them know how much you appreciate their hard work and dedication throughout the semester. Ending your last class with an appreciation circle will be sure to leave a lasting positive impression on your students.

Global oneness project films

It is possible that teachers will want to show students films near the end of the semester. However, it’s unlikely that students will be able to finish watching a film within their scheduled time. I often observed students watching different films from class to class and never finishing them!

The Global Oneness Project provides access to over 400 short films that showcase inspiring stories from around the world. From rural communities in Africa to urban centers in America, these films tell stories about people’s lives and how they connect with each other. Watching these films will help your students gain a better understanding of the world and its diversity.

By watching these inspiring stories, your students can learn valuable lessons about acceptance, resilience, respect, and cooperation. They’ll see people from different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs coming together and forming meaningful relationships.

Not only are these films educational, but they’re also entertaining and thought-provoking. The cinematography is stunning and the soundtracks are captivating. It’s the perfect way to end the semester on a high note. So why not show your students a few of these amazing films? In addition to learning from these films, you might discover some opportunities for interdisciplinary as well!

If If you would like to suggest some movies for students to watch during holidays, check out my blog post, Expand our worldview through films. Here is a list of movies I compiled during the burst of Covid. 

Resource

On the Ditch That Textbook website, you can find 30 websites for students to do when they have some free time. You can find more ideas in my post on 10 Ways to End the School Year. 

Conclusion

We’re almost at the end of semester 1 and the new year is just around the corner! Our goal as teachers is to give them an enjoyable, memorable end to the semester so they can take something positive away with them. Thank you to all of the amazing teachers who have helped their students learn and grow this semester! I hope you and your students have a great time with these activities and that the new year brings lots of joy and learning.