As the year winds down it’s hard to hang on. Things are flying at you…assessment days, special dress up days, field days. The kids are twitchy and ready for summer. YOU are ready for summer. It’s like a joyful survival mode. As assessments wind down and much of the very most important curriculum work is done…it feels strange to have nothing of substance to work on. I remember spending those last days feeling somewhat stressed, trying to gather one quick thing we could do for this 30 minute period, another quick thing for when we had 15 minutes…it’s hard to keep routines and any semblance of a sane classroom.

So I created some projects that I would work on with my students that were fun, incorporated reading, writing and math, and could go on for days. They were the kind of tasks that could be started or stopped at any time, students could work on them together and they were highly engaging. My free one if you’d like to give it a try is called Doggy Dilemma.

But my newest one is my favorite since I think a sleepover is near and dear to any child’s heart. In Sleepover Madness they make a guest list, design an invitation, pick a theme, make a schedule of activities, decide on food and more.

It’s a fun way to see kids thinking critically, even up to those last few anxious days of school! It’s a great way to still have high expectations as the school year comes to a close.