Celebrating Our Class
Ideas for Closing the Year Remotely
Dear Teachers,
Everything about this spring has been both challenging and unprecedented, with a daunting overnight transition, to boot. Not easy. With whatever tools you've had at your command, you've sought ways of keeping your students engaged, learning, and feeling connected, often while juggling your own family needs. Your fans at Smore applaud you for your enormous efforts, grace under pressure, and the important work you do.
With the end of the school year approaching, a new challenge remains: how to close the school year at a distance, while still remaining connected. This template attempts to help you accomplish that final task.
Wishing you peace and health as we head into summer.
P.S. Of course, this message can be deleted and replaced with one of your own, to parents or students.
Take a field trip!
What's spring without a field trip? Choose a virtual experience that connects to your curriculum or that matches the passions of your students, or let them choose and "go" in small groups. Have kids create Kahoots to share what they saw and learned.
Join together in one place, virtually.
Assign a virtual background for your final Zoom. Choose a pic of your classroom, or pick one from this site, for free, and ask all your students to download and use it as their virtual background. The feeling it creates? We're all in it together.
Everyone's a Valedictorian!
Create a free Flipgrid account for your class. Have each student film a 1-minute valedictory/"stepping up" speech -- give them a theme, or keep it open. Alternately, have everyone create a 1-minute TED talk on a topic of their choice.
Make a Photo Gallery
Include each child
And group photos
You can keep adding photos with this feature so that you can get everyone in.
Write a goodbye letter to your class. Film or record yourself reading it out loud, and upload here, via Vimeo, YouTube, or an audio file.
Glee - Seasons Of Love (Full Performance)
(because every ceremony needs a song that provokes a tear...)
Create a Class Certificate of Completion
Design a digital, downloadable certificate of completion for your class as a whole. While not individual, it's an opportunity to be personal and inclusive. Include a message about what your students have accomplished and why you're proud of them.
End on a happy note :)
Big Crowd Cheer & Applause Clap Sound Effect
Our School/Our Class
Email: msteacher@ourschool.org
Website: ourschool.org
Location: Our Town
Facebook: facebook.com/ourclass
Twitter: @ourschool