Five Fun & Engaging Activities to End the Year

By Sam Smith, Teacher and Nelson’s Teaching and Learning Lead

As a fellow educator, I understand the end-of-year hurtle. Report cards are in, students are excited about the holiday season and you are looking to provide engaging, curriculum-aligned activities to wrap up the calendar year. I got you. See below five curated activities that will build critical thinking skills while having fun learning.

These activities are directed for Grades 4-8 Classrooms; however, can be adjusted for all learning levels.

1. Virtual Escape Rooms and Field Trips

   Why not take your students on an adventure without leaving the classroom? Virtual escape rooms and field trips are a great way to engage in an immersive experience by exploring new places and solving puzzles together. These activities are easy to find online and can be tailored to the curriculum in specific subject areas. For example, you can take a virtual field trip to the pyramids in Cairo using Google Maps or explore your local museum’s 360-degree tour.

   If you have access to Edwin, explore the virtual escape room, ‘Stop the Invasion’ today.

2. STEM Challenge

   STEM challenges are perfect for sparking creativity and collaboration. You can keep it simple. For example, create a catapult challenge for your students by only using a plastic spoon, popsicle sticks and an elastic band, or go all out with a Rube Goldberg machine. Limiting materials can really push students to think outside the box. These challenges are also great as you could have an activity last an afternoon or an entire week.

   Edwin has a treasure trove of STEM activities that you can easily integrate into your lessons. Search ‘STEM it’ in the library to find more activities and experiments.

3. Six-Word Stories

   Unleash student’s imagination with six-word stories! This activity is a fun way to practice literacy skills and can be done individually or in groups. Students select six words and create a story, then share and discuss their interpretations. You can extend this activity by having students create art pieces or expand their stories into longer writing assignments.

   Edwin has some great examples to get you started.

4. Teach a Mini-Lesson

   Let your students shine by having them teach a mini-lesson on a topic they’re passionate about. This activity builds leadership skills and allows students to share their interests with the class. Whether it’s how to build a house in Minecraft or the best way to bake cookies, the possibilities are endless.

5. History Mystery

   Turn your classroom into a detective agency with a history mystery. This activity combines the excitement of a mystery with historical learning. Students work together to solve clues and uncover the truth about a historical event or figure. You can find pre-made history mysteries online or create your own using Edwin’s history resources. It’s a fantastic way to make history come alive and keep students engaged.

We hope these activities inspire you to end the school year on a high note. Enjoy these last few weeks of school and happy teaching!