end of year school presentation ideas

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75 Unique School Presentation Ideas and Topics Plus Templates

Are you tired of seeing the same PowerPoints repeating overused and unoriginal school presentation ideas covering repeated topics in your classes?

You know what I’m talking about; we’ve all been there, and sat through yawn-worthy demonstrations, slides, or presentation videos covering everything from the solar system, someone’s favorite pet, past presidents of a country, to why E=mC squared.

From grade school to university, first graders to college students, we are obligated to create, perform, and observe academic presentations across a plethora of curriculums and classes, and not all of these public speaking opportunities fall into the category of an ‘interesting topic’.

Yet, have no fear! Here at Piktochart, we are here to help you and your classmates. From giving examples of creative and even interactive presentation ideas, providing presentation videos , and suggesting interactive activities to give your five minutes of fame the ‘wow’ factor that it deserves, this article is your guide!

Our massive collection of unique school and college presentation ideas and templates applies if you’re:

• A teacher looking to make your class more engaging and fun with student presentations.
• A student who wants to impress your teacher and the rest of the class with a thought-provoking, interesting topic.

A Curated List of Interesting Topics for School Presentations

Did you know that when it comes to presentations , the more students involved improves retention? The more you know! Yet sometimes, you need a little help to get the wheels moving in your head for your next school presentation .

The great thing about these ideas and topics is you can present them either in face-to-face classes or virtual learning sessions.

Each school presentation idea or topic below also comes with a template that you can use. Create a free Piktochart account to try our presentation maker and get access to the high-quality version of the templates. You can also check out our Piktochart for Education plan .

Want to watch this blog post in video format? The video below is for you!

The templates are further divided into the following categories covering the most popular and best presentation topics. Click the links below to skip to a specific section.

• Unique science presentation topics to cultivate curiosity in class
• Engaging culture and history presentation ideas to draw inspiration from
• Health class presentation topics to help students make healthy lifestyle decisions
• Data visualization ideas to help students present an overwhelming amount of data and information into clear, engaging visuals
• First day of school activity ideas to foster classroom camaraderie
• Communication and media topics to teach students the importance of effective communication
• Topics to help students prepare for life after school

We hope this list will inspire you and help you nail your next school presentation activity.

Unique Science Presentation Topics to Cultivate Curiosity in Class

Science is a broad field and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with too many topics to choose for your next presentation.

Cultivate curiosity in the science classroom with the following unique and creative presentation ideas and topics:

1. Can life survive in space?

2. Do plants scream when they’re in pain?

3. What are the traits of successful inventors?

4. How vaccines work

5. Massive destruction of the Koala’s habitat in Australia

6. Left brain versus right brain

7. What are great sources of calcium?

8. Recycling facts you need to know

9. Do you have what it takes to be a NASA astronaut?

10. The rise of robots and AI: Should we be afraid of them?

11. How far down does the sea go?

12. The stages of sleep

13. Will Mars be our home in 2028?

14. A quick look at laboratory safety rules

15. The first person in history to break the sound barrier

Engaging Culture and History Presentation Ideas to Draw Inspiration From

History is filled with equally inspiring and terrifying stories, and there are lessons that students can learn from the events of the past. Meanwhile, interactive presentations about culture help students learn and embrace diversity. 

16. Women in history: A conversation through time

17. The sweet story of chocolate 

18. A history lesson with a twist 

19. The history of basketball 

20. The origin of the Halloween celebration 

21. AI History 

22. What you need to know about New Zealand 

23. 1883 volcanic eruption of Krakatoa 

24. Roman structures: 2000 years of strength

25. The most famous art heists in history 

26. Elmo: The story behind a child icon 

27. 10 things you should know before you visit South Korea 

28. 8 things you didn’t know about these 8 countries 

Health Class Presentation Topics to Help Students Make Healthy Lifestyle Decisions

Want to learn how to engage students with healthcare topic ideas? Then consider using these templates for your next interactive presentation.

According to the CDC , school-based health education contributes to the development of functional health knowledge among students. It also helps them adapt and maintain health-promoting behaviors throughout their lives. 

Not only will your presentation help with keeping students engaged, but you’ll also increase class involvement with the right slides.

The following examples of health and wellness interactive presentations include fun ideas and topics that are a good start. 

29. How to look after your mental health?

30. The eradication of Polio

31. How to have a healthy lifestyle 

32. 10 handwashing facts 

33. Myths and facts about depression

34. Hacks for making fresh food last longer 

35. Ways to avoid spreading the coronavirus

36. Mask protection in 5 simple steps 

37. Everything you need to know about the flu

38. All about stress: Prevention, tips, and how to cope 

39. The importance of sleep 

40. Is milk tea bad for you?

41. How to boost happiness in 10 minutes

42. How dirty are debit and credit cards 

43. Why do you need sunscreen protection

Data Visualization Ideas to Help Students Present Overwhelming Amounts of Data in Creative Ways

Data visualization is all about using visuals to make sense of data. Students need to pull the main points from their extensive research, and present them by story telling while being mindful of their classmates’ collective attention span.

As far as student assignments go, storytelling with data is a daunting task for students and teachers alike. To keep your audience interested, consider using a non linear presentation that presents key concepts in creative ways.

Inspire your class to be master data storytellers with the following data visualization ideas:

44. Are we slowly losing the Borneo rainforest?

45. Skateboard deck design over the years

46. Food waste during the Super Bowl

47. The weight of the tallest building in the world

48. Infographic about data and statistics

49. Stats about cyberbullying

50. How whales combat climate change

First Day of School Interactive Activity Ideas to Foster Whole-class-Camaraderie

Calling all teachers! Welcome your new students and start the school year with the following back-to-school creative presentation ideas and relevant templates for first-day-of-school activities.

These interactive presentations grab the attention of your students and are remarkably easy to execute (which is the main educator’s goal after all)!

51. Meet the teacher

52. Example: all about me

53. Self-introduction

54. Tips on how to focus on schoolwork

55. Course plan and schedule

Give our class schedule maker a try to access more templates for free. You can also access our presentation-maker , poster-maker , timeline-maker , and more by simply signing up .

56. Interpreting a student’s report card (for parents)

57. Introduction of classroom rules

58. Assignment schedule

59. Daily planner

60. Course syllabus presentation

61. How to write a class presentation

Topics to Teach Students the Importance of Effective Communication

Visual media  helps students retain more of the concepts  taught in the classroom. The following media topics and infographic templates can help you showcase complex concepts in a short amount of time. 

In addition, interactive presentation activities using these templates also encourage the development of a holistic learning process in the classroom because they help focus on the  three domains of learning:  cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. 

62. Interactive presentation do’s and don’ts 

63. How to create an infographic 

Recommended reading : How to Make an Infographic in 30 Minutes

64. How to improve your internet security and privacy

65. What is design thinking?

66. What are your favorite software tools to use in the classroom? 

Presentation Topic Ideas to Help Students Prepare for Life After School

One of the things that makes teaching a rewarding career is seeing your students take the learning and knowledge you’ve instilled in them, and become successful, productive adults.

From pitching a business idea to starting your podcast, the following topics are good starting points to prepare students for the challenges after graduation (aka adulting 101):

67. How to make a resume

68. How to start a startup

69. Credit card vs. debit card

70. Pros and cons of cryptocurrency

71. How to save on travel

72. How to do a SWOT analysis

73. How to pitch a business idea

74. Habits of successful people

75. Starting your own podcast: A checklist

Find out how a high school teacher like Jamie Barkin uses Piktochart to improve learning in the classroom for her students.

Pro tip: make your presentation as interactive as possible. Students have an attention span of two to three minutes per year of age. To keep minds from wandering off, include some interactive games or activities in the lesson. For example, if you conducted a lesson on the respiratory system, you could ask them to practice breathing techniques.

Maintain eye contact with your students, and you’ll get instant feedback on how interested they are in the interactive presentation.

Make School Presentation Visuals Without the Hassle of Making Them From Scratch

School presentations, when done right, can help teachers engage their classes and improve students’ education effectively by presenting information using the right presentation topic. 

If you’re pressed for time and resources to make your school presentation visuals , choose a template from Piktochart’s template gallery . Aside from the easy customization options, you can also print and download these templates to your preferred format. 

Piktochart also professional templates to create infographics , posters , brochures , reports , and more.

Creating school-focused, engaging, and interactive presentations can be tedious at first, but with a little bit of research and Piktochart’s handy templates, you’re going to do a great job!

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27 Fun Ways to Celebrate the End of the School Year

Topics:   Family Engagement Social & Emotional Learning Relationships & Communication Digital Citizenship

Give your students closure and highlight their accomplishments with these creative ideas.

When the pandemic led to worldwide school closures over the past few years, educators, families, and students had to get creative about graduations and year-end celebrations. From local car parades to social media yearbooks  and  nationally broadcast graduation events , people found ways -- both big and small -- to recognize students' accomplishments and give them a sense of closure.

Though we're no longer in those circumstances, we can still be creative in recognizing and celebrating students' accomplishments. Use this list of ideas to help you plan some fun end-of-year activities. Many of the ideas here play out in the digital world, but we've mixed in some offline options as well.

We hope these activities bring you and your students some much-deserved joy as your school year comes to an end.

Post a Flip  asking students to share one accomplishment from the year that they're proud of. Make a Flip Mixtape of the responses, and share the video with students and their families. 

Create a virtual yearbook using Google Slides or any other presentation tool . Add a student's name and photo on top of the slide and have classmates contribute their favorite qualities and memories about that student. Tip: Use this handy template  we created to get started!

Create a word cloud for each student by asking each of their peers to submit one word they would use to describe the student. Streamline the process by sending students a Google Form that lists all students' names, with space where students can type in their one-word response for each student. 

Use iMovie or Animoto to stitch together photos from the school year into a video celebrating your students.

Plan a dress-up or themed day (either in person or virtual). Try one of these fun theme ideas: pajamas, superheroes, funny hat, school colors, wacky hair, Disney character, or favorite animal!

Have your students dance along with this GoNoodle video: "Celebrate" from Blazer Fresh . 

Make your students a celebratory playlist of favorite songs from the school year. You can also ask your students to create and share their own playlists!

Host a talent show (either in person or virtually) where kids can perform for the class. Use a polling tool to vote on winners for categories like funniest performance, best duo, best costume, best musician, and so on.

Use VoiceThread to create a narrative highlight reel of the year.

Record a podcast, using an app like Anchor , and invite special guests (like teachers or other students).

Collect brief audio or video messages from individual students giving shout-outs or gratitude to others in the class. Compile the messages into a podcast or video and share with students and their families. Consider assigning students a few peers to shout out to, so everyone is included. 

Randomly assign students "secret pals" in the class, and have them write a nice anonymous letter to their pal. Collect the letters by email or Google Classroom , and distribute them to the recipients. You could have students reveal the identity of their secret pal on the last day of school.

Send students on a scavenger hunt using GooseChase Edu . 

Review the year's key concepts and have fun by hosting a game show during the final days of the school year! Create fun game-like quizzes for students with Kahoot! or Gimkit . 

Host a trivia night for students and their families (either in person or virtually). Questions can include fun facts, but can also touch on concepts learned during the year. (Kids love to show their parents what they know.) 

Mail handwritten letters or postcards to your students, highlighting their accomplishments and wishing them well.

Create an Instagram Yearbook page for your school, and have students submit photos to be included. Classmates, friends, and family can add congratulations in the comments.

Spotlight seniors on social media channels for their accomplishments (athletes, scholars, special interests and achievements) and use designated hashtags.

Create a special group on Facebook to highlight graduates. Schools can do this for all graduates, and/or parents can create a private group for their child's friends and family.

Create an opportunity for community members to "adopt a senior" and send messages of congratulation and encouragement or care packages.

Get a "famous" alum of the school to record an inspiring video message for graduates.

Create a graduating class message for all, by all. Write an inspiring statement that matches the number of words to the number of students in the graduating class. Then ask each student to shoot a short video of themselves saying the one word assigned to them. (An alternative is to write the word on a poster and hold it up for the camera.) Students won't know the full message, just the word they're assigned. Put the videos together into a single video message and share with the graduating class.

Use school marquees to share a message of encouragement or appreciation for the senior class.

Seniors can collaborate and contribute to a scrapbook about their time together, which the school can keep for their 10-year reunion.

Host virtual (or livestreamed) awards ceremonies. Even while graduations are happening in person, this is still a fun and accessible way for family members near and far to remember and celebrate seniors' accomplishments!

Highlight seniors with a tailgate showcase: Families can line up cars in a parking lot, then seniors sit on the tailgates while others drive by to wish them all well. Or ... 

Organize a car parade of graduates through the school parking lot or neighborhood. Families can decorate their cars with the student's name, and graduates can even wear their cap and gown!

Special thanks to Vicki Saylor , who contributed many ideas to this article.

Erin’s work focused on supporting students, teachers, and families for over a decade. As content director for family and community engagement at Common Sense, she provided parents and caregivers with practical tips and strategies for managing media and tech at home, and supports teachers in strengthening partnerships with families. Prior to her work with Common Sense, Erin taught public high school students and adult English learners in Kansas City. Her time as a National Writing Project teacher consultant nurtured her passion for student digital creation and media literacy. She has bachelor's degrees in English and secondary education and a master's degree in instructional design and technology. Erin loves to knit, read, hike, and bake. But who has time for hobbies with two young kids? In her free time these days, you'll find her hanging out at playgrounds, the zoo, and the beach with her family.

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8 Epic Ideas for Ending the School Year

Give your students a year-end sendoff that celebrates their learning.

Our time is important. The kids that we teach are precious to us, and they need to know that our time together was worth it. So don’t just let the year end: Celebrate learning, celebrate the moments you’ve had, and savor the time you have left together.

At the end of the race, we like to hear cheers, and when kids graduate, it’s a climactic event. Really, the end of every school year should be climactic. It should be exciting. So, as teachers, we have to be very careful not to let the bell ring and have kids wondering what just happened. The end of the school year should be a time of review, reflection, and celebration. Here are eight ideas for making it epic.

1. Make a Top 10 List

Dave Burgess suggested having kids make their Top 10 list of what they had learned during the school year. (Think David Letterman.) Have them reflect on their best learning experiences during their time with you, and then have a little party so kids can share all of their lists.

2. Host a “Celebration of Learning” Final Exam

Todd Finley told me about a college professor whose students took their final exam in a room filled with food, decorations, and the promise of a celebration. In classic professorial style, he conducted an experiment. The students in the celebratory class had higher test scores on their final exam. I know we often plan our party to be on a different day than the final exam, but if you think about it, students really are celebrating and learning when they’re taking that final.

3. Don’t Pack Up Too Soon

Angela Watson reminded me in a recent conversation that we don’t need to take the decorations down too soon. It sends the wrong message. But when we do, we can let kids celebrate. Turn taking everything down into a fun event done as close to the last day as possible. (Think slam-dunk basketball.)

4. The Bottle of Dreams

This is the one that I’m working on this year, adapting from John Berray’s original idea . John says, “I bring in bottles of water, one for each student. I tell each student to grab a bottle and crack the lid but not to open it. Many guess that a toast is coming... and they’re right! I embellish the farewell address with thoughts and advice, and conclude it with challenges and requests. I recognize there’s a good probability this might be the last time we ever speak, so it needs to be meaningful. The moment is bittersweet.”

5. Compliments and Kindness

The most meaningful year-ending event happened in my daughter’s fourth-grade class. Two weeks before school ended, each student’s name was listed on the top of a separate sheet of paper. Each paper circled the class and the other students wrote genuine compliments. The teacher typed up the compliments on a piece of paper and put it in a clear plastic stand. The students then cut up the pictures that had been placed on the wall throughout the year to embellish their personal memory. My daughter still has it—and she’s in college.

6. Survey Your Students to Celebrate the Memories

Survey your students. (See 3 Ways of Getting Feedback to Improve Your Teaching .) Include a question about their greatest memories. Turn the answers into a word cloud and display it on the board during your final class celebration. You can also create your own Top 10 list from the answers (see above).

7. Write Your Students a Letter

Write each class a letter. Dr. Tony Kline told me that his students often save his class letters. One summer, a young lady came back at the end of the summer and asked for another copy after her little brother had spilled a soda on it. Now, Tony laminates these letters so they’re “brother proof.”

8. Plan an Oscars Event

This is another Dave Burgess idea . Roll out the red carpet. Have students plan the culminating event. Imagine an Oscars-type ceremony where they can give awards for the year’s best books, best student presentations, and most epic classroom moments, and where their classmates can respond with Oscars-style acceptance speeches. They can even dress up. What fun!

26 Fun and Memorable End of the School Year Celebration Ideas

The end of the school year is a time that is very busy for most classrooms. Here are some end of the school year project ideas, end of the year gift solutions, celebration tips, and diplomas.

Plus, I’ve found a set of alphabet countdown ideas to help make the end of the school year fun with a different thing to do or incorporate each day.

These end of the year ideas as so creative, I know you’ll just love them. Most are very simple or can be simplified to meet your classroom needs.

End of the School Year Projects

1. Screamin’ Good Year – This tutorial was originally created to show a fun idea for summary writing. I think the large photo piece is so beautiful and would make for an excellent end of year display.

My spin on it is to change their writing portion to a “screamin’ good year.”

Have students write about their favorite classroom theme or trip or summarize their year in school. {Free download}

2. Create a Class Quilt – Here is a beautiful example of how you can create a class piece to bring the entire class together for an end of the school year project.

This quilt was made with handprints in order to fit the alphabet, but you could easily input your own artwork or writing ideas with beautiful borders to tie it all together. What a statement!

3.  “I’m a First Grader” Photo Shoot – Set up a photo area to snap a fun set of end of the school year photos. Have each student hold up a speech bubble that says, “I’m a ___ grader!” to celebrate their moving onto the next grade level.

This is a quick idea that parents are sure to love.

4. End of the Year Election – Get students thinking positively about their classmates by describing them in an end of the year election.

Let them think of the funniest, happiest students and to nominate them for the election.

Tabulate the results for some end of the year fun. {Free download}

5. School is Cool – Get students reflecting on their year and have the year in a snapshot piece. This is a craft with a girl and boy template for students to write what they like best about the school year. The sunglasses really make this project a keeper!

Have you already got your end of the year teacher shirt? Here are my current favorites. Hurry – there’s still time to order.

6. Hallway Countdown – If you celebrate any type of graduation for your grade level, start a countdown in the hallway.

This idea was designed for kindergarten, but why not host your own mini-graduation ceremony in your classroom with red bulletin board paper as your red carpet to celebrate the end of a hard working year! {Free download}

7. Memory Gift Books – Create a collection of items that our students have made over the length of the school year {get those files cleaned out}.

When you add a poem and a picture of you and your student together you have a very personal, meaningful gift together.

Bind or assemble to make it special and a gift for each student.

8. Memory Books – There are tons of memory books and pieces available to create your own template. During the last weeks of school, making books that are like personal yearbooks is a great plan.

This activity fits well in between the craziness that we all find our selves in the last weeks of school.

9. Bulletin Board Displays – Bring on the end of year cuteness with a sailing inspired bulletin board display. Have your students’ photo displayed along with the title, “Sailing into ___ Grade.”

10. Handprint Poem (Kindergarten) – This cute project will also work for an end of year parent gift or make a great page in a memory book.

Students add their handprints into the empty space on the page or could mount this onto a larger piece of construction paper with handprints beside. {Free download}

End of the Year Gifts

11. Teacher Poem – Send your students off with a poem from the teacher to remind them that they are special. Pair this with a picture of you and your students, or a photo with you and each student one on one.

Sign it to make it personal and you’ve got a simple, meaningful gift. {Free download}

12. Create Parent Gifts – Use a beginning of the year assessment piece and it’s comparative end of the year piece as a gift for parents.

This tutorial shows you how to laminate two pieces of writing side by side to show growth and remind parents of how much they’ve learned.

13. Learning With Toys – Here is a great step by step set of toys to put together to give as student gifts (with a tip on getting books at a fraction of the price).

This tutorial gives you a printable for kindergarten that explains each toy and how it can have educational value for over the summer fun. {Free download}

Host a Celebration

14. End of Year Celebration Invitations – Are you planning a celebration at the end of the year and inviting parents?

This printable set includes summer themes that are bright and fun!

You can print on these in Powerpoint too making them print and go. {Free download}

15. Celebration Event – Here are some great tips on hosting and end of the school year celebration event. Includes photos of table displays, student gifts and how to make it a smooth event.

16. Luau – Have and end of the school year luau. Host fun activities throughout the day that fit a Hawaiian theme and pass out small favors like leis to your students as a gift.

Here are some stations that are designed for kindergarten as sample ideas.

Take multiple photos throughout the day to put together as a gift for each student.

17. Camp Read a Lot – This week long idea will transform your classroom during one of the last weeks of school.

Find different lesson plan ideas to do each day with your students to keep it fresh and to keep them excited and engaged. Most of all, I love that this one celebrates reading.

Such a clever idea using probably lots of camping gear you already have in your closet.

18. Photo Slideshow – If you put together a slideshow for your students to show the last days of school, here is a list of music suggestions and titles that might be a great fit.

Also, a great list if you create parent gifts of CD’s filled with photos from the school year.

19. Kindergarten Graduation Event – If you are planning on hosting a kindergarten graduation event, here is a cute craft to create.

Use simple shapes to create graduation kids.

Add a quick little poem or tag to make this a keepsake.

End of Year Awards and Diplomas

20. Diplomas – Most often if graduations are held at the end of a school year, they are done in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.

Here is a quick glance at how a teacher uses diplomas and her classroom management tips for making the day work. {Free download}

21. Awesome Awards – Don’t you just love the sound of this one? I love this idea since it makes students focus on the positive attributes of other classmates as they create awesome awards for one another.

Great idea for any grade level! {Free download}

End of the Year Countdown

22. Countdown Balloons – Decide how many days you’d like to countdown, and set up that many balloons as a colorful display in your classroom.

Place a special activity idea inside each one {love that these ideas could all be free!} and keep them guessing what kind of fun could be in store!

23. Countdown Printable – This clever countdown printable set will cover you for the end of the school year and then some!

You’ll be able to show how many days are left in school by placing this printable in a photo frame and writing on it with a dry erase marker. {Free download}

24. ABC Countdown –  When you come down to the last 26 days of school (or less if you combine days) there are so many fun options to celebrate in small fun ways each day.

Here is an editable version of a parent note and an ABC countdown for you to use and make your own. {Free download}

25. Alphabet Countdown Calendar – Turn your last month into a countdown calendar for students with a fun theme or activity for them to look forward to each day.

Your creativity of coming up with titles to match a letter of the alphabet is all it takes to make this idea happen. You can do all of them for little to no money. {Free download}

26. The Alphabet Countdown – Want to see more options for ideas of things to do with each letter of the alphabet as you count down your last 26 days of school?

Brainstorm with your students to create a list to fit their interests or use these ideas. {Free download}

Get more alphabet countdown ideas for kindergarten here.

Ready to finish out the year strong? Check out these 17 Simple End of the School Year Student Gifts and Writing Activities .

Thanks to these teachers for their free downloads and ideas that are creative and memorable.  Your ideas are fabulous! Feel free to grab the “ I’m a Featured Teach Junkie ” blog button as your creations are definitely worth the shout out.

More End of the School Year

• How to Send Home Work SIMPLY {End of the Year}
• How to Manage the End of the Year Behavior
• 17 Simple End of the School Year Student Gifts and Writing Activities
• End of Year Gift Idea… Fun, yet Academic!

Teach Junkie

Leslie {aka the original Teach Junkie} loves learning new things to make teaching easier and more effective. She enjoys featuring creative classroom fun when she's not designing teacher shirts, making kindergarten lesson plans or planning her family's next trip to Disney World.

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End of School Year & Graduation - Slideshow Template

Updated:  09 Nov 2023

Display the memories made throughout the school year with customizable graduation slide show presentation.

Editable:  Google Slides, PowerPoint

Pages:  1 Page

Grades:  1 - 5

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Elementary Graduation Ceremonies are Almost Here!

As we near the end of another school year, it’s important to take a moment to reflect on all the accomplishments and special times we’ve shared with our students. Graduation is an extraordinary time, as it marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another for our graduating students. Why not take the time to make something special to help them remember all the fun and learning that they have done during the school year.

Create for Kindergarten or 5th Grade Graduation! Customizable Template

Gather pictures from throughout the year and insert them into this easy-to-use customizable slide deck to build your own special slide show presentation. This is a great way to showcase your students’ accomplishments and memories throughout the year. You can even display the slideshow for parents to view or create a video to share with families. This is a fun and engaging way to celebrate the end of the school year with your students and their families.

There are loads of fun ideas to help liven up your end-of-year graduation ceremonies. Use our template to try one of these!

• Fifth Grade Graduation Slide Show – The fifth-grade graduation slideshow can also be an opportunity to celebrate the students’ unique personalities and talents. Use the template to insert an image of each of your students. Share the slide deck with them and have each student design one slide that represents them and shares their likes, dislikes, and memories of elementary school.
• Go Video! Create your slide show using the PowerPoint version and add timing animations in between each slide. Then you can export the file as an mp4 file and play it in the classroom during your end-of-year celebrations.

Download Your Graduation Slideshow

This resource is available in both Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint Format, as well as in multiple colors. Use the dropdown arrow to select the file you prefer, and get started building your digital memory book for the school year!

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End of School Year Activities

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30 Examples: How to Conclude a Presentation (Effective Closing Techniques)

By Status.net Editorial Team on March 4, 2024 — 9 minutes to read

Ending a presentation on a high note is a skill that can set you apart from the rest. It’s the final chance to leave an impact on your audience, ensuring they walk away with the key messages embedded in their minds. This moment is about driving your points home and making sure they resonate. Crafting a memorable closing isn’t just about summarizing key points, though that’s part of it, but also about providing value that sticks with your listeners long after they’ve left the room.

Crafting Your Core Message

To leave a lasting impression, your presentation’s conclusion should clearly reflect your core message. This is your chance to reinforce the takeaways and leave the audience thinking about your presentation long after it ends.

Identifying Key Points

Start by recognizing what you want your audience to remember. Think about the main ideas that shaped your talk. Make a list like this:

• The problem your presentation addresses.
• The evidence that supports your argument.
• The solution you propose or the action you want the audience to take.

These key points become the pillars of your core message.

Contextualizing the Presentation

Provide context by briefly relating back to the content of the whole presentation. For example:

• Reference a statistic you shared in the opening, and how it ties into the conclusion.
• Mention a case study that underlines the importance of your message.

Connecting these elements gives your message cohesion and makes your conclusion resonate with the framework of your presentation.

30 Example Phrases: How to Conclude a Presentation

• 1. “In summary, let’s revisit the key takeaways from today’s presentation.”
• 2. “Thank you for your attention. Let’s move forward together.”
• 3. “That brings us to the end. I’m open to any questions you may have.”
• 4. “I’ll leave you with this final thought to ponder as we conclude.”
• 5. “Let’s recap the main points before we wrap up.”
• 6. “I appreciate your engagement. Now, let’s turn these ideas into action.”
• 7. “We’ve covered a lot today. To conclude, remember these crucial points.”
• 8. “As we reach the end, I’d like to emphasize our call to action.”
• 9. “Before we close, let’s quickly review what we’ve learned.”
• 10. “Thank you for joining me on this journey. I look forward to our next steps.”
• 11. “In closing, I’d like to thank everyone for their participation.”
• 12. “Let’s conclude with a reminder of the impact we can make together.”
• 13. “To wrap up our session, here’s a brief summary of our discussion.”
• 14. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to present to you. Any final thoughts?”
• 15. “And that’s a wrap. I welcome any final questions or comments.”
• 16. “As we conclude, let’s remember the objectives we’ve set today.”
• 17. “Thank you for your time. Let’s apply these insights to achieve success.”
• 18. “In conclusion, your feedback is valuable, and I’m here to listen.”
• 19. “Before we part, let’s take a moment to reflect on our key messages.”
• 20. “I’ll end with an invitation for all of us to take the next step.”
• 21. “As we close, let’s commit to the goals we’ve outlined today.”
• 22. “Thank you for your attention. Let’s keep the conversation going.”
• 23. “In conclusion, let’s make a difference, starting now.”
• 24. “I’ll leave you with these final words to consider as we end our time together.”
• 25. “Before we conclude, remember that change starts with our actions today.”
• 26. “Thank you for the lively discussion. Let’s continue to build on these ideas.”
• 27. “As we wrap up, I encourage you to reach out with any further questions.”
• 28. “In closing, I’d like to express my gratitude for your valuable input.”
• 29. “Let’s conclude on a high note and take these learnings forward.”
• 30. “Thank you for your time today. Let’s end with a commitment to progress.”

Summarizing the Main Points

When you reach the end of your presentation, summarizing the main points helps your audience retain the important information you’ve shared. Crafting a memorable summary enables your listeners to walk away with a clear understanding of your message.

Effective Methods of Summarization

To effectively summarize your presentation, you need to distill complex information into concise, digestible pieces. Start by revisiting the overarching theme of your talk and then narrow down to the core messages. Use plain language and imagery to make the enduring ideas stick. Here are some examples of how to do this:

• Use analogies that relate to common experiences to recap complex concepts.
• Incorporate visuals or gestures that reinforce your main arguments.

The Rule of Three

The Rule of Three is a classic writing and communication principle. It means presenting ideas in a trio, which is a pattern that’s easy for people to understand and remember. For instance, you might say, “Our plan will save time, cut costs, and improve quality.” This structure has a pleasing rhythm and makes the content more memorable. Some examples include:

• “This software is fast, user-friendly, and secure.”
• Pointing out a product’s “durability, affordability, and eco-friendliness.”

Reiterating the Main Points

Finally, you want to circle back to the key takeaways of your presentation. Rephrase your main points without introducing new information. This reinforcement supports your audience’s memory and understanding of the material. You might summarize key takeaways like this:

• Mention the problem you addressed, the solution you propose, and the benefits of this solution.
• Highlighting the outcomes of adopting your strategy: higher efficiency, greater satisfaction, and increased revenue.

Creating a Strong Conclusion

The final moments of your presentation are your chance to leave your audience with a powerful lasting impression. A strong conclusion is more than just summarizing—it’s your opportunity to invoke thought, inspire action, and make your message memorable.

Incorporating a Call to Action

A call to action is your parting request to your audience. You want to inspire them to take a specific action or think differently as a result of what they’ve heard. To do this effectively:

• Be clear about what you’re asking.
• Explain why their action is needed.
• Make it as simple as possible for them to take the next steps.

Example Phrases:

• “Start making a difference today by…”
• “Join us in this effort by…”
• “Take the leap and commit to…”

Leaving a Lasting Impression

End your presentation with something memorable. This can be a powerful quote, an inspirational statement, or a compelling story that underscores your main points. The goal here is to resonate with your audience on an emotional level so that your message sticks with them long after they leave.

• “In the words of [Influential Person], ‘…'”
• “Imagine a world where…”
• “This is more than just [Topic]; it’s about…”

Enhancing Audience Engagement

To hold your audience’s attention and ensure they leave with a lasting impression of your presentation, fostering interaction is key.

Q&A Sessions

It’s important to integrate a Q&A session because it allows for direct communication between you and your audience. This interactive segment helps clarify any uncertainties and encourages active participation. Plan for this by designating a time slot towards the end of your presentation and invite questions that promote discussion.

• “I’d love to hear your thoughts; what questions do you have?”
• “Let’s dive into any questions you might have. Who would like to start?”
• “Feel free to ask any questions, whether they’re clarifications or deeper inquiries about the topic.”

Encouraging Audience Participation

Getting your audience involved can transform a good presentation into a great one. Use open-ended questions that provoke thought and allow audience members to reflect on how your content relates to them. Additionally, inviting volunteers to participate in a demonstration or share their experiences keeps everyone engaged and adds a personal touch to your talk.

• “Could someone give me an example of how you’ve encountered this in your work?”
• “I’d appreciate a volunteer to help demonstrate this concept. Who’s interested?”
• “How do you see this information impacting your daily tasks? Let’s discuss!”

Delivering a Persuasive Ending

At the end of your presentation, you have the power to leave a lasting impact on your audience. A persuasive ending can drive home your key message and encourage action.

Sales and Persuasion Tactics

When you’re concluding a presentation with the goal of selling a product or idea, employ carefully chosen sales and persuasion tactics. One method is to summarize the key benefits of your offering, reminding your audience why it’s important to act. For example, if you’ve just presented a new software tool, recap how it will save time and increase productivity. Another tactic is the ‘call to action’, which should be clear and direct, such as “Start your free trial today to experience the benefits first-hand!” Furthermore, using a touch of urgency, like “Offer expires soon!”, can nudge your audience to act promptly.

Final Impressions and Professionalism

Your closing statement is a chance to solidify your professional image and leave a positive impression. It’s important to display confidence and poise. Consider thanking your audience for their time and offering to answer any questions. Make sure to end on a high note by summarizing your message in a concise and memorable way. If your topic was on renewable energy, you might conclude by saying, “Let’s take a leap towards a greener future by adopting these solutions today.” This reinforces your main points and encourages your listeners to think or act differently when they leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some creative strategies for ending a presentation memorably.

To end your presentation in a memorable way, consider incorporating a call to action that engages your audience to take the next step. Another strategy is to finish with a thought-provoking question or a surprising fact that resonates with your listeners.

Can you suggest some powerful quotes suitable for concluding a presentation?

Yes, using a quote can be very effective. For example, Maya Angelou’s “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” can reinforce the emotional impact of your presentation.

What is an effective way to write a conclusion that summarizes a presentation?

An effective conclusion should recap the main points succinctly, highlighting what you want your audience to remember. A good way to conclude is by restating your thesis and then briefly summarizing the supporting points you made.

As a student, how can I leave a strong impression with my presentation’s closing remarks?

To leave a strong impression, consider sharing a personal anecdote related to your topic that demonstrates passion and conviction. This helps humanize your content and makes the message more relatable to your audience.

How can I appropriately thank my audience at the close of my presentation?

A simple and sincere expression of gratitude is always appropriate. You might say, “Thank you for your attention and engagement today,” to convey appreciation while also acknowledging their participation.

What are some examples of a compelling closing sentence in a presentation?

A compelling closing sentence could be something like, “Together, let’s take the leap towards a greener future,” if you’re presenting on sustainability. This sentence is impactful, calls for united action, and leaves your audience with a clear message.

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End-of-the-Year Staff Meetings

I know I am not alone in saying that things have been a bit crazy lately! As educators, we went from looking forward to a much-needed Spring Break to (for many of us) working through our Spring Break back in March or April. Here we are now, either nearing the last day of school (or done with the school year altogether). Many of us are probably planning our last staff meeting of the year (or Staff Gathering, as I like to call it) and may need some fun ideas to incorporate into the meeting.   

This year we’ve had to get creative on how to make our meetings memorable, fun, and celebratory via video. To overcome this challenge, I did what I do best; I reached out to my PLN to seek ideas. Sure enough, they came through and shared some wonderful ideas. I took some of those ideas and made it work for what I needed. Below are some ideas that I incorporated into my last Staff Gathering of the year that might help inspire other ideas for you. 

Have Fun with a Theme

Because summer break was only 4 working days away, I asked our team to come to our Staff Gathering wearing a fun summer hat, glasses or bring any other fun summer prop. It definitely added energy and fun to the meeting. 

Maybe you can make it a fun Hawaian, 80s or 90s, or Carnival theme. Maybe you can just continue with the theme you’ve used during the school year (if you had one) or simply wear your school shirts and hats to show unity. The possibilities are endless! Here’s a picture of pic of us with our summer hats.

1-Word Check-In

Even though there were at least 40 of us on the video gathering, I felt it was important to take some time at the beginning to do a quick “check-in.” I asked everyone to think of one word that would describe how they were feeling that day and to share with energy and enthusiasm. We didn’t need explanations of why they chose their word; it just gave them a space to share and to acknowledge their feelings. We went through everyone’s word fairly quickly. Here’s a Wordle picture of how our team was feeling that day. As you can see, there were lots of different emotions and states of being; every feeling was honored.

2 Stars & 1 Wish

My dear friend & fellow principal, Veronica Rodriguez , shared this great idea; 2 Stars and 1 Wish. Going with my summer theme, I connected it to starfish. Staff used the chat to share 2 things they cherished or were memorable this year and 1 thing they are looking forward to next school year. We had some quiet reflective time to do this while I played some light background music. We took a few minutes to read through all the comments that were added in the chat. The reflective part of this activity helped us realize how much there was to celebrate and to be proud of. 

“Name that Tune” Game

My friends and colleagues, Jennifer Kloczko and Rachael Peck , who were inspired by our fellow #MomsAsPrincpals colleague, Liz Garden , shared this idea with me; “Name that Tune” game. We had fun seeing how many songs our staff could figure out. The top three winners received $5 Starbucks e-cards. This was fun! Click HERE for a copy of the Google Slide Show the amazing Jennifer Kloczko shared with me.

If you have never done a read aloud for your staff, you should try it! I love to do this throughout the year, but especially at our last Staff Gathering of the year. This year, I found this gem, Because I Had a Teacher .  I read it aloud to my staff to remind them of how amazing they are and how large of an impact they make on students’ lives. 

Picture Slideshow

If you are anything like me and love to take pictures of special moments throughout the school year, your camera is probably full of pics! I used the VERY easy Quik app to create this 2019.2020 picture slideshow! It’s always so special to see pictures starting from the first day teachers return to work to the last days of the school year. This is definitely a tear-jerker for me especially as I put it together. Check out our staff 2019.2020 slideshow HERE to get an idea of what you can do with the app if you’ve never used it. 

Toast to a Great Year

I asked everyone to bring a cup, glass, mug, etc. with their favorite non-alcoholic summer beverage to “toast” to a great year. We traditionally get apple cider for the last Staff Gathering of the school year, but since we weren’t physically together, this was the next best thing to do. We raised our glasses to toast to a wonderful 2019.2020 school year and ended with cheers, smiles and joy!

I hope these few ideas have inspired you to use some, all, or helped kickstart new ideas. These ideas may come too late to use this school year, but there’s always the start of next school year to inspire you! I’m sure you have many, many, many more ideas that you’ve incorporated into your End of Year Staff Meetings. Let’s share those great ideas! When we share, we are #BetterTogether! 

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Proud to be Primary

Be inspired, motivate kids, and make a positive impact in your classroom.

12:29 pm By Proud to be Primary 6 Comments

End of the School Year Activities for Memorable Fun

Find tons of end of the school year activities for the classroom in this post. Plan the end of school with themed days, a countdown, gift ideas, games, bucket lists, and more!

As the end of the school year approaches, it’s time to plan some fun activities, lessons, and gift ideas for your students. I’ve searched high and low and came up with 30 end of the school year activities for the classroom. I think you’ll enjoy these creative ways to celebrate and close out the end of the school year too!

Table of Contents

End of the school year themed days, end of the school year countdown ideas, end of the year arts and crafts, play games at the end of school, student celebrations for the end of the school year, end of the school year gift ideas for students, summer bucket list, end of year outdoor activities, fun learning, getting organized at the end of the year, end of the year social-emotional learning resource, free summer reading booklet, more end of the school year ideas, 30 end of the year activities.

You and your students have worked hard all year, and you all deserve to have a little fun during the last few days! I have scoured the internet (hello Pinterest ) and gathered awesome ideas from my teacher/blogger friends to bring you the best ways to celebrate the end of the school year.

There are themed days, countdown ideas, arts and crafts, games to play, gift ideas, outdoor lessons, bucket lists, lesson plans, party ideas, and organization tips.

1. The weather is hot, and the kids want to vacation. So, why not create a vacation within the classroom? Here’s an idea for a beach-themed day .

2. Themed days are so much fun for kids and throw excitement into your daily routine. Here are 12 theme ideas: camping, STEM, water, game, holiday, sports, decades, art, travel, and more.

3. A countdown chain is just a simple paper chain that you can use as a visual reminder of the days remaining. But with a cheery cloud and bright colored paper, it will be a fun daily task.

4. During the final days of school, celebrate with “Days of You.” Each child gets a day devoted to them and receives kind words written on an anchor chart and special privileges on their day.

5. Another way to countdown the last few days is by popping a balloon each day . Inside is a special privilege or activity to do together, such as having a scavenger hunt, dance party, ice cream or treat day, or another type of end-of-the-year pre-summer fun.

7. Create an end of the year memory book keepsake together. This is a fun way to fill those last few weeks with memories and connections as kids put together their yearbooks!

6. The end of the school year is conducive to activities that keep excited little hands busy. What better way than art activities such as these !

7 . Minute to Win It is a popular game based on the TV show. Here are some fun tasks to try out in your classroom to replicate the game.

8. Kids love candy; this candy ball game is a blast. The laughter and screams of delight will make the other classrooms down the hall jealous during this fast-paced challenge to get the candy out of the ball.

9. Get kids chatting about their summer plans and even learning things about each other they may not have known in this fun e nd-of-the-year BINGO game .

10. If you teach kindergarten, an alphabet party is the “P” erfect “P” lan! Label items with the letter they begin with, and you’ve got “P is for Party”!

11. Students’ hard work deserves praise. They will love these end of year awards, certificates, and hats that show how proud you are of them.

12. Brighten your bulletin board with a display that celebrates each child in the classroom. The Garden of Greatness wall will remind students of their uniqueness and individual accomplishments.

13. Create goodbye stars with your students, and include them in their goodbye bags on the last day of school. They give each child positive encouragement and kind thoughts to take home with them over the summer.

14. Use Windows Live Movie Maker to create a gift DVD for your kiddos. They will enjoy watching a slideshow of photos from the year set to music. You could even show the movie during an in-class celebration of learning at the end of the school year.

15. Looking for a unique keepsake idea? Try this fun photo idea . It includes a FREE printable survey to get teachers organized and kids writing!

16. Create a “Then and Now” bulletin board . Not only is it a great way to decorate your classroom walls at the end of the school year, but the photos also serve as a nice gift for your kids (or their parents) on the last day of school.

17. A sweet little gift is a character rock on which you write a word that describes a child’s character. Paint the rock with bright colors and bold lettering, and the child has a keepsake that bolsters their self-esteem.

18. Don’t have much time to make a DIY gift? These slap bracelets are fast, easy to assemble, and a slappin’ good fun!

19. A resourceful gift is to encourage kids to have a bright summer with these sunglasses .

20. Tell your kids how proud of them you are with the sentiment “You blew me away” and some bubbles .

21. Give your kids summer packets in buckets ! Buckets are a creative way to take home some things you hope they’ll continue to practice over the summer to avoid the summer slump.

22. Make those buckets extra special for kids with some of these ideas !

23. Avoid the summer reading slide with this  summer reading resource booklet . It includes a bucket list of creative places to read that kids can check off as they do them. Grab one for free below!

24. Keep them writing and practicing word work over the summer with these printables stuffed into their buckets!

25. Go outside for the simplest ways to make the last few days memorable ! Try blowing bubbles, creating with chalk, and more!

26. Plan a field trip! Take kids on a school bus or walking field trip to the park, zoo, aquarium, or someplace connected to what you’ve been learning about in the classroom.

27. Science and Language Arts can be all about summer, too! Try out this summer unit , where kids can learn all about honeybees, sunflowers, and starfish.

28. Let kids clean their desks with bubbles ! Not only does it get the desks clean, but it is also fun!

29. Get ready for back-to-school NOW! Here are some tips to start thinking about ahead of time.

30. Go ahead and organize, print, and prepare supplies and resources for the beginning of next year . You can even let the kids help you!

31. If you want to create an end-of-the-year portfolio for your kids, why not make it spectacular ?

These 30+ fun ideas for planning the end of the school year in your classroom will keep you and your students busy during those last weeks of school. As the countdown to summer begins, try some of these activities, and let me know what you think!

Classroom Resources for the End of the Year

The end of the year social emotional learning resource is the perfect companion to your last few weeks of school lesson plans. It includes mini-lesson ideas, printable templates, and engaging activities that reflect on the connections made in the classroom.

The SEL end of the year resource and activities will encourage discussions amongst your kids about kindness, memories they’ve had throughout the year, friendships they’ve built, and goals they have for their future.

Download and print this summer reading booklet to encourage your students to read over the break. You can download it for FREE by clicking the image below.

Student Awards

End of the School Year Activities

Last Day of School Activity: Goodbye Stars

PIN for Later

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Reader Interactions

at 12:43 pm

Thank you for sharing my post!! 🙂 This is a great round-up!!

You are so welcome! Love your bucket ideas!

Excellent ideas. We can even pick some ideas to gift out students on upcoming children’s day celebration. Our school throws a big party every year and we kept on thinking what to gift but this post will really help many of us. Thanks

Wow, these ideas are SO awesome! My assistant and I will definitely include several of your suggestions (along with our final day Bubble Run)! Thank you heaps!!!!

What is the candy ball game (#8)?

Your content is very impressive and thanks for sharing this article. its very useful.

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Nearpod Blog

10 End of year celebration ideas and activities for students

Why should schools celebrate the end of the year.

While the sentiment of the traditional rhyme, “No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks,” can be traced back to the late 1800s, I’m guessing that kids have been rejoicing about the end of the school year since schooling began!

Yet, it’s not a fault of “dirty looks” from the educators, but rather that this is the time of year that earmarks an opportunity for all to celebrate kids’ accomplishments, milestones, and growth over the past 10 months. What are the ways that you can earmark the occasion with end of year celebrations or activities?

While your students may lament the end of one school year, they also eagerly anticipate the advancement to a new grade. So, how best to host an end of year celebration across your school community?

Consider recognizing individuals’ progress as well as the group’s overall progress. How can you revisit the start of the year to underscore the growth at the year’s end? Take some time to reflect back on the start of the year and the expectations and goals you set forth for the class—were those goals met?

Below are 10 ways to celebrate the end of this school year with your students, their families, and the school community.

New to Nearpod? Teachers can sign up for a free Nearpod account below to access these resources, interactive activities, and engaging lessons. Administrators can schedule a call with an expert to unlock the full power of Nearpod for schools and districts.

1. Reflect on the past school year

Does your school have a yearbook? If not, there are many free digital solutions for you to capture students’ thoughts while compiling reflections and stories from the past school year. Even if your school does have a yearbook, you can create your own fun end of year activities for your class specifically.

Use a Nearpod presentation and Open-Ended Questions to have students write their contributions and post multimedia; they can include everything from images and videos to playlists. Alternatively, engage your students in one of these end of the school year activities to share their favorite memories:

Memory wheel

Use a Memory wheel template so each student can jot down 6-8 poignant memories from the past school year. You could use the Draw It Tool to capture words and illustrations. Students can curate their own list, or you can provide prompts like special events, student activities, new friends, etc.

Skittles end of year writing activity

Give each child a fun-size bag of Skittles to sort by color. Then, ask them to write a specific number of memories or stories based on the color-coded prompts. For a drawing alternative, create a template background with the color-coded prompts and upload it to a Draw It activity. Students then respond by drawing about the memory or story. Compile these stories together to create a digital memory book and share it with students!

End of school year Jenga

Use colored Jenga (or other multi-colored) blocks to play an engaging game of swapping memories. Have kids share a memory related to a color-coded reflection prompt.

3-word summary

Use Nearpod’s Collaborate Board to give each child three descriptive words to summarize this past school year. Ask students to explain their word choice to draw out specific memories. Create columns to make different categories and have students submit their responses using text, images, videos, or GIFs.

2. Have a social emotional learning (SEL) check-in

The end of the school year can be a mix of emotions, which can be confusing for kids and adults alike. Gauge how your students are feeling and any emotions they might have as a result of school winding down.  Support their self-awareness and self-management skills by checking in on students’ social and emotional wellness with these SEL activities :

• Share Your Mood (Grades K-2 , 3-5 , and 6-12 ): In this Collaborate Board activity, students “like” a color based on their feelings and share how they feel. They can comment on posts as well.
• * Words of Encouragement (Grades 2-12) : Students practice social awareness, and more specifically empathy, by completing a Collaborate Board activity to encourage one another.
• * Share Your Worries (Grades 2-12): Students practice self-awareness, and more specifically, identifying emotions, by completing an Open-Ended Question activity to share some of their worries with an educator.
• * Thinking Positive (Grades 2-12): Students practice social awareness, and more specifically perspective-taking, by completing a Collaborate activity to identify positive events in their lives.

*This lesson is only available on Nearpod’s 21st Century Readiness Program . This program provides an easy way to integrate SEL practices like positive interactions, gratitude, and reflective moments into daily learning to help create safe, inclusive, and effective classroom environments. Schedule a call to learn more.

3. Pass out end of year awards for students

Everyone likes to be recognized, and your school may already hand out end of year awards for students. But what can you do at the classroom level that is inclusive of everyone, yet takes a personalized approach? Can you riff off of the old-school superlatives idea and laude those traits and skills that are less typically praised? Best laugh … Most inquisitive … Most resourceful … Most creative chops … Try to think of accolades your classroom and school promote beyond the more typical academic and athletic accolades.

Kick off the end of year celebration and make the voting process easy by digitizing it! Use Nearpod’s Open-Ended Questions, Collaborate Board, Polls, or a combination of these activities, to have students submit and vote for their picks for student awards. Teachers can hide voters’ names so that these end of the year activities are done anonymously.

4. Create end of year certificates

Piggybacking on the idea above, if you’re looking for the last day of school activities, use Nearpod to create a template to personalize certificates for each student. Add copy, design elements, and even a class photo. Once printed, customize each with a handwritten note and signature. While it is “just” a piece of paper, I bet you all can remember holding onto a similar piece of recognition of your own as a child!

Download these customizable Nearpod and Flocabulary certificates to celebrate the work everyone has been so resilient with the past school year!

5. Go on an end of year Virtual Reality (VR) Field Trip

While logistically, it may be hard to arrange an end of the year field trip, with Nearpod’s Virtual Reality Field Trips , you and your class can take one last memorable trip together. Use Nearpod to poll your students about which global destination they want to visit. Have them compile a list of questions they can search for answers to while “traveling.” You could even send out digital invitations and encourage the kids to dress for the big last hurrah. Then, share these virtual reality student choice boards for students to continue their “globe-trotting” over the summer break months.

6. Throw a themed party as an end of year celebration

As you look towards the last day of school, brainstorm with your students and parent volunteers to come up with a thematic end of year party. Here are a few clever ideas to help tie together the activities, decorations, and even food choices:

• This Year was a Ball, or Have a Ball This Summer! : Embrace anything round, from beach balls to balloons, for decor. Consider “round” food like a sundae bar with scoops of ice cream. You could also go all out on the beach theme, with decor and activities like Frisbee, limbo stick, cornhole, badminton, or spike ball.
• The Future is Bright! : Order a class set of sunglasses and bring out the neon decorations like glow sticks. Recommend that students come in crazy, bright attire to the party. Kids love these themes!
• That’s a Wrap!: Check with your school on your food policy, but you could choose a burrito bar, a candy bar, or individually wrapped snacks for a bit of a surprise.
• This Year was Poppin’!: Host an afternoon or after-school movie party with a backyard screen and streaming device for an end of the year party. Arrange for popcorn as an extra treat.
• What a Cool Year! : Go with a “stay cool!” theme and bring in ice cream or popsicles. Arrange for end of year class party games like pass-the-water relay races or water balloons/sponge tosses for some friendly summer fun.

7. Host a book party

Wrap up the school year with a book party as an end of year celebration. All ages can benefit from a good read-aloud of a children’s book. Choose one of the following titles to share:

• Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss
• Letter From Your Teacher: On the Last Day of School by Shannon Olsen 
• When It’s the Last Day of School by Maribeth Boelts
• Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen
• Last Day Blues by Julie Danneberg  
• Wherever You Go by Pat Zietlow Miller 
• Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
• Lizzie and the Last Day of Schoo l by Trinka Hakes Noble
• Mrs. Spitzer’s Garden by Edith Pattou

Then check out the following activities to capture your students’ hopes, dreams, and memories. You may also want to encourage your students to bring a book to the party for a book swap. Such recommended titles are a great way to encourage the start of tackling summer reading lists.

8. Say “Thank You”

While the art of letter writing isn’t as prevalent today as it used to be, writing thank-you notes is always a good skill (and habit!) to develop. Use Nearpod to create a presentation of individualized thank-you slides. Have students individually contribute by deciding who within the school community they’d like to acknowledge. The recognition may be for an office staff member, the school nurse, the lunchroom staff, or a classroom aide. Share this compilation schoolwide to encourage a culture of gratitude throughout these end of school year activities.

9. Create summer bucket lists

Summer is a time for students to continue growing in their personal development. Have students create personalized bucket lists about what they’d like to accomplish within the next two months or so. Encourage them to think about how such short-term goals can ladder up to longer-term goals and dreams. For instance, maybe they want to practice their photography skills with the hopes of becoming a journalist one day. Or perhaps they want to improve their volleyball skills with the goal of making the school team next year.

Remind students that strong goals are SMART* goals (*Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound). Capture these summer bucket lists so kids can reflect on their progress at summer’s end. In this Flocabulary video lesson, teachers introduce setting and reaching goals using the SMART acronym. Learn how to combine the power of Nearpod and Flocabulary with these tips.

10. Avoid the summer slide and summer slump

Research shows students can lose some ground over the summer months when it comes to academic achievement. Check out these helpful summer learning activities to prevent the summer slide during summer school. Also, consider sharing these resources with students and their families as ways to keep their minds active during the summer months.

Host an end of year celebration with Nearpod!

Don’t forget to pat yourself on the back, too, for another year of teaching and supporting students. Use the next couple of months to bask in the sun and some self-care so you can recharge and start the next school year off well. Enjoy these next few weeks and find time to have more than one end of the year celebration with your high school, middle school, and elementary students. Congratulations to all!

Darri Stephens is a dedicated LX (learning experience) designer, passionate about creating quality content and programs for kids, families, and educators. With MAs in Education from both Harvard and Stanford, and work experience at best-in-class ed tech organizations including Wonder Workshop, Nickelodeon, and Common Sense Education, she is steeped in the design thinking process and committed to agile and iterative project management, which has resulted in multi-award-winning programs and products.

Darri Stephens

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30 Best End of Year Songs for Classroom Slideshows

May 17, 2019 | Leave a Comment

Looking to put together a slideshow to commemorate the school year? I’ve put together a list of the best end of the year songs guaranteed to help make those wonderful memories last.

Once you’ve picked your favorites I recommend purchasing on iTunes for use in adding to your slideshow. For creating the slideshow I like iMovie if you have a Mac or MovieMaker for a PC.

Please Note: Not all videos may be appropriate for classroom use. Please preview prior to class viewing.

• When I Grow Up – The Raging Idiots
• I Will Remember You – Sarah McLachlan
• These Are Days – 10,000 Maniacs
• This Is Me – Greatest Showman Cast
• You’ve Got a Friend In Me – Randy Newman (Toy Story Edition)
• Count on Me – Bruno Mars
• My Wish – Rascal Flatts
• Let Them Be Little – Billy Dean
• Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars
• Life is a Highway – Rascal Flatts
• Happy – Pharrell Williams
• Upside Down – Jack Johnson
• Gone, Gone, Gone – Phillip Phillips
• Time of Our Lives – Tyrone Wells
• What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
• Try Everything – Shakira
• Graduation (Friends Forever) – Vitamin C
• You’ll Be In My Heart – Phil Collins
• Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake
• Dream Big! – Roger Day
• Whenever You Remember – Carrie Underwood
• Best Day of My Life – American Authors
• Golden Girls – Golden Girls Theme
• We’re Going to Be Friends – Jack Johnson
• On Top of the World – Imagine Dragons
• You’re Welcome – Dwayne Johnson (from Moana)
• Take On the World – Sabrina Carpenter and Rowan Blanchard
• Good Life – One Republic
• Grow Young – Brynn Cartelli
• This World is Yours – Julie Durden

There you have it! A great mix of sappy and happy songs for your end of year slideshows. I hope you found a few new songs.

Have a favorite end of year song I left out? Share it in the comments below.

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Don’t let the school year end on your student council leaders. Make these last weeks together positive and set up for next year’s success with these fun school spirit projects and activities. 

With four to six weeks left, schedule a brainstorming session with your student leaders. Start by creating a “no-idea’s-too-crazy” list, then narrow it down from there. 

If you need good group brainstorming and decision-making protocols, grab my popular  teambuilding flip deck ,  perfect for days like these!

After your students decide on the activities they want to do (making sure they don’t overcommit themselves!), create committees and assign project leads. Then hand each group a  project planning kit  and let them do the rest!

These are 25 of my favorite end-of-year student council ideas, both school-wide projects and activities for just your student leaders, to fill your last month of the school year. Use this as a starter list for your brainstorming session. 

Reflect on the Year 

You should do this the day  before  your brainstorming session. Pose reflection questions for your students to identify strengths and improvements and how they want to keep growing. 

These  End of the Semester Reflection Cards  are perfect for small group or whole-class conversations that will get them reflecting on their assets, areas for improvement, and their goals for the year. There are even some feedback questions in there for you. 

Appreciate Your Teachers

The first full week in May is National Teacher Appreciation Week. Coordinate with your boosters or PTA group and do something each day for your staff. 

Things like a snack cart, a coffee and beverage bar, lunchtime chair massages, etc.

…And Your Nurses and Lunch Heroes

Their national appreciation days are also at the beginning of May. Put up superhero decorations and thank you banners recognizing these essential staff members too. 

Create a Summer Bucket List Bulletin Board

Include all sorts of wild suggestions and lets students add their own to the wall or provide blank bucket list sheets for students to make their own!  

Write Farewell Limericks

May 12 th  is National Limerick Day, celebrating Edward Lear, who popularized the silly poem style. Assign groups of students to write their best limerick for each of your retiring staff members and share them during the morning announcements this week. 

Use this  quick how-to guide  to help get your poets going.

Offer Advice to Incoming Officers 

Gift blank notebooks to next year’s incoming officers. Have your outgoing officers write their best advice on the inside of the cover.  Present them to your new officers at their induction ceremony. 

These notebooks will be great for your officers to use throughout the year to brainstorm ideas and take notes. I like these  kraft paper-covered notebooks from Moleskine  because you can easily decorate the covers!

Hand Out Testing Snacks

On state or end-of-course testing days, deliver snacks with positive messages to the classrooms to help students refuel. 

Host a School Gear Drive

Encourage outgoing seniors to donate gentle-used sports equipment or school spirit apparel items. Hold them for next year’s incoming students and sports seasons. 

Organize Your Classroom 

Set aside a few days to tackle your Leadership supply closet, shared Google Drive, and paper files. Remove, clean, toss, and sort through everything before putting things back. If needed, get clear tubs to organize assembly props, mark drawers and shelves where supplies go, and label divider tabs and file folders.

I use these  Clean Up Crew task cards  to assign jobs to get everything prepared for the fall.

Finalize Your Records

While other students are cleaning up, meet with your officers to ensure all minutes, meeting notes, budgets, and other essential records from the year are accounted for and filed away. 

Your leaders should also copy any files future groups may need from their accounts to a shared drive. Ensure they clearly name the files so next year’s group can easily find them.

Host Summer-Themed Games at Lunch

Use this  summer-themed Minute to Win It game ideas  list, or have your students create their own. These are perfect for lunchtime or spirit assembly class competition games. 

Spread Some Luck

May 23rd is National Lucky Penny Day. Get a roll of shiny new pennies and hide them around the school for students to find throughout the day.

Host a Paper Airplane Contest

In honor of Sally Ride Day on May 26 th , host a paper airplane competition. It could be as simple as a quick lunchtime or spirit assembly competition. 

Or suggest it as an end-of-year project to your science teacher, with the finalists going head-to-head in front of the whole school.

Offer Lemonade Cups of Kindness

At lunch one day, hand out cups of lemonade. Have your students pre-decorate plain white cups with affirmation, inspirational, and positive messages. 

Make Officer Shirts

Gather up next year’s officers to make custom shirts to wear at summer leadership camp and kick off the first few days of next year. Get tie-dye supplies in your school colors and find time to gather them up to make them.

This is a great way to begin building community with them and create excitement heading into summer. 

Celebrate National Donut Day

Always the first Friday in June, National Donut Day runs deeper that eating yummy donuts. The  Salvation Army started the day as a fundraiser during the Great Depression, paying homage to the volunteers who cooked them for WWI soldiers. 

Arrange to sell donuts that day as your own fundraiser for a local veteran’s organization. 

Create a Memory Wall

Make an all-call for students to share their best photos of the year. Print them and create a bulletin board titled “What a Year!” or “Thanks for the Memories!”

Calm Finals Week Nerves

During finals week, lead the school in a short meditation, yoga stretch, or breathing exercise at the end of each day’s morning announcements. 

Coordinate a Graduate Parade

This is a perfect Graduation Day or seniors’ last day tradition if you have an elementary school nearby. Walk your seniors over for a parade through their halls decked out in caps and gowns while the younger ones cheer them on. Your students will get a kick out of feeling like rock stars and being role models to them. 

Write Welcome Letters

Have your seniors’ (or 8 th  graders’!) last assignments be writing letters to incoming freshmen or 6 th  graders. Encourage them to offer advice for navigating not just school but this stage of life and taking advantage of all the opportunities available to them. In the fall, hand them out to the incoming students.   

Prep for Back to School

Don’t feel like you have to undertake  everything  before heading out to summer, but try to tackle a few things that will make the first week a lot easier. Here are some ideas:

Have students sign up for who’s coming in before school starts to decorate the halls and plan the first-day assembly. 

Pencil out ideas for your back-to-school bulletin boards. 

Decide (or at least brainstorm a list of ideas for) next year’s theme. 

Get all your officers’ phone numbers and create a group chat to share ideas and reminders. 

Print and cut out  locker signs  so they’re ready to decorate and post.

Have a Summer Themed Dress-Up Week

During the last full week of school, host a dress-up week with daily summer-related themes like Beach Day, Baseball Day, Camping Day, Rodeo Day, Fourth of July Day, and Yacht Club Day. 

Adopt a Leader

During the last week of school, have teachers submit any requests for help organizing, cleaning, or moving their classrooms. Have your leaders help take care of these tasks so summer can start on time for everyone!

Create Last Day Selfie Backdrops

Construct a fun backdrop or two for taking selfies and group photos on the last day of school.

Thank Your Teachers

Grab my  print-and-go thank you card kit  and give your students some flex time to write personal notes of appreciation. Help them think beyond this year’s teachers and recognize any teacher, coach, or staff member who has positively impacted them. 

This is an especially great activity to reserve as a senior or 8th-grade tradition. Have students deliver them on the last day of school.

Hopefully, this list gives you and your students more than enough ideas to fill the last month of the year. Be sure to grab my  Project Planning Kit , a lifesaver that allows your student leaders to take the lead in brainstorming, planning, and carrying out any project, big or small. The best part is that these universal templates and forms become a how-to guide for next year’s group!

Image credit: Adi Goldstein 

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10 Must-Do Ideas for End of School Year Ceremony

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17 Awesome Ways to Celebrate the End of the School Year

From flash mobs to ice cream, here are some memorable ways to mark the end of the school year that students—and staff—will love.

How do you mark the end of the school year for your staff and students? Don’t just let the year fizzle to a close. Here are 17 creative end-of-the-year rituals and activities to recognize all the great accomplishments of the year.

1. Throw a bubbly brunch.

Buy a few bottles of sparkling apple cider and some plastic champagne flutes for your last staff meeting of the year. If the students are gone for the year, you might want to make that real champagne. Make a toast to the awesome educators at your school! Prefer coffee instead? Consider a “thanks a latte” meeting, with the coffee order of choice for everyone.

2. Crowdsource a summer playlist.

With help from the teachers and staff in your building, make a fun summer playlist on Spotify or YouTube to share with everyone at your school.

3. Rent a dunk tank.

Consider adding a dunk tank to your school’s spring field day to create a hilarious memory for students. “I rent a dunk tank and put it on the playground,” says Liz Garden, the brains behind the blog Monday Morning Musings  and principal at Florence Roche Elementary School in Groton, Massachusetts. “Then I put on a silly outfit—one year it was a tutu with a cape, another year it was a ninja outfit—and each grade level gets to spend time on the playground trying to dunk me. Believe it or not, the kindergarteners have really good aim.”

4. Organize a flash mob.

Surprise students with a  flash mob  during your end-of-the-year assembly. “I start talking to all of the students, then all of a sudden, the music starts, and teachers begin to join me at the front. The staff has so much fun dancing, and the kids love to see their teachers dancing,” Garden says.

5. Promote summer reading.

Encourage your students to read over the summer by sharing your goals with them. “Then I make them a deal: that if they write to me about books they read in the summer, then I will write back to them. Everyone loves to get mail,” Garden says.

6. Celebrate students.

7. Send them off. 

8. Host a s’mores party.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhPE05EH5ub/?tagged=momsasprincipals

Thank the teachers at your school with a s’mores party because, as principal Lindsy Stumpenhorst pointed out on Instagram, school is s’more fun with them!

9. Set up a banana split station.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhcttRinnOJ/?tagged=principalsinaction

As temperatures heat up, why not treat your staff to a banana split or ice cream sundae bar?

10. Dive into data.

Now is the time to take a hard look at your school’s metrics  to learn what worked and what needs improving next year. You might be inspired to take a new approach or launch an out-of-the-box project.

11. Reflect on memories.

Before they move on to middle school or high school, ask students to reflect on their experience in your building. “While I have the fifth grade students, I lead them through a reflection activity to find out their best memories of elementary school that I then write up and share with all staff, because their memories [include] something from every grade. Teachers from lower grades love getting to hear from former students in this way,” says Jessica “ Principal J ” Johnson, principal at Dodgeland Elementary School in Juneau, Wisconsin. 

12. Host a picnic lunch.

It takes a lot of planning, but Johnson is a big fan of hosting a picnic lunch on the last day of school. The entire school—including families—gathers for one final meal together. In eight years of this tradition, it’s only been hampered by rain once, Johnson says. “All of the staff work together to serve all of our students and families, and we enjoy a school picnic together outside, with a DJ for rocking music,” she says.

13. Load up on podcasts.

Share a list of your favorite leadership and education podcasts (and maybe a few “guilty pleasure” podcasts, too) with your staff to help them stay inspired over the summer. Ask them to share their favorites with you, too.

14. Give funny awards.

At your last staff meeting of the year, give out an array of creative awards to your staff. Teachers Pay Teachers has a fun digital download of these awards, including The Email Ninja Award, as shown above, for $7.99. Or you can easily come up with your own accolades tailored to your staff.

15. Do a digital declutter.

Take some time to spring clean your computer—wipe out your email inbox, install updates, and make sure your important documents are backed up to the cloud or a hard drive.

16. Hold a school beautification day.

Invite students’ family members to join your school for a spring beautification day—plant trees, build garden boxes, replace mulch, pull weeds, or ask your students to come up with a project of their own.

 Join our group  Principal Life  for more conversations about and insights into the challenges of school leadership. 

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