Celebrating Each Student!

A great way to start and end each school year is by celebrating each student in your classroom! This activity is a phenomenal way for all of your students to learn about each other, share about themselves, and write positive messages and notes to one another! I choose to do it both at the beginning of the school year and at the end. The reason I do it twice is because our students change SO much over the course of the school year and seeing their change in answers, confidence, and how they write to one another is amazing.

At the beginning of the school year I'll complete it starting the second week of school. This gives the students one week to become comfortable with each other and myself. I start by taking a picture of each student and I let them pose however they wish since it will be on display. Then I ask them some simple "getting to know you" type questions.

• What is your favorite color?

• What is your favorite food?

• What is your favorite thing to do at school?

• What is your favorite thing to learn about?

• What is your favorite animal?

• What do you want to be when you grow up?

I use their picture and their responses to the questions to create a small picture. I also let the students choose the colors on the picture so that it is truly a reflection of who they are. I use Microsoft PowerPoint to complete this pictures, they are really full page slides.

Once I have their full page slide printed in color, I tape it to chart paper and display it on our easel. This is how I introduce my students to their morning work routine of responding to daily prompts on sticky notes. When the students enter the room they see the "Celebrating ________!" poster and get to read the facts about their classmate, then they go to their seat and write a message or draw a picture for that student on a sticky note. The sticky note is placed on the chart paper and eventually the chart paper becomes full of sticky notes all directed to the special student of the day! The students are able to add more sticky note messages and pictures throughout the day if they think of something else they want to write to the special student. During afternoon meeting I read aloud the unique facts about the special student and then the student gets to read the messages written to them and admire the pictures.

I repeat this using the same style at the end of the year, but instead I encourage the students to write about memories they have with the special student from the school year. I let the student take home the entire piece of chart paper to share it with their parents and family members. This activity is a great way for your students to learn about each other at the beginning of the year and it is an even better way for your students to share their memories about each other to end the school year. This activity also allows your students to learn how to communicate positively with their peers through written expression. If you want the PowerPoint file use the "Get in Touch" button at the top to send me an email! I'll be sure to send you the file!