End of Year Letter to Next Year's Students

At the end of each school year, I have the students write a letter summarizing their experiences.  I put them out on the desks for next year's students on Back to School Night.  It's a fun project for this year's kiddos, and I always like seeing the looks on the faces of next year's kiddos as they read about what's in store for them.

First, I print several copies of the outline (see the first page example below).  I make sure there's at least one copy for every two students to share.  Students do NOT write on these.  Instead, they will copy the sentences on notebook paper to make the letter.  I will allow students to write on the outline if they need that differentiation, but most do just fine with copying it onto paper.

For those students needing a challenge, I included the following activity.  They love drawing their favorite parts of our room!

I also included a rubric because I find that students need clear expectations of how to complete the assignment and it helps with self-editing.

You can pick up a copy by clicking here.

 This customizable PowerPoint includes:
-A letter outline with fill in the blanks. This can be used as an organizer or as the letter itself. I have students copy the outline onto notebook paper unless they need differentiation.

-A rubric for students to use for self-editing and teacher grading

-A challenge assignment for early finishers           

Do you do an end of year letter?  If so, I'd love to hear what you include!

Santa Research

I read the "Yes, Virginia" letter to them on this website. We talk about how she's much like them and has many questions about Santa.  Fourth graders are at an age where they are either questioning Santa's existence or they've already decided he doesn't exist.  Either way, this is an excellent time to approach Santa scientifically.  I've actually had kids change their mind and become believers because of this!

We then watch the short "Yes, Virginia" movie.

I start out by reading Santa Who? by Gail Gibbons.  This book is great for talking about where Santa actually came from and the different cultures and countries that celebrate his existence.

We then use the following websites to research his culture and origin of all his different names.
This website goes into detail about the culture of each country.
This is a blog that lists Santa's different names.

We then write a letter to a newspaper editor (can be real or imaginary).  This is an excellent opportunity for me to talk about the difference between friendly and business letters.

So, I have incorporated research, technology, multiculturalism and letters.  What do you do for the holidays that is fun, yet educational?