You’ve made it to the end of the school year! The last month can be tough to get through, and students start checking out mentally. It can be tough to find assignments that a) keep them engaged, b) aren’t too big of projects (because half of them won’t complete it…) and c) aren’t too labor intensive to grade. I’ve compiled a list of some fun projects and activities you and your students might enjoy.
1. One pagers are a super easy way for students to show what they have learned in a visual way. Download these FREE one pager templates to help them get started.
2. Students love completing labs, but take it a step further and collect meaningful data to contribute to a citizen science project. Check out this blog post with links to dozens of projects that can further scientific research in your community.
3. Everyone needs a day or two to relax? Show a movie! Here is a list of science-themed movies and documentaries you and your students might enjoy.
4. Want to have your students make a difference in their community? Have them plan and execute a fundraiser! Find a great nonprofit to donate to such as Water Is Life or One Tree Planted. (I’ve had personal experience working with Water Is Life and they are a stellar organization).
5. Almost every student has a cell phone these days, and it can be tough to keep students off them during class. Try having students get the phones out and create a photo journal for a science concept. For example, if you recently taught ecology have students go outside and take pictures relating to succession, food chains, and habitats. Then they can do a small write-up on what their photos represent. Find the editable project here.
6. Summer is almost here, so have them plan a vacation! Have students pick a national park they would like to visit. (If they aren’t sure what their options are, check out Google’s 3D views of national parks they can explore- it’s so cool!) Once they’ve picked a national park, give them a travel budget. Tell them they need to account for travel expenses, food, park entry fees, and souvenirs.
7. Did you teach force and motion? Rube Goldberg projects are always a student favorite. Assign students with a task (such as getting a marble to land in a cup) in a certain number of steps. You can have them complete it in class or have them work on it at home and record a video. It’s a blast! You can find a lesson plan here.
8. If you live where it’s getting hot in the months of May and June, have students build solar ovens! Materials are easy to come by, and when you add the element of competition students get really into it. Provide a prize for the student whose solar oven gets the hottest.
9. If the weather is nice where you live, take students outside for a Scavenger hunt. You can hide review questions in plastic eggs, or have them search for science-related things. Examples include: something that is a liquid, a producer and consumer, something magnetic, or a material that is an insulator. Get creative!
10. Want to review vocabulary? Have students create an ABC book with science vocabulary from the year. For each letter of the alphabet students will find a vocabulary word, write out the definition, and draw a picture. You can find the printable template for free here.
Rock on,
