Let the children design autograph books. Print out a cover page and pages designated for signatures from friends, family members, classmates and teachers (see Resources). Provide crayons, markers, glitter glue, craft glue, stickers, scissors and magazines. The children decorate the cover with the art materials and pictures cut out from the magazines that reflect their special interests. Hole punch the autograph books and tie with bright ribbon. Modify the activity by substituting small beach balls for autograph books. Let the children blow up the balls where they receive autographs. This activity incorporates easily into a beach day theme.
This activity allows children to explore their feelings about saying "goodbye" to you, their classmates and your elementary classroom. Read the story, "Goodbye House," by Frank Asch. Encourage your children to talk about the little bear's feelings and their own feelings. Ask the children to draw pictures of items and activities they would like to say "goodbye" to before the end of school. Hole punch the pictures and bind with a ribbon to make a "Goodbye Classroom" book.
Every child in your classroom shares kind words with his classmates, who share kind words with him. The child writes his name on a piece of paper. Tape the paper to the child's back. Let the children use a marker to write something positive about that child on the paper. Provide examples for the children, such as, "I like the way you laugh," or, "You have great eyes." Every child walks around the room and writes on a classmate's back. When every child writes a comment on every child's paper, the children read the comments.
Ask parents to send a pre-washed white T-shirt to school. Let each child make a handprint on her shirt by using brightly colored paint to cover the child's palm. Tell her to press her handprint onto the shirt. After signing her name under the handprint, the child's classmates autograph the shirt with a permanent, fine-tipped marker. Add the grade and year. Take a group picture of the children wearing their shirts with a digital camera. Print out a copy of the picture for each child to take home.