Many schools take children on field trips in the last days of school after children take the TAKS test. These field trips depend on what is available to do in your city and what the weather is like. Popular field trips include zoo trips, museum trips, factory trips and track days in which children participate in outdoor sports and activities for fun. Some classes may have in-class field trips in which the class watches an educational video or decorates the classroom like an exotic destination.
Many classes and schools use the time after the TAKS test is over to give the students special projects. These projects vary by class, teacher and the subject. Teachers usually assign work according to a particular subject. A science class may assign an animal classification project or have the students design a zoo. In art class, students may make memory books or self-portraits. Math class may have students make a commercial to sell a product, or trade virtual stocks for a week or two. English class may have the students create a book report on a favorite book.
When the year winds down, schools traditionally eliminate some of the strict structure they used throughout the year. The school may host an end-of-year parents day or other celebration. Some schools have a Juneteenth pageant or carnival that students help create. Theme days are also popular, such as Pajama Day or Backwards Day. The events that your school puts on will vary by the administration and the students' ages.
Not all students get a break after the TAKS test is over. Students who do not pass the test often have to work harder after taking the test to try the test again over the summer or the following year. These students work extra hard to catch up to the academic level of their peers. Teachers work closely with these students to help them reach the academic level necessary to pass to the next grade.