This week we had our big awards day!
On awards day, I invite all of the students' families into the classroom, perform a few poems and a song, watch a slideshow full of pictures taken throughout the year, and of course - hand out awards!
After I welcome all of the families, the students recite this poem:
I looked all over for the original source of this poem and couldn't find it anywhere. We have been saying it for so many years now I have no idea where I originally got it!
Next, the students sing a song. I usually switch the song from year to year but this year, we sang "With my Own Two Hands" by Jack Johnson. If you have never heard it before, it is a great song!!
Finally, the students recite a second poem: The ABC Farewell. This is probably my favorite thing that the students do because each person gets their own part to say and it gives every student a "time to shine"! I am not sure who the original author of this poem is either but here is a cute printable with the words that I found here.
After all of the performances have come to an end, I call the students up one by one to receive their awards.
My kiddos work so hard throughout the year, so I like to give them each several different awards representing all they have accomplished this year!
Here is a little preview of some of the awards I pass out.
If you are interested in using some of these same awards in your classroom, you can find them at my tpt store here. These awards are completely EDITABLE! :)
To save time while handing them out, I place all of the awards the student has earned (I usually limit it to a given number - this year I did 9 per student) in a large envelope and glue this on the front.
This cover is also included in my awards pack.
To close the ceremony out, we take a trip down memory lane and watch a slideshow of pictures throughout the year. A few songs I like to include in my slideshow are:
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day
What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
Count on Me by Bruno Mars
Celebration by Kool and the Gange
Graduation by Vitamin C
You've Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman
The Climb by Miley Cyrus
My Wish by Rascal Flatts
I also burn a copy of the slide show to give to parents as a keepsake.
Here is our backdrop for awards day
I found some cute graduation "photo booth props" at Walmart (which I forgot to take a picture of before sending them home with kids) so I made this "photo booth" area for kids to take pictures.
Here are all of their goodies to take home after the awards ceremony
Graduation bubbles from the Dollar Tree
I completely forgot to get CD cases for the slide shows (whoops!) but these cute toppers that I found here helped make the baggies I stuck the CDs in much cuter ;)
The ring pop "class rings" are always a huge hit
I also put out some peppermints with this cute sign for the parents.
I cannot believe that awards day has come and gone and that the school year is almost over!
Do you do an awards day or any kind of special ceremony at the end of the year?
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