Glide Through the End of the Year

As the school year comes closer to ending (or a semester), many teachers are barely able to walk to their cars to go to work in the mornings, wishing so badly that summer break would just come already. Most students feel this same way about the last few weeks of school, so it is a good idea to take a week and have them do some laid back projects in class at the end of the year. Here are 22 project ideas for your biology classes to recap some things they have learned either from the year or from the semester. Assign the topic choices, then give them these project ideas:

1. Write a song on a unit (include at least 15 lines) MY FREE SONG TEMPLATE

2. Make a puzzle (crossword, word search or riddles).

3. Write a newsletter informing family what they learned.

4. Design a tee-shirt (front and back)

5. Write a biography or short story.

6. Create a pretend Instagram post on paper

7. Design a travel brochure about the concept (Works great for cell organelles!)

8. Create a poster on the unit.

9. Write a journal or diary entry (at least 2).

10. Make a flyer to advertise a unit.

11. Create an awareness campaign poster

12. Create a quiz with at least 10 questions/with answer key MY FREE QUIZ TEMPLATE

13. Design a pretend website on paper about a unit

14. Write a poem with at least 10 lines MY FREE POEM TEMPLATE

15. Design a cap (on paper)

16. Decorate a tissue box with information about the unit (6 sides)

17. Build a unit/concept paper cube MY FREE CUBE TEMPLATE

18. Write a news article..."Breaking News!"

19. Create a skit

20. Make a video

21. Paint or sketch a mural

22. Write an ABC booklet MY FREE ABC BOOKLET ASSIGNMENT PAGE

Students can choose their means of expression for their project (from the list above) and the topics/units they want to research. I prefer to give students the freedom to choose the what and the how behind the end of the year projects. But I tell them not to use the same type of project twice, like don't do two poem projects. Have students choose two different units, using two different presentations. For example, a student might create a poster about the cell organelles and an ABC booklet on meiosis. I suggest two to four projects for an end of the year project: two projects for an on level or inclusion class and four projects for advanced class.

Another idea is to give your classes a list of vocabulary words to include in their final project for each of the units you want them to choose from. Have them write the words and define them. Once they do this, you can call them up to look at their definitions, then you can give them the okay to begin working on their projects.

Here is an EOY project pacing sample:

Day 1 - Students will choose their topics and expression choices. Then they will brainstorm and begin their research.

Day 2 - Begin rough draft of project. This includes writing vocabulary words that go with their unit and defining them.

Day 3 - Begin creating their project.

Day 4 - Continue working on their project.

Day 5 - Do final touches. Make sure project correctly portrays the unit chosen. Make sure it is neat and colored. Includes unit vocabulary words.

Day 6 - Double check all is good and turn in. Presenting is an option.