Glide Through the End of the Year

As the school year comes closer to ending, many teachers are barely able to walk to their cars to go to work in the mornings, wishing so badly that summer break would come already. If this is you, take heed, summer is just around the corner and you can press on! I hope it will be a time for you to make yourself a priority by relaxing, eating healthy, and spending time with friends and family and doing things you enjoy. You are almost there!

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 21 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 concept from the semester (include at least 15 lines).

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 and include an answer key.

13. Design a pretend website on paper about a unit.

14. Write a poem with at least 10 lines.

15. Design a cap.

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

17. Build a paper cube (with a template).

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

19. Create a skit.

20. Make a video.

21. Paint or sketch a mural.

Students can choose their expression choice for the project (from the list above) and the topic they want to research. If you give them the freedom of choice, they will be more likely to get in to the assignment and make it wonderful, rather than if you assigned it a specific way. You can have students choose two different units, using two different ways. For example: cells and poster and meiosis and newsletter. You can also have them choose to do one project if you prefer.

Give students 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 and 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.