End of the Year Memory Book | 9 Writing Crafts | Songs | Summer Task Cards

This Common Core-aligned set contains TONS of ways to wrap up the end of the year! Click on the "Video Preview" AND the "Supporting Document Preview" to view and hear samples. In Section 1, I’ve included an illustrated memory book, followed by 8 different writing "craftivities" (such as shape books, glyphs, and graduation caps) that can be modified for grades K-3. In Section 2, I’ve included 2 poems. “Summer’s Here” is also included as a video. You can watch it from TpT or link to my private Vimeo site and stream or download it from the cover page of the packet. The second poem, “Summer Slide,” encourages children to choose from various summer learning activities. Give your students illustrated task cards and then request that they fill in charts, write about the summer using 2-column notes, or write using 3-column notes.

Here is a quick explanation of each activity. Note that some covers are available in full-color, and everything is available in black-and-white versions.

1. Illustrated Memory Book: Choose from covers for grades K-3, print, and let the kids do the rest!

2. "Sweet Cinquains:" Teach children to write Cinquain poems in this ice cream-shaped craft.

3. "My Favorite Books" Activity and Shape Book: Children choose which face and hair best match theirs, add a book, add hands, and then add pages to make a shape book.

4. "Celebration Hat--Glyph, Shape Book, and Wearable Hat:" Children answer questions about school preferences and color the hat based on answers in the glyph section of this activity. Add writing to additional hats to make a shape book, and/or choose to create party hats from 2 different templates.

5. "Sun-sational Summer Plans" Shape Book: Choose from blank pages, lined pages, or prompt pages to meet your students' needs. I've also included instructions for writing longer essays.

6. "Keys to Success" Shape Book: Children write a "key" to success in your classroom on each page of this book.

7. First Place Ribbon "School Favorites" Shape Book: Children write their favorite things about school, as well as favorite songs, movies, etc., in this project. I've included blank, lined, and prompt pages as well as ideas for expanding the assignment.

8. "Friend-Ship" Autograph/Shape Book: Children sign one part of the ship each. I've included several different templates so that children can choose to simply sign their names or write longer notes. I've also included a suggestion for ensuring that all students sign all books.

9. "Graduation Cap" Shape Book and Wearable Hat: Children write about what they've learned, their goals for next year, their goals after high school graduation, and their goals after college graduation. I've included prompt pages, blank pages, and lined pages as well as ideas for making wearable hats and expanding the assignment to meet all students' needs.

10. Section 2 includes song lyrics, an additional poem, summer task cards, and 3 different types of recording sheets (a chart, 2-column notes, and 3-column notes).

These materials can be used to support the following K-3 Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.K.2

With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text. (Favorite book craft)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.1

Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.1.a

Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.1.b

Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.1.c

Understand that words are separated by spaces in print.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.1.d

Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.3

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.3.a

Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary sound or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.3.b

Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.3.c

Read common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.4

Read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.1

Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is...).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.2

Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.3

Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.5

With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.8

With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.1.a

Print many upper- and lowercase letters.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.1.b

Use frequently occurring nouns and verbs.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.1.f

Produce and expand complete sentences in shared language activities.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.2.a

Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.2.c

Write a letter or letters for most consonant and short-vowel sounds (phonemes).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.2.d

Spell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (Hat glyph)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.2

Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.1

Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.1.a

Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3.b

Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3.e

Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3.g

Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.4.b

Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.4.c

Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.1

Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.2

Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.4

Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.5

Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.1.a

Print all upper- and lowercase letters.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (Hat glyph)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.3

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.1

Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.3

Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.3

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (Hat glyph)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.2

Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.3

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1.a

Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1.b

Provide reasons that support the opinion.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1.c

Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1.d

Provide a concluding statement or section.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.10

Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.3

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (Hat glyph)

THANKS for trying my products, and enjoy the end of the year with your students!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Fixman-Kramer

"Miss Jenny"