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Experienced educators share how they enrich their classes with projects and activities that take students from the beginning of the school year to the end -- while creating memories that last a lifetime. Included: Ideas for time capsules, memory books, welcome letters, more.

A snapshot of a former teacher, a time capsule of forgotten goals, a friendly letter from a fellow student -- all recall memories of too-fleeting bits of time. You can help capture this year's precious moments for your students and their families with activities that span the months. Teach a lesson and preserve a memory with the following teacher-suggested yearlong activities.

ONCE YOU POP, THE FUN CAN'T STOP!

A glance into Rosalie Roy's classroom might have made some observers think she had a passion for snacking. The potato chip can that sat conspicuously on her desk wasn't full of food, however; it was packed with memories. Before her retirement, Roy, a veteran sixth grade teacher from Gilroy, California, made creating a class time capsule out of an empty Pringles can an early project for each incoming class.

"During the first week of school, we spent a lot of time getting to know one another," recalled Roy. "I gave several writing assignments, and one of them was the time capsule activity. We talked about our ideas of what sixth grade was supposed to be like, what we wanted to learn, and what our goals were. We also spent a lot of time discussing friends past and present. I then asked my students to write about their ideas."

Roy discovered that providing time for class discussion of the topics was essential, especially for students who were unsure of what they should write about. She began that discussion by listing on a transparency such questions as, What will you do during this year? Who will be your best friends? What important things will you learn? and What can your teacher do to help you?

When students finished writing about their expectations and goals for the year, Roy placed their essays in a prepared potato chip can and filed it away. Then, near the end of the school year, to build anticipation and interest, she put the can in full view of the class. Finally, on the last day of school, the can was opened, and students rediscovered their writings. They talked about their original goals and about whether those goals had been achieved. When the discussion was completed, students put their individual letters inside their report cards to share with their families.

"I was always impressed with how close many of my students came to fulfilling their goals," Roy told Education World. "They had grown so much as sixth graders, academically and socially. There always were a few surprises, of course, usually from those who had not expected to learn much but had succeeded far beyond their expectations.

"Part of the fun for students was not only in reading about what their hopes had been for sixth grade, but in seeing how they expressed those hopes. The letters made evident the immense growth and maturity that had come in less than one year's time."

Although Fischer's yearlong project involved just one "time capsule," other teachers provide a can for each child. Inside those cans, students store samples of their writing, self-portraits or family portraits, handprints, crafts, original poetry, lists of favorite things, and more.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

Fourth-grade teacher Sandra Lee has been making memory books with her students at DeQueen (Arkansas) Elementary School for so long she can't recall where she got the idea.

"The memory book activity lends itself to a lot of creativity," Lee said. "It can be done in many ways -- I don't think I've done it the same way twice -- and works well with any grade. I think the books are treasured by families for years to come -- and the binders are great to show at parent/teacher conferences."

At the start of the school year, each of Lee's students is assigned a 3-ring binder, which Lee will keep in the classroom throughout the year and use to organize the student's writing. She also takes a digital photo of each student, prints the pictures, and laminates them on sheets of paper with name, grade, and year. Students sometimes decorate those pages; they make an attractive back-to-school bulletin board display.

"As the year progresses, completed writing assignments are added to the 3-ring binders," explained Lee. " Each piece is dated and kept in order. I don't limit the additions to polished work, but I do direct which pieces I want a student to include. I don't allow just anything and everything. Often, I'll make a copy of a piece for the student to take home and keep the original in the binder.

"Students enjoy adding new writings; many times they take their binders back to their seats to read everything they've written."

At the end of the year, Lee creates for each student a laminated page for student autographs. All the student's writings from the binder are bound together, along with the autograph page (or pages) as the back cover and the photo page from early in the year as the front cover -- although sometimes Lee uses student handprints for the cover instead. Lee also likes to add a personal letter to each child's book.

"The main benefit is that the student can see his or her progress, which can be very affirming," Lee observed. "It makes a student think, 'I struggle, but I do make progress.' For some, that's a very exciting concept!"

WATCH US GROW

Christina Fischer also is not clear about when and where she discovered her memory book activity, but her students at Woodbine Elementary School in Sacramento, California, love having a piece of "memorabilia" from their second grade experience.

"Currently, the project is very simple," Fischer stated. "The cover reads _________'s Second Grade Memory Book. Each student fills in his or her name and decorates the cover. I use half-sheets of cardstock, which I punch with a hole-punch and tie together with yarn. Inside the book are a class picture, a silly class picture, and a picture of myself with the student." She likes to include a photo from the beginning of the school year or when a new student enters, so students can see how much they've grown throughout the year. Fischer, who asks another teacher or an aide to assist with a digital camera as she poses for the teacher-student shots, has her digital photos developed quickly and inexpensively at a large warehouse store. She likes the flexibility of digital images, which can be evaluated and retaken as needed.

This memory book includes a page called "Memories;" students brainstorm before recording on it favorite moments from second grade. "I'm always a little surprised about what students remember when we share our memories at the end of the year," said Fischer. "It's as if September happened 100 years before!" Monthly summaries of class activities and happenings also enrich the book. The last page is set aside for student autographs.

For Fischer, assembling the books makes a good winding down activity at the end of the year. She makes sure the books are done three days before the end of school, so they aren't rushed and students have ample opportunity to decorate the books if they choose.

Many of the parents Fischer must reach do not speak English well, so the memory books are a priceless way to communicate special events from the school year. The kids love their books, especially the photographs.

"One of my little girls, who is a little dramatic, clasped her book to her heart and declared, 'Mrs. Fischer, I will treasure this forever!'"

DEAR NEXT YEAR...

"I wanted an activity students could do at the end of the year that would be both instructional and motivating," L. Taylor Nash explained. "Letter-writing worked because it's creative, fun, requires few materials, can be passed along to next year's students as a 'legacy' of information -- and fits the bill for curriculum material."

A 7-8 English and reading teacher, Nash has her students write 3-to-5-paragraph friendly letters to the next class of students, giving them advice about school staff, classes, homework, hallway and class rules, lockers, and more. Students must sign their names to their letters, and -- to ensure that everything is in good humor and good taste -- any mention of a teacher must be approved by that teacher.

"The gentleness of the students always amazes me -- the good-natured fun they have at the staff's expense without deliberately hurting an adult's feelings," reported Nash. "Remember, these are middle school students in the inner city; they sometimes get in trouble and they could carry grudges, yet no one does! They write about various incidents and sometimes make gentle fun of an adult's way of doing something, but when I show the adults, they laugh and say, 'Leave it in!'"

Nash laminates all the students' letters and passes them out to the new class of students on or about the second week of school. Students enjoy the letters because they often are written by students they know, about teachers they know or have had in class. Incoming students often compare their personal experiences to those discussed in the letters they've read.

"Although one letter doesn't stand out in my mind, sometimes an entire class's letters will," said Nash. "Sometimes the chemistry is just right and connections are made, and reading some students' letters makes me chuckle and tear up at the same time."

Nash suggests that any teacher can make this project his or her own. An alternative to a letter for next year's class is one that could be mailed to a former teacher. Students also could write letters at the beginning of the year to read at the end of the year; write to the next year's teachers; or write to themselves far into the future. Students even could write a letter to themselves about their first day in a new grade.

"I think what I like most about this project is that I have records of all the teachers I have taught with and specific episodes to recall their time with the students," Nash added. "I think I've also gotten to be a better teacher because I really do try to respond to comments about me."

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Memory and Keepsake Crafts Enchanted Learning shares instructions for many projects, including handprints, a back-to-school book, personal timeline, and more.

Article by Cara Bafile
Education World®
Copyright © 2004 Education World

08/02/2004