Create a Class Yearbook

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Subjects Arts & Humanities Language Arts, Visual Arts Educational Technology

Grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Brief Description

Students create a keepsake yearbook of memories from the school year about to end.

Objectives

Students

• create a format for the yearbook pages they and their classmates will make.
• create yearbook pages about important memories of the year.
• put the pages together in a yearbook.
• design a cover for the yearbook.

Keywords

yearbook, end of year, graduation, June

Materials Needed

• paper and pens or pencils
• digital camera (optional)
• art supplies

Lesson Plan

In this activity, each student will create a page in a class yearbook. If available, use a digital camera to take pictures that can be printed and pasted on the pages. Ask students to record vivid memories from the school year on the pages. Younger students can dictate.

In the lower elementary grades, each yearbook page might follow a distinct template or format. For example, a photo might appear at the top of the page with lines for writing on at the bottom of the page. In other grades, the format can be more flexible. Students might brainstorm a list of categories or prompts to select from as they create their yearbook pages. Sample prompts about the school year almost completed might include the following:

• a favorite lesson
• a time I really laughed
• the best book I read
• the most challenging lesson
• advice for next year's ___-grade students
• the career I want to pursue
• something I wish I could do over again
• a skill I learned that will serve me well in the future

After students have created their personal yearbook pages (in writing or by using a word processing software program), photocopy individual pages so each student can have a yearbook of their classmates' memories too.

Extension Activities

• Encourage students to create covers for their yearbooks. Stage a cover-design contest. Ask students to share their designs and have them vote for the best design. Allow students to select any classmate's design (or their own) to use as a yearbook cover.
• Include a few pages at the back of the yearbook for students to write messages to one another. (See An Autograph Book from Yesteryear.)
• Post the yearbook online so all students have access to it.

Assessment

Students create thoughtful responses to the yearbook prompts.

Lesson Plan Source

Education World

Submitted By

Gary Hopkins

National Standards

FINE ARTS: Visual Arts

• GRADES K - 4
  NA-VA.K-4.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
  NA-VA.K-4.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
  NA-VA.K-4.5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others

• GRADES 5 - 8
  NA-VA.5-8.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
  NA-VA.5-8.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
  NA-VA.5-8.5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others

• GRADES 9 - 12
  NA-VA.9-12.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
  NA-VA.9-12.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
  NA-VA.9-12.5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others

LANGUAGE ARTS: English

• GRADES K - 12
  NL-ENG.K-12.4 Communication Skills
  NL-ENG.K-12.6 Applying Knowledge
  NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills

TECHNOLOGY

• GRADES K - 12
  NT.K-12.1 Basic Operations and Concepts
  NT.K-12.4 Technology Communications tools

Return to Making the Most of the Dreaded End-of-School Days.

Looking for more end-of-the-year ideas? Check out Wind Up Learning as the Year Winds Down: Activities for the Last Days of School.