June has arrived, bringing longer days, restless energy, the undeniable pull of summer break, and end-of-year writing activities as we say goodbye to the current school year and hello to summer!
While students (and teachers!) dream of what’s to come— newfound freedom, sleeping in, sunny adventures, lazy afternoons, and time with loved ones— there’s still work to be done within our classroom walls.
Keeping students engaged in meaningful year-end writing projects can make these final days of school both productive and fun.
One great way to keep students focused? Writing with purpose. Whether it’s heartfelt letters, offering advice to incoming students on the grade level, or reflecting on their year, these activities help students end on a high note—while keeping their writing skills sharp.
Here are five easy writing activities for teachers to keep students writing and engaged as the school year winds down.
End-of-Year Writing Activity #1 – Write a Letter To Next Year’s Teacher
This is an “oldie but goodie” for several reasons! Writing a letter to next year’s teacher is a great way to get students writing with a specific purpose and audience in mind. In this case, they are introducing themselves to their next grade level’s teachers, sharing their favorite things about school and their lives.
Writing letters provides the next grade level’s teachers with baseline writing samples to assess paragraph development, organization, clarity, and detail specificity. It serves as a quick writing assessment to assist with flexible grouping in the fall, offering insight into students’ skills and personalities before the school year begins.
It’s also a nod to how we teachers work: designing units backwards by planning with the end in mind.
This letter-writing activity requires few supplies: simply paper and pencils. I prefer lined paper like looseleaf, as it’s readily available and we always have extra left over at the end of the school year. If you want to get fancy, break out the construction paper and markers as publishing tools! This not only makes the finished letters more visually appealing but also extends the activity and blends writing with students’ innate illustrative talents.
Keep Students on Task with Talking Points & Questions
I project a list of possible talking points on the Smartboard, as well as print out the same questions on half-sheets of printer paper. These are distributed to table groups or partnerships. Having a set of prompts eliminates the “I don’t know what to write” refrain and gives students a clear starting point.
Questions include the basics:
- Name
- Birthday
- Siblings
- Favorites
- Culture & celebrations
I also include some detailed inquiries, such as, “Have you visited a place you found interesting? Where did you go? What was interesting to you about it?”
Finally, ask students to end their letters with what they are looking forward to in the next grade and sign their name.
Gather finished letters and place them in next year’s teachers’ mailboxes or deliver in person.
End-of-Year Writing Activity #2 – Write a Letter To Me (current teacher)
Sticking with the letter-writing theme, I have students write another letter, this time to me. I ask them to think backward through the school year and let the memories flow out like movies in their minds.
Encouraging students to think aloud and share their memories with classmates adds a touch of nostalgia while sparking ideas for writing. Recalling memorable moments from the past year helps generate topics, making the writing process easier and less intimidating. When students verbalize their thoughts first, they gain confidence before committing words to paper.
I like using this prompt as a “turn-and-talk” as students share their memories with classmates at their table groups. Having time to exchange memories builds excitement and engagement as students recall moments from the past year. Set a timer for 5 minutes and let the “Remember when…?” begin!
Allow students time to reflect on this past school year:
- What stands out to them?
- What did they enjoy this year?
- What did they NOT enjoy?
- What was the best part of their year in this grade level? Why?
I use the same letter-writing routines as for the letters to next year’s teachers. Questions are projected on the Smartboard and distributed to table groups on half-sheets of printer paper. One prompt that’s a student favorite: “If you could suggest a topic or book for future __ graders to study, what would it be? Why?” It’s interesting to read all of the responses! And it’s one of the ways I can add new books to my classroom library based on student interests.
End-of-Year Writing Activity #3 – Write Thank-You Notes
Break out the art supplies and have students put their skills into practice by writing thank-you notes!
Discuss the people who help your school run smoothly— office staff, custodians and janitors, food service workers, guidance counselors, security officers, and anyone else in your building. There’s so much you can customize to your specific school community! This writing activity helps students recognize and thank the people who help them along the way, not just the teachers they see every day.
Go formal or keep it casual. Instead of focusing on grammar and proper letter format this time, allow students to write freely with purpose and creativity, writing for the pure joy of expressing gratitude, bringing smiles to others through their words.
Use supplies you already have in your classroom: leftover looseleaf paper, leftover construction paper, markers, crayons, etc. Display a sample “Thank You” note or card so students have a concrete idea of the assignment’s goal. Write a list of possible recipients on the whiteboard to minimize interruptions with students asking how to spell “custodian” or “guidance,” or specific staff members’ names. And then, let students create!
This writing activity not only reinforces writing skills, but it also builds community and empathy! Devise a plan to deliver the notes before the last day of school— whether it be placing a stack of notes in each recipient’s office mailbox or walking around the building together as a class to hand-deliver the handmade messages.
End-of-Year Writing Activity #4 – Survival Guide Advice To Next Year’s 3rd, 4th, or 5th Graders
Writing survival guides for incoming students is always a fun time! It’s awesome to see how creative students get with their advice and lists.
The actual survival guides can take different formats, depending on what supplies you have available. In past years, I’ve done various versions of them.
One year, students wrote their survival guides in a letter format on looseleaf paper: “Dear New 4th Grade Student…” and explained what the new kids would do in 4th grade. They also gave advice on homework, state test prep, and book recommendations.
Another time, we folded a piece of white construction paper into 3 equal parts to form a brochure. Then students filled in each section with a different topic: advice on how to study, ways to keep calm during testing season, reasons to listen to the teacher, and more.
And then there were the years when we had more time to dedicate to this project. Students created booklets using a 9×12” piece of construction paper folded in half as a cover, with slips of lined paper stapled inside. Their survival topics included “Top 5” and “Top 10” lists, such as “Top 5 Test-Taking Tips” and “Top 5 Reasons to Listen to the Teacher.” My personal favorite: “Top 3 Things NOT To Say Around Ms. Cerrito.” Any guesses for what was (and still is) #1? “It’s MINES!” I feel myself cringing just writing that!
End-of-Year Writing Activity #5 – Heart-Shaped Memory Maps
End the school year with this meaningful, heart-warming activity that combines writing, art, and social-emotional learning (SEL). Students draw a large heart on a piece of drawing paper and divide it into 4 or 5 sections. These sections can be made of boxes, squiggly lines, or resemble puzzle parts.
Label Each Section with a Theme
Here are some themes I’ve used in past years:
- Firsts: first day of school, first new friend in class, first challenge of the year
- Proud Moments: big achievements, overcoming obstacles
- Funny Moments: laugh-out-loud classroom stories (be mindful of student feelings)
- Special People: friends, teachers, coaches
- Unexpected Lessons: surprising things learned
To help students get started, choose one theme and give your own examples. Then turn it back to the students. Set a timer and encourage them to share their ideas in partnerships or with table groups. Again, setting aside time to think aloud helps formulate and verbalize ideas that can then be written down and expanded.
When the timer goes off, students fill in their hearts with short phrases or sketches. Some students may only sketch, some may only write, and yet others will include a mx of both.
The heart maps can stand on their own or become the basis for a larger writing activity. If you’re going larger, schedule heart-map making early in the week. That way, the rest of the week’s writing plans will draw on ideas from the heart maps.
Decide if you wish to assign a specific writing format each day to review skills, or have students choose how they want to tell their stories, whether it’s in paragraphs, a play script with dialogue, or a graphic novel.
This method makes the writing process personal and engaging. It recalls and clusters memories around emotions, significant events, and people who have impacted them. It also helps reduce the anxiety of starting to write while staring at a blank page.
Finishing the School Year as Strong Writers
Keeping students engaged in writing as the school year winds down can be challenging. But it can also lead to amazing creativity and reflections, as students are given opportunities to collaborate, reminisce, and have fun!
By weaving these five activities into your year-end writing block, you’ll keep students engaged, help them celebrate growth, and strengthen their sense of community. Writing in these final weeks and days fosters personal reflection, self-awareness, and boosts confidence—ensuring students finish the year strong and ready to step into their next adventure.
As the school year winds down, give your students time to reflect and create with my print-and-go End-of-Year Memory Books and End-of-School Writing Prompts! These ready-to-use pages guide students through capturing their favorite moments—no prep required! Whether you’re looking for a meaningful keepsake or a structured way to wrap up the year, these memory books and writing pages make it effortless and engaging. Grab them today and let your students celebrate their journey in a way they’ll cherish!
💙Find them here: End-of-Year Writing Activities
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