May is an exciting time in the classroom! There is tons of energy in the air as students and teachers anticipate the sweet arrival of summertime! Days are jammed with end of year activities, closing ceremonies, and parties as we try to fit everything in before time runs out. Along with all the fun and games, teachers still continue to teach lessons to get all of those standards in before sending kiddos off to the next grade level. Luckily, these exciting May activities for upper elementary will help teachers wrap up the year with a bang!

May Morning Greeting Slides

Teachers know how hectic mornings in the classroom can be, especially in May. Start the day off right with these May Morning Greeting Slides. Students will be able to walk into the classroom and know exactly what to do. These morning slides save teachers tons of time! No more repeating yourself and the morning directions each time a student walks in the door. More than anything, these slides give students the consistency and routine they need.

You can find step-by-step instructions for editing and personalizing your morning greeting HERE and HERE. It’s super easy and only takes a minute or two! Just add your morning routine, change the picture if you’d like, and post for your students.

Grab these May Daily Agenda Slides and give them a try.

I think you’ll find that you can achieve more in the morning, which will leave you with less to do after school! If you like these morning greeting slides, feel free to use them throughout the year. The BUNDLE includes everything you need for the whole school year!

May Book Reviews

As we near the end of the school year, it’s crucial to keep students engaged in reading. One effective way to do this is through seasonal book reviews, especially in May. By fostering lively discussions around books, we can encourage students to express their passion for reading, just as they do about music and movies.

May is a perfect time for students to participate in fun book review activities. Encourage them to write reviews that summarize their thoughts, include personal opinions and examples, and provide ratings. A guided planning page and checklist can help them craft organized and compelling reviews, which they can then turn into polished final drafts.

These completed book reviews can be displayed on a bulletin board, encouraging peers to explore new titles and find their next favorite book.

For ongoing book sharing opportunities throughout the year, consider the BUNDLE, which offers fresh book review prompts and activities each month.

May Close Reading

May is a fantastic time to sharpen the important skills students have been developing all year long. This month, I’m excited to introduce five engaging close reads designed to capture student interest and enhance their learning. Each reading passage focuses on essential skills, such as identifying the main idea, building vocabulary, and reading for details.

These May close reading activities will not only make reading fun and relevant to the season, but they will also help improve reading comprehension skills. Your students will love reading about Memorial Day, Ecosystems, Spring Fever, Tornadoes, and more. 

These non-fiction passages are leveled to cater to diverse student needs, and they come with an easy-to-follow implementation guide, teacher notes, and visual classroom posters. By incorporating techniques such as Think-Pair-Share and Mark-It-Up, you’ll keep students engaged and encourage thorough annotation as they prepare for the end-of-year assessments.

No Prep Math and ELA Activities

Let’s face it, creating content for lessons is non-existent in May. There is just no time. The end-of-year school days are filled with everything from testing to field day. However, there are always gaps of time between events and activities to fill with important lessons. Luckily, these End of Year Review Activities are perfect for filling the gaps!

This packet has a whole set of math and language arts no-prep review activities, sure to keep your students focused. Not only are these printable activities great for math and literacy centers, but they can also be used for morning work, homework, small groups, and early finishers.

Specifically, students will review verb tenses, nonfiction text features, multiplication, division, and other topics. Additionally, these no-prep May activities are both fun and rigorous! You can be sure that students are staying actively engaged while reviewing the skills taught throughout the year.

End of Year Digital Stickers

Who doesn’t love a good set of stickers to brighten their spirits? These end-of-year digital stickers are bright and cheery, giving support and encouragement to students as they head into summer. Plus, they are the perfect addition when it comes to grading digital work. Digital stickers will help remind students to “Keep on Shining” and just how “Flamazing” the school year has been.

Once teachers use digital stickers in upper elementary, it’s hard to go back to basic stickers. Luckily, there are many digital sticker options, like the Seasonal Digital Stickers Growing Bundle. This huge assortment of seasonal stickers is the perfect way to reward students throughout the year.

The best part is, digital stickers never run out of stickiness! With the digital sticker bundle, you can use these stickers year after year, never having to throw them out.

End of Year Punctuation Practice

As the school year comes to an end, there are still important lessons for students to learn! However, keeping students engaged while they learn is essential. This End-of-Year Punctuation Practice is the perfect solution!

The editing worksheets include six color-by-code puzzles, allowing students to practice the punctuation skills they’ve learned throughout the year in a fun way. From periods and commas to quotation marks and colons, these activities cover all the essential standards.

Additionally, answer keys are provided, making the worksheets easy to use for both independent work and small group activities. They are ideal for early finishers, morning work, or even summer practice—creating a win-win situation for both teachers and students!

For those last few days of school…

Do you finish the school year in May? If so, here’s a fantastic list of activities to help wrap up the school year! From awards to a teacher report card where your students can evaluate YOU, there’s something here to make those last days both fun and stress-free!

• End of Year Superlative Awards: With 82 unique awards, you’ll celebrate hard work, kindness, creativity, academic growth, and leadership—ensuring every student feels valued before heading into summer break!
• End of Year Candy Awards: Featuring 70 unique candy-themed awards, this set is a fun and delicious way to recognize your students’ achievements.
• End of Year Academic Awards: This collection includes 62 formal yet enjoyable awards, ranging from Honor Roll Certificates to Reading Awards and Blank Templates, ensuring that every student receives well-deserved recognition.

• End of Year Memory Book: This engaging memory book is filled with journal-style pages that are meaningful for any grade level!
• Teacher Report Card: The End of Year Teacher Report Card is a fun, interactive activity your students will love—and you’ll enjoy reading! Let your students take the lead and “grade the teacher,” reflecting on their classroom experiences. Are you brave enough to see yourself through their eyes?
• Mindfulness Brain Breaks: These mindfulness activities are perfect for providing kids with a much-needed brain break! Dive into a world of relaxation and creativity with coloring pages, directed drawings, and yoga poses—ideal for those last few days of school!

Grab the FREE Ultimate End of the Year Checklist!

Save these fun May activities!

Get ready to end the school year stress-free! These May activities will keep your students engaged and make them love every moment. If you’re not quite ready for May yet, just save this to your favorite classroom Pinterest board and come back when you are!