Whether it’s a few days or several weeks, many teachers dread the remaining calendar pages after standardized testing is over. There is often a misconception that once the “big test” is done, the learning stops.
However, I relish this time. This is when we can teach with a level of freedom that isn’t always available during the “test prep” season. In fact, the topics we explore now can be even more impactful than those taught in the fall. Without the pressure of mandated rubrics, both the students and I can breathe.
Here are five ways to transform those final weeks into meaningful, high-engagement learning:
1. The Play’s the Thing: Performance and “Tableau Vivant”
Plays are designed to be heard and seen, not just read silently. To build student confidence, have them read scenes silently first before assigning roles.
Classic Choices: A Raisin in the Sun and The Crucible remain student favorites. If time is short for The Crucible, try a hybrid approach: watch the film and perform close readings of the most pivotal, high-tension scenes.
Low-Stakes Props: My students loved making simple paper bonnets or pilgrim hats to get into character. A quick search for “paper prop tutorials” can provide easy templates.
The “Snapshots” Challenge: Performance in Stillness: If you don’t have time to act out entire scenes, you can still bring the drama to life using a technique I call “Snapshots.” Think of it as a live-action movie poster or a series of high-stakes “frozen” photos. To help students understand the concept, you can borrow a page from the 2016 Mannequin Challenge. Even though it’s a “throwback” now, the mechanics are perfect for ELA: everyone in the scene freezes mid-action while a “camera” (you or a student with a phone) moves through the scene to capture the tension.
How to run the “Snapshots” Challenge:
- The Setup: Divide the class into small groups and assign each a pivotal moment from the play (e.g., the courtroom climax in The Crucible or the check-arriving scene in A Raisin in the Sun).
- The “Click”: Give groups 10 – 15 minutes to block their scene. They must choose a specific “frozen” moment where their body language and facial expressions tell the story of their character’s emotions.
- The Reveal: When it’s time to present, the group “poses.” The rest of the class guesses the characters and scene in the “snapshot.”
- Analysis: Before the group “unfreezes,” ask the audience: “What does [Character Name]’s posture tell us about their power in this scene?” or “Who is the focus of this Snapshot, and why?”
2. Media Literacy and the Art of the Speech
The internet is an goldmine for practicing listening skills. Between TED Talks and commencement addresses, there is no shortage of powerful rhetoric.
Top Picks: My students consistently engage with Jason Reynolds’ commencement speeches, Admiral McRaven’s “Make Your Bed” address, and J.K. Rowling’s Harvard speech.
Active Listening: Use a simple graphic organizer for informal notes and follow up with a Socratic seminar or a quick “think-pair-share” to discuss their reactions.
The Creative Pivot: Have students write and perform their own commencement speeches. It’s a powerful way for them to synthesize their high school experience while practicing brainstorming, drafting, and public speaking.
3. Take the Learning Outside
When the weather turns, “senioritis” hits hard. Use the outdoors to your advantage rather than fighting the distraction.
Sensory Writing Walks: Take students to a courtyard or local park for reflective journaling. This pairs perfectly with a Transcendentalism unit—nothing beats reading Thoreau or Emerson while actually sitting under a tree. Grab this free Descriptive Writing Walk Activity that use mentor texts for inspiration.
Interdisciplinary Play: Partner with a science teacher for a “Predator vs. Prey” tag game to simulate the food chain, then have students write a first-person narrative from the perspective of their animal.
Outdoor SSR: Allow students to bring beach towels and read their choice novels in the sunshine. Just be sure to clear it with administration, check for allergies, and remind everyone to wear sunscreen!
4. “Adulting 101” and Real-World Connections
Upperclassmen are often anxious about the world waiting for them. “Adulting” skills are high-interest and bridge the gap between classroom English and life skills.
Scenario-Based Learning: Instead of “fluff,” give them practical scenarios that require critical thinking and explanatory writing.
Practical Topics: Use prompts that cover roommate conflicts, financial literacy, workplace etiquette, and college study habits. This keeps 11th and 12th graders engaged because the “why” of the lesson is immediately obvious to them.
5. Community Collaboration
End the year by breaking down the “walls” of your individual classroom.
Book Speed Dating: Pair with another ELA teacher. Students create “profile cards” for their favorite book of the year (character, summary, themes). Set up two parallel lines and have students rotate every 60 seconds to “pitch” their book to a peer from the other class. It’s a great way to build a summer reading list.
Authentic Audiences: Arrange a day for your students to read to elementary schoolers. They can read children’s classics or, better yet, write their own original fairy tales to share. Seeing themselves as role models often brings out the best in even your most “checked-out” students.
Let’s Discuss!
Which of these ideas could you see working in your classroom? Or do you have a go-to end-of-year tradition that keeps your students focused and inspired?
What are your favorite activities for those final weeks? Please share in the comments below!
