All the DAZE Productions: End of School DAZE

Art
School Photo Frames
Materials: School Photo, Wooden Yard Stick, Cardboard, Pencil, Crayon, Eraser, Pencil
Sharpener or Other School Supplies to glue on frame , tacky Glue Matte Knife, Cardboard
Easel
Directions: Most yardsticks are 1" wide. 1/2 inch has measurements, the other 1/2" has
advertisements. We asked Dad to cut ours in half lengthwise to cut off the advertisements. Our
photo had a lot of empty space on both sides so we trimmed it to 4-1/2" wide. Most school
class photos are 7"x5". If you photo is 7"x5", follow the measurements provided. Otherwise
adjust measurements. Cut a piece of cardboard 8"x6". Glue photo in the middle. Cut your ruler
on the 8" line, 13" line, 21" line and 26" line. Discard the last 10" of the yardstick. Glue yardstick
pieces around photo. Arrange school supplies and glue around frame. Add an easel.

Autograph Tee Shirts
These tees are a great keepsake for the end of the year.
You need: Tee Shirt, Permanent Markers or Fabric Pens, Cardboard
Instructions: Cut cardboard to fit inside snugly inside shirt. Have each child decorate the front of
his or her shirt with the school year or camp name. Pass tees around for each person to sign.

Preschool Graduation Caps
You need: Plastic or Paper Bowl, 8" x 8" Matching Card Stock, Yarn, Scissors, Glue, Tape
Instructions:   Check bowl for fit on child's head. We trimmed off the rim. Turn the bowl upside
down and glue the square of card stock on what used to be the bottom of the bowl. Adult should
use a scissors to poke a small whole through the middle of the card stock and bowl.
To Make the Tassel:   Wrap yarn several times around three fingers. Leave about a foot of yarn
on one end. Remove from fingers and pinch together at that end. Use another piece of yarn to
wrap pinched strands together. Tie off. Cut open loops on other side. Push long piece of yarn
through a hole punched in the top. Tape on the inside to hold in place.

Gift Idea
Have each child in the class autograph a beach ball. Then decorate a small canvas bags with
fabric paint to the balls in those so the children can take them to the beach or pool during their
summer vacation.   Add this poem:
Summer is here School is done
Go down to the pool and have some fun.
So when your splashing with your friends and all
Take along this bag and have "a ball".

Autograph Picture Book
Let each child draw something they remember about each child and move the books in a circle
so each child get s each other's books.

Sweet Dreams
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I count these hands instead of sheep.
I'll dream of how the year did pass,
in (name of teacher)'s class!

Decorate a Pillowcase with fabric markers (or perhaps tye dye it) and add the following poem:

Now I lay me down to sleep
I'll count the memories of first grade to keep
And always remember the friends I made
When I was in Mrs. _____'s first grade.

You can write it on a pillowcase, or what I did last year is irion it on.
Then you have the children dip their palm in fabric paint and then I wrote
their name underneath.

Treasure Shoe Box
Decorate an old shoe box and lid with construction paper, markers, paint, glue and glitter,
crayons, googly eyes, stickers, lace, doilies, or whatever else you can find. Be sure to put the
child's name inside the lid. This box make a great box for treasures of the school year.

Games:
Play BINGO

Try having Potato Sack Races(using old pillow cases), Shoe Mix-Up (Have children take off
their shoes and mix up the whole pile, then have them race to put the shoes back on.), Tug of
War (using a huge rope...we do one class versus the next class, then we do kids vs adults..they
loved that one!) and Sock Throw (We put a tennis ball into a long sock and the kids have to
throw it to see who can throw it the furthest!).

Language:
Write letters for next year's class. Give them advice or tell the best part of the school
year.favorite   Save the letters to read on the first day of school in the fall.

Let's stand up and give a cheer!
Kindergarten's finally here.
One, two, three, hip, hip, hooray!
Here's my picture the first day!

From the first day to the last,
Kindergarten went too fast,
Summertime will be a ball,
But nothing beats first grade next fall!

Dear Parents,
I give you back your child, the same child you confidently entrusted
in my care. I give them back pounds heavier, inches taller, months
wiser, more responsible and more mature than they were. Although they
would have attained growth in spite of me, it has been my pleasure
and privilege to watch their personality unfold day by day and marvel
at this splendid miracle of development.
I give them back reluctantly, for having spent this time together in
the narrow confines of my classroom, we have grown close, have become a
part of each other, and we shall always retain a little of each other.
Ten years from now if we meet on the street, a light will shine in
our eyes, a smile on our lips, and we shall feel that bond of
understanding once more, this bond we feel today.
We have lived, loved, laughed, played, studied, learned and enriched
our lives together. I wish it could go on indefinitely, but give them
back I must. Take care of them, for they are precious.
Remember that I shall always be interested in your child and their
destiny, wherever they go, whatever they do, whoever they become.
Their joys and sorrows I'll be happy to share.
Please call on me if there is anything further I can ever do for
them. I shall always be their friend.
With Love,

Dear Parents,
I've worked with your flower,
And helped it to grow.
I'm returning it now,
But I want you to know.
This flower is precious,
As dear as can be.
Love it, take care of it,
And then you will see...
A bright new bloom with every day,
It grew and blossomed in a wonderful way...
In August just a bud, in January a bloom,
Now a lovely blossom...I'm returning to you in May.
Remember this flower,
As dear as can be...
Though rightfully yours,
Part will always belong to me!
Sincerely,

The Teacher's Garden
In the year 200_, on the 3rd of September
You came into my class, how well I remember.
Some of you were smiling and giggling a lot
Some were very quiet and a few tears I could spot.
You were all in my garden just waiting to grow
So this gardener got busy with her rake and her hoe.
I fed you the water and let in the sun
You took in the soil, but we had only begun.
Each day as I worked in this garden of mine
I saw you all growing so strong and so fine.
Then finally one day I took a good look
And saw each of my flowers with their favorite book
It was obvious then that you had worked, too
Soaking up all the food that I had given to you
But although you have blossomed, you still need to grow
So I'll pass you on now to another gardener I know.
She too has a rake and hoe she can use
And plenty of food from which you can choose.
I hope you will keep your roots open wide
Take in all her food and keep it inside.
Yes, a gardener can work all night and all day
But the flower must be willing to take in each ray.
So work very hard in your garden each year
Do the best you can do and you'll have nothing to fear.
Grow strong and tall, reach up for the sun
Stay as nice as you are and have lots of fun!

ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN
(a guide for Global Leadership)

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how
to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the
graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.

These are the things I learned:
a.. Share everything.
b.. Play fair.
c.. Don't hit people.
d.. Put things back where you found them.
e.. Clean up your own mess.
f.. Don't take things that aren't yours.
g.. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
h.. Wash your hands before you eat.
i.. Flush.
j.. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
k.. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and
paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
l.. Take a nap every afternoon.
m.. When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold
hands and stick together.
n.. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam
cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows
how or why, but we are all like that.
o.. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed
in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
p.. And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word
you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.
Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule
and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and
sane living.

Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated
adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or
government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think
what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had
cookies and milk at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and then lay
down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a
basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to
clean up their own mess.

And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in
the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

Vacation Journals for the Kids
While on vacation, give each child a small note book to use as a journal. Each day they will
enter the day's activities, complete with pictures. This is a wonderful activity in the car and the
journals are keepsakes that will be treasured for years to come.

End of the Year Awards
Beach Theme: starfish speller for best spellers, palm tree award for the one who has grown the
most, sailboat award for the one who sailed through a subject, tidal pool award for the calm
&quiet child,who never made a wave, biggest wave award, biggest splash award, hula dancer
award for the ones who worked together best on a class/team project, aloha award for the
one/ones who befriended/welcomed the new student, Pineapple award-for being so sweet,
Sunshine award-for always looking at the bright side of things, Surfer award-for being able to
ride through some obstacles, How about a life jacket for keep others afloat, A lifeguard whistle
or horn or light house light for the "town crier" The one who always keeps other aware of whats
going on, A lei necklace for the one who always welcomes with open
arms.

Recipes
Graduation Snack
Whip together 8 ounces of softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup of seedless strawberry or
raspberry jam. Lightly spread the mixture on flour tortilla or Lavash bread, then roll up each
sandwich diploma style and tie on a ribbon made of Fruit by the Foot. Makes 4 to 6 sandwiches.

CANDY BAR AWARDS!
Make up awards to match candy bars, such as:

ALMOND JOY AWARD: for the person who is always happy

BABY RUTH AWARD: for baseball-minded student

BIT-O-HONEY AWARD: for someone very sweet

BUTTERFINGER AWARD: for the person who broke the most things accidentally

DOVE AWARD: for the class peacemaker

GUMMY BEARS AWARD: for a very lovable child, who is always laughing

JOLLY RANCHER AWARD: for the person always telling jokes

KIT KAT AWARD: for the student always at the teacher's side

LAFFY TAFFY AWARD: for someone with a sweet disposition

LIFESAVERS AWARD: for the person, who is always helping someone in need

MILKY WAY AWARD: for the class daydreamer

MR. GOODBAR AWARD: for the student who exhibits the good qualities of friendship

NESTLE CRUNCH AWARD: an alternative to pencil chewing

NUTRAGEOUS AWARD: for an outstanding personality

NUTRAGEOUS AWARD: for the wild and crazy person in class

SKOR AWARD: for athletes in the class

SNICKERS AWARD: for having an outstanding sense of humour

SWEET TARTS AWARD: for a sweet girl / boy

SYMPHONY AWARD: for anyone musical

TEDDY GRAHAMS AWARD: for the most huggable

THREE MUSKETEERS AWARD: for the one always with the group

WHOOPERS AWARD: for the best storytelling

ZERO MATH AWARD: for outstanding performance in Math

Science
"I Love School" Plants
MATERIALS:   Terry cloth towel, quick-growing seeds (grass or alfalfa seeds work nice.)
DIRECTIONS: Cut the terry cloth into a heart shape. Have your child put seeds over the top of
cut out shape and then water.
SUGGESTION: For younger children, you may choose to put the seeds into a shaker and have
them shake seeds onto the heart. Put shapes on aluminum foil to hold water.