Are you prepping for year 6 graduation with your class? The big day tends to be filled with a jumble of emotions. There’s the excitement that they’ve reached such a milestone, pride that they’re soon to be one of the ‘big’ kids, and, of course, nervousness that the next stage of school would be scary and different to what they are used to!
As a teacher, it’s no different. It is so touching to sit back and watch ‘your kids’ graduate. No, we’re not crying … we just have something in our eyes! Honestly! Whether you’re a parent, teacher or student, there’s no denying year 6 graduation is an emotionally charged event.
How do you ensure the ceremony goes off without a hitch and is a milestone they always remember? The Teach Starter teacher team has you covered with our favourite year 6 graduation ideas for teachers. Read on for graduation songs, gift ideas for your class and more.
Year 6 Graduation Songs
Before we dig into the activities and other graduation ideas, you might want to put some of these songs on your playlist:
- Once I Was in Year 1 — This is a fun cover of Lukas Graham’s 7 Years that can be adapted for your individual school.
- Don’t Give Up by Andy Grammer
- Count on Me by Bruno Mars
- Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts (students may recall the tune from the Cars soundtrack)
- ‘Celebration’ by Kool and the Gang
- We Are the Champions by Queen
- Best Day of My Life by American Authors
- Fly by Avril Lavigne
- Have It All by Jason Mraz
- The Climb by Miley Cyrus
- Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift
- Graduation (Friends Forever) by Vitamin C
- How Far I’ll Go from Moana (The Movie)
- Photograph by Nickelback
- It’s Time by Imagine Dragons
- Firework by Katy Perry
- The Nights by Avicii
Whichever songs you choose, do a quick listen before graduation day to ensure there are no lyrics that young ears shouldn’t hear!
Year 6 Graduation Ideas
How best do you prepare for this special day, a day that represents the culmination of efforts of students, parents, and teachers over so many years? Here’s how to make sure your final days of school are filled with activities to help your students reflect on the journey they have just completed.
We’ve included resources that promote a meaningful transition for your graduating students connect them to their past, help them appreciate all of the growth they have achieved, and build them up to continue their learning journey.
Write Graduation Letters
Ask students to write their parents a letter to present to them on graduation day. They can thank them for all they’ve done to help them get to where they are now, and tell them their hopes and dreams as they move forward into secondary school.
This Graduation Letter Template gives them a starting point.
You can also ask parents if they’d like to take part by writing a return letter — some would relish the opportunity to write a letter to tell their son or daughter how proud they are of them. Families can swap the letters after the graduation ceremony.
Share One Last Story
Your students may be getting apprehensive about the year following their primary school graduation ceremony. Help lay their fears to rest and treat them to one last shared story by reading Dr. Seuss’s Oh the Places You’ll Go.
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
Complete Reflective Activities
While they’re relaxing, your students might like to take the time to reflect on the year they’ve just had. Use our end-of-year scrapbook to prompt students to think about all that they’ve experienced in the past year, and what they will remember for years to come. This memory book allows students to reflect on their academic year and create goals for next year.
Plan a Slideshow
It’s a nice touch to have a slideshow playing for the graduating class’s parents, friends, and peers to watch while they arrive and get themselves settled at the ceremony.
You’ve got a lot to do, so save some important time with a pre-made graduation Google Slides template.
You can create a slide for each student featuring a photo from their first year and their last year of primary school. Have a parent committee helping with graduation? Even better! Ask them to take over the slideshow.
Students can also help — allow them to personalise the slide with a quote, or ask your fellow teachers to volunteer a personal anecdote about each student.
Invite Speakers
Invite school leaders to present a speech on their school journey so far. Our public speaking resources can give them a few hints.
Alternatively, let Kid President do the talking!
Present Each Child With a Graduation Certificate
Print out graduation certificates to present to each child to show they’ve officially ‘graduated’ from primary school.
Take a Class Photo
You may think the end of the ceremony is the end of the road for your involvement in your students’ lives. Think again.
You’ll have the yearly class photos, but why not take a snapshot of you and each student in their graduation hats on graduation day? Keep these mementos in a special album for you to look back on with a nostalgic smile. Ask each student to write YOU a special note to remind you of their unique personalities and of all the good times you had together!
Hand Out Goodbye Gifts
One final gesture? Why not hand out a small gift to your year 6 graduates to celebrate all that they have accomplished?
Some simple ideas for gifts that are meaningful but won’t be too expensive include:
- Small seed packet and a note encouraging your students to keep growing
- A printed Today Is a Day for Growth poster
- A lovely painted rock with their name and date of graduation
Check out our favourite end-of-school-year activities, created by teachers for teachers!
Banner image via shutterstock/tong_stocker
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