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Year-End Farewells

Lesson Plan

Farewell Fiesta

Students will reflect on their favorite end-of-year memories, share appreciations with peers, and create a simple keepsake celebrating their growth—processing emotions and building resilience for next year.

This lesson supports emotional closure by helping 2nd graders acknowledge feelings about year’s end, celebrate accomplishments, and strengthen peer connections—fostering resilience and a positive mindset for future transitions.

Audience

2nd Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guide reflection, sharing, and art-making in a supportive circle.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome & Introduction

3 minutes

  • Gather students in a circle and introduce today’s Farewell Fiesta
  • Explain the goals: reflect on memories, celebrate achievements, and create a keepsake
  • Pass the talking stick to establish sharing ground rules

Step 2

Memory Reflection

8 minutes

  • Distribute Memory Map Worksheet
  • Model filling in one favorite memory on chart paper
  • Students draw or write 2–3 end-of-year memories
  • Encourage brief sharing with a partner

Step 3

Celebrate Accomplishments

6 minutes

  • Place chart paper titled “Our Achievements” at center of the circle
  • Give each student a sticky note
  • Students write one thing they’re proud of this year and add it to the chart
  • Read aloud a few achievements to celebrate together

Step 4

Keepsake Creation

10 minutes

Step 5

Closing Circle

3 minutes

  • Return to circle and pass the talking stick
  • Invite each student to share one thing they look forward to next year
  • Thank everyone for participating and close with a group high-five
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Lesson Plan

Year-End Farewells Lesson Plan

Students will reflect on end-of-year memories, share feelings about change, and create a keepsake to build resilience and coping strategies.

At year’s end, 2nd graders often feel mixed emotions about leaving friends and routines. This lesson helps them acknowledge feelings, celebrate achievements, and practice coping skills for smoother transitions.

Audience

2nd Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided reflection, art-making, and journaling in circle.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Print enough copies of Memory Map Worksheet and Farewell Fiesta Keepsake Template for each student
  • Gather chart paper, colored markers, sticky notes, and colored pencils
  • Collect talking stick or sharing ball and arrange seating in a circle
  • Place journals and pencils at each student’s seat

Step 1

Warm-Up

5 minutes

  • Invite students to sit in a circle and introduce the session’s purpose
  • Pass the talking stick and ask each student to name one feeling about the end of the year
  • Emphasize listening without interruption and respecting each other’s feelings

Step 2

Discussion

7 minutes

  • Distribute Memory Map Worksheet
  • Model drawing or writing a favorite memory on chart paper
  • Students draw or write 2–3 end-of-year memories on their worksheets
  • Pair students to share one memory with a partner

Step 3

Activity

10 minutes

  • Hand out Farewell Fiesta Keepsake Template
  • Students decorate the template and add a positive message or goal for next year
  • Circulate to offer encouragement, help with writing, and celebrate ideas

Step 4

Journal Reflection

5 minutes

  • Prompt: “How do you feel about summer and moving to next year? What can help you when you feel sad about change?”
  • Students write or draw their responses in their journals
  • Encourage honesty and illustrate feelings with words or pictures

Step 5

Cool-Down

3 minutes

  • Reconvene in circle and pass the talking stick
  • Invite volunteers to share one coping strategy they wrote down
  • Lead the group in three deep breaths, then close with a positive group cheer
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Slide Deck

Year-End Farewells

Welcome, 2nd graders! Today we will:
• Reflect on our favorite memories this year
• Share how we feel about moving on
• Create a keepsake and practice coping skills

Welcome students and introduce the purpose of today’s session. Explain that we will look back on our year, share feelings, and create something special to remember our growth.

Warm-Up: Share a Feeling

• Sit in our circle with the talking stick or sharing ball
• When you hold it, name one feeling about the end of the school year
• Listen quietly while others share

Guide students to settle into a circle. Introduce the talking stick and model how to share briefly. Encourage respectful listening.

Memory Reflection

• Take a Memory Map Worksheet (#farewell-fiesta-memory-map)
• Draw or write 2–3 favorite memories from this year
• Turn to a partner and share one of your memories

Distribute the Memory Map Worksheet. Model filling in one or two examples on chart paper first. Circulate to support drawing and writing.

Activity: Create Your Keepsake

• Decorate your keepsake template (#farewell-fiesta-keepsake-template)
• Add a positive message or goal for next year
• Use colored markers and pencils to make it bright

Hand out the Farewell Fiesta Keepsake Template. Encourage creativity and positive messages. Help with spelling or ideas as needed.

Journal Reflection

In your journal, respond to:
• How do you feel about summer and moving to next year?
• What can help you when you feel sad about change?

Prompt students to write or draw in their journals. Offer sentence starters and reassure them there are no right or wrong answers.

Cool-Down & Closing

• Share one coping strategy you wrote down
• Take three deep breaths together (in for 3, out for 3)
• End with a big group cheer!

Return the talking stick to the circle. Ask for volunteers to share one coping strategy. Lead everyone through three slow deep breaths and end with a cheer.

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Worksheet

Farewell Fiesta Memory Map

Name: ____________________________ Date: _______________

Instructions

Think back on your year in 2nd grade. For each of the three memories below, first draw a picture of your memory and then write a few sentences describing why it’s special to you.

Memory 1

Draw your memory here:









Write about your memory:






Memory 2

Draw your memory here:









Write about your memory:






Memory 3

Draw your memory here:









Write about your memory:






When you’re finished, be ready to share one of your memories with a partner!

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Activity

Farewell Fiesta Keepsake Template

Name: ______________________ Date: ________________

Decorate the border with your favorite colors and drawings to make this keepsake your own!

Draw Your Favorite Memory

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Write a Message or Goal for Next Year

Write your positive message or goal below:





I will remember: _________________________________



I’m excited about: _________________________________



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Script

Year-End Farewells Script

Opening (Slide: "Year-End Farewells")

(Teacher displays the first slide and greets the students.)

Teacher: “Hello, everyone! Welcome to our special Year-End Farewells session. I’m so proud of how much you’ve learned and grown this year in 2nd grade. Today, we will do three things together:

  1. Reflect on our favorite memories from this year
  2. Share how we feel about moving on
  3. Create a keepsake and practice ways to feel calm when things change

Are you ready to celebrate all you’ve done? Let’s begin!”

(Teacher clicks to next slide.)

Warm-Up: Share a Feeling (Slide: "Warm-Up: Share a Feeling")

(Students gather in a circle. Teacher holds the talking stick.)

Teacher: “We’re going to sit in our circle and use our talking stick (or sharing ball). Remember, only the person holding the stick can talk—everyone else listens quietly. Let’s practice. I’ll start.

I feel excited!

Now I’ll pass the talking stick to Mia. Mia, when you have it, please name one feeling you have about the end of the school year.”

(Teacher passes the stick.)

Follow-up prompts:

  • “Can you tell us a little more about why you feel that way?”
  • “How does that feeling feel in your body—light, heavy, buzzing?”

(Continue until most students have shared or time is up.)

Teacher: “Thank you all for sharing and listening so nicely. Let’s move to our first activity!”

Memory Reflection (Slide: "Memory Reflection")

(Teacher hands out Memory Map Worksheet.)

Teacher: “Here is your Memory Map worksheet. First, watch me fill in one memory on our class chart paper. I’ll draw our field-trip to the farm and write a sentence about why I loved it. Now it’s your turn!

  1. Draw or write two to three of your favorite memories from this year.
  2. After you finish, turn to a partner and share one of your memories.

I will walk around to help you.”

Follow-up prompts:

  • “Tell me more about why that moment was special.”
  • “What did you feel when that happened?”

(Allow about 7 minutes.)

Activity: Create Your Keepsake (Slide: "Activity: Create Your Keepsake")

(Teacher distributes Farewell Fiesta Keepsake Template).

Teacher: “Now we’ll make a keepsake! Decorate your template however you like—use colors, drawings, stickers. In the big box, draw your very favorite memory. Below, write a positive message or a goal for next year: maybe ‘I will read a new chapter book’ or ‘I’m excited to learn multiplication.’

Take your time and make it bright and happy!”

Follow-up prompts:

  • “What colors will you choose to show how you feel?”
  • “Can you whisper your goal to me?”

(Allow about 10 minutes, offering support.)

Journal Reflection (Slide: "Journal Reflection")

(Teacher asks students to open their journals.)

Teacher: “In your journal, answer these two questions:

  1. How do you feel about summer and moving to next year?
  2. What can help you if you feel sad about a change?

You can write words or draw pictures—there are no wrong answers.”

(Give 5 minutes. Offer sentence starters: ‘I feel…’, ‘When I feel sad, I can…’.)

Cool-Down & Closing (Slide: "Cool-Down & Closing")

(Students return to the circle. Teacher holds talking stick for sharing.)

Teacher: “Let’s share one coping strategy from our journals. I’ll go first: ‘When I feel sad, I can take three deep breaths and think of a happy memory.’ Who would like to share next?”

(Allow a few volunteers.)

Teacher: “Great ideas, everyone! Now, let’s all take three deep breaths together. Breathe in for 3…2…1… and out for 3…2…1… Again: in 3…2…1… out 3…2…1…

Thank you for joining our Year-End Farewells. I’m proud of each of you. Let’s end with a big group cheer on the count of three—1, 2, 3… Hooray!”

(Session concludes.)

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