The EOY Graffiti Gallery Walk
This is part three of a series: End of Year Honorable Closure Ideas
The end of the year offers a chance for us to celebrate as a classroom learning community in many different ways. This series highlights some of my favorite ways to honor the end of the year with students.
Another end of year ritual that is sure to provide joy and celebration is to incorporate reflection from the year. My favorite way to do this is to take students through a graffiti gallery walk!
Last year in my second grade classroom, I chose to write the big content subjects on blank chart paper. We had one for reading, writing, phonics, math, science, social studies, social emotional learning/morning meeting, specials, etc. I left these practically blank anchor charts up for a few days to get kids curious about why they were on the walls. If you are departmentalized, you could choose to write concepts from your content on each poster: one for multiplication, one for division, one for word problems, etc.
Pro Tip: this is a great activity to do once you’ve taken down all of your anchor charts for the year. Think post testing, when you are packing up your classroom for the summer. This activity allows your classroom a little vibrancy instead of the end of year prison wall look.
Once I had drummed up enough curiosity in my students, I introduced the gallery walk. The purpose, I say, is to remember all that we’ve learned throughout this year. We talk a little about each subject on each chart paper, brainstorming with a partner and the class what their favorite part about each would be.
Then we went on a graffiti gallery walk. At this point in the year, a gallery walk is no big deal for my students so I don’t need to introduce the concept. However, if you are looking to try this for the first time (this activity would work great as a first time practice by the way!) here are some simple directions:
Place the anchor charts on the walls.
The teacher can facilitate group rotations or students can choose to walk around at their own pace, with the teacher as time keeper. Give students 2-5 minutes at each poster.
Students write, draw, and record their thoughts on the topic on the ‘graffiti wall’ . You can encourage students to use colored markers or crayons so the charts turn into beautiful artwork. Student can choose to collaborate together with their group or reflect solo. The point isn’t the final product, it’s about remembering deeply and reflecting in a meaningful way. Allow students to talk to each other during this process!
At the end of the time, encourage students to go back around to each poster to read all of their classmates' thoughts. Celebrate all that they could remember!
I usually leave these up for the end of the year party so students can show parents their favorite parts of the school year. This leads to great conversations and also helps students complete their end of year memory book.
