A Strong Ending to the Semester
We hope this booklet gives teachers many choices for finishing the semester in a manner that enables students to integrate and summarize course material at more complex levels and to increase retention of learning for application in later course work or living. We have informally clustered activities as follows:
- Individual Student Activities
- Small Group Activities
- Whole Classroom Activities
- Course Review Ideas
- Final Exam Ideas
Individual Activities
Create A Model
Ask students to create a model about the course material. A flow chart is one example of a model, which could easily follow the course content and summarize the key concepts of the semester. After constructing a model, have students write a paragraph or two describing the model and how it ties into course content.
Ebrahim, Saleh A. <sae6@email.psu.edu> "Summary-How I end my Course." 16 Dec. 1995. (22 Oct. 2001).
Reference Letters for Peers
Closure to a semester is very important, and one way to end the semester is by asking students to write a reference letter for a classmate they have worked with during the course. Depending on the size of the class, have students pick one or two classmates to write positive comments about during the last meeting. Students can use these letters in a variety of ways from actual job reference material to "pick-me-ups."
Jacobs, George M. <gmjacobs@technet.sg> "Summary-How I end my Course." 5 Dec. 1995. (22 Oct. 2001).
A Simple Hand Shake
"I have found a simple but effective way of giving students a satisfying sense of closure at the end of a course. I shake their hand and say 'thank you' when they turn in their final exam. It's honest, it's polite, and it makes a difference."
Shannon, Kevin. "How to End Courses With a Bang!" The Teaching Professor. vol 9 No. 5, 1-2.
Finish this Sentence . . .
Dave Ellis, author of "Becoming A Master Student," suggests a fill in the blank idea for ending the semester. Using 3-part carbon copy paper, ask students to finish this sentence ten times: "I am becoming a student who . . ." Give students the bottom copy, keep the top copy, and send the middle copy, in a self-addressed, stamped envelope, which the students bring in, to them at the beginning of the next semester. It serves as a reminder to them that they have grown and developed as students.
Mancina, Dean. <DMancina@aol.com> "Summary-How I end my class." 9 Dec. 1995. <POD@listserv.nd.edu> (22 Oct. 2001).
Portfolio Projects
Ask students to collect their papers, projects and other products they have produced over the semester and bind them in a portfolio with a table of contents. Require a final summary paper where they review their work and what it has taught them. The students should also assign and justify a grade for their work.
Sally Kuhlenschmit, WKU Psychology Department
Letters to Future Students
Ask students to write a letter to the future students of the course. Have them summarize the course material, discuss study techniques and learning strategies, explain problem areas they encountered with the material, and give a general introduction to the class. Ask them to seal it in an envelope and save it to give out randomly next time the course is offered.
Haussermann, Carol. <chaussermann@acad2.dana.edu> "How do you end your class?" 11 Dec. 1995. <POD@listserv.nd.edu> (22 Oct. 2001).
Small Group Activities
What is. . .
Write on the board "What is name of your discipline or course?" Ask students to break up into two or threes and work on writing a brief paragraph answering the question. Save time at the end of the class to review each groups answer.
"Better Endings: What to Do on the Last Day of Class." Teaching at UNL. Vol. 19 No. 3 1997 3.
Magazine Collage
"I use a strategy I call 'From Kaleidoscopes to Collages.' I ask learners to bring several magazines . . . glue or tape, and scissors on the last day of class. When I introduce the strategy, I encourage learners to think about the course content as pieces within a kaleidoscope. The Kaleidoscope represents the views and beliefs of the learners, and depending on the position of the pieces, aspects of the content can be thought of as transforming and emerging. Before they start, learners are encouraged to do a quick review [and] create a collage using only pictures to summarize the content of the class." Leave time to discuss each collage.
Bassendowski, Sandra. "How to End Courses With a Bang!" The Teaching Professor. vol 9 no. 5, 1-2.
Balloon Discussion
Arrange the chairs in your classroom into groups and tie them together with inflated balloons. Attach a card on each group of balloons with a class topic written in large print and easily seen. When students walk in for class, have them pick a topic they wish to discuss more thoroughly. These topics can be questions from the final exam, review material, or issues the class briefly touched on but ran out of class time to completely discuss.
Mott, Vivian W. <cdmott@ecuvm.cis/ecu.edu> "How do you end your courses?" 18 Jan. 1996. <POD@listserv.nd.edu> (22 Oct. 2001).
Fill-in-the-blank . . .
The purpose of this activity is "to help students synthesize their learning" (2). Ask students to get into groups and finish these sentences: I'm left feeling. . . Something I learned about myself . . . Something I learned about others. . . Something I learned about groups . . . After they complete the sentences using different colored pens or markers, post them up around the room and allow everyone to read them. They should compare and contrast the ideas and not leave the class until they feel comfortable with the feedback they received from the posters.
Wagenheim, Gary. "How to End Courses With a Bang!" The Teaching Professor. vol 9 no. 5, 1-2.
Crossword Puzzles
Arrange students in groups and ask them to create a crossword puzzle using important terms or ideas from the course. Pass the puzzles to different groups and check them at the end of class.
Jolley, Jerry C. "How to End Courses With a Bang!" The Teaching Professor. vol 9 no. 5, 1-2.
Conferences
If you have a small group, sit down with individual students and have a meeting with each one to discuss his or her semester accomplishments, where they could improve, and their future plans.
Anyonomus WKU Faculty
Whole Class Activities
Reflect on Teaching
Open the class review or a reflection activity by discussing what you have learned about the class topics and your teaching style within the past semester. Afterwards, invite students to identify the major concepts they have learned during the semester.
"Better Endings: What to Do on the Last Day of Class." Teaching at UNL. vol. 19 no. 3, 3.
Cores and Pits
Bring in two apples and a knife for a demonstration. Cut one apple, length wise so the students can see the apple core and pits. Tell them that many people believe they are full of these cores and pits and that self-concept holds them back from achieving their goals. Then cut the second apple crosswise so it looks like a star in the middle and tell them that "a star exists" in all of us and we must have the "courage and take the risk to seek it" (Schmier). Depending on the class size, bring apples for snacks and have a closure party.
Schmier, Louis. <lschmier@grits.valsosta.peachnet.edu> "How do you end your classes?" 11 Dec. 1995 <POD@listserv.nd.edu> (22 Oct. 2001).
Web of Yarn
Gather the student's chairs in a circle and ask them to share something they think is important about the course. Give the first person that volunteers a ball of yarn to wrap around their chair and pass/throw to the next speaker. By the end of the discussion there is a visual representation of learning, sharing ideas, and networking, which are good topics to summarize and give closure to the course.
Slade, Patricia. <pslad@acs.ryerson.ca> "How do you end your classes?" 6 Jan 1996 <POD@listserv.nd.edu> (22 Oct. 2001).
Course Review Ideas
Charades
Ask students, a week before the review, to compile a list of challenging ideas, phrases, or words that cover the course's main ideas. On the day of the review, split them into two teams and have them write their ideas on strips of paper and give each team two minutes to act out the other team's list. Whoever has the lowest combined time wins.
Wangberg, James K. "How to End Courses With a Bang!" The Teaching Professor. vol. 9 no. 5, 1-2.
Donut Review
Bring a variety of donuts to class and use them as prizes for answering questions. The object is to receive two donuts, and answer first since there is a variety of donuts, but once a student answers they must wait until the second half of the review to answer again. In order to answer they must raise a hand and come to the front to get their prize. It may help to use visual aids when asking a question such as slides, pictures, or objects which represent course ideas.
Jacobs. <jacobs@camadm.camosun.bc.ca> "Summary--How I End my class?" 10 Dec. 1995. <POD@listserv.ned.edu> (24 Oct. 2001).
Personal Scavenger Hunt
Have students bring in objects that represent what they have learned, and how they have changed during the semester. These can range from well thought out items or give them 10 min. to roam around the building in search of interesting objects.
Schmier, Louis. <jacobs@camadm.camosun.bc.ca> "How I end my class?" 11 Dec. 1995. <POD@listserv.ned.edu> (24 Oct. 2001).
Syllabus Review
Use the class syllabus as a review tool for the final exam.
"Better Endings: What to Do on the Last Day of Class." Teaching at UNL. vol. 19 no. 3, 3.
Hat Review
Have students bring a hat to class that represents one key course concept. While wearing their hat, students relate the key idea or ideas to their hat. Bring in a supply of extra, funny hats for those who forget.
Anonymous WKU Facutly
Final Exam Ideas
Bonus Questions
"At the end of a final exam, give a bonus question such as: "Name one thing about the subject matter that you actually can say you understand. Explain it to me."
Scalisi, Joseph M. <scalisjm@maple.lemoyne.edu> "Summary--How I end my class." 11 Dec. 1995. <POD@listserv.ned.edu> (30 Oct. 2001).
Cover Letter
After completing the final exam, ask students to write a cover letter reflecting on their growth in the course. Specifically addressing class concepts and issues as well as class activities and assignments.
McComas, Karen. <mccomas@marshall.edu> "Summary-How I end my course." 3 Jan. 1996.
<POD@listserv.ned.edu> (30 Oct. 2001).