At the end of the school year, it is such a nice idea to send your summer-birthday-students home with a giant envelope FILLED with handmade birthday cards from all their school friends, and of course, one from you, their cherished and soon-to-be-missed, all-time-most-favourite-school-teacher-ever.
On the front of the envelope you can attach a label that says "Warning Do Not Open Until Your Birthday". Just to be dramatic. And kids adore that kind of thing.
Just imagine, when they are at home for the summer, bored and lonely on their birthday. How exciting for them, when they dig out this wonderful package and read each thoughtfully made card.
THIS is the business of memory making.
I know what you are thinking 'who has time to make a zillion birthday cards at the end of the year?'
Well, that is where the art lessons come in. Hopefully you can store this idea away for next year, and get prepared early. The aim is to get your students to make the cards through the year, and stash them away safely ready for when you need to fill the envelopes.
Have a few card making sessions. At each session, get the kids to make at least 2 cards. It is a nice idea to have a stack of these at the ready, and give one to students celebrating their birthday through the school term as well.
Show them a few basic designs - cakes, balloons, flowers - and how to cut these shapes from coloured paper. You will be amazed at how creative your students can be.
You can print out the labels, from a document I have made and loaded to Google Drive. Simply click on the image below:
