What to do with Seniors after the AP exam?
[NOTE: 2024 version of what I am doing with my seniors is HERE]
The internet is chock full of ideas for how to spend the final weeks of school after the AP Calculus exam ends. Some ideas include:
Financial literacy lessons
Continued learning of Calculus topics, such as multi-variable calculus
Student self-directed unit of study (they choose something they want to learn about and then present what they did to the class at the end)
VOLUME OF FRUIT LAB (I did this several times with my Calculus AB classes and loved it!)
REVOLUTIONARY LANTERN VOLUME project (I did this several times as well with my Calculus AB classes and have their projects hanging from my ceiling. I love this project but it requires at least a solid week of time)
Polar functions on Desmos: Write your name using only polar functions (I’ve done this several years and it is challenging!)
Polar functions on Desmos: Create a unique and awesome design using a variety of polar functions - and most recently, print these out and turn them into magnets! (I did this for the first time this year and they turned out really well)
This years’ seniors with their magnets:
HERE is a blog post where I described the polar magnet project and HERE is a blog post where I discussed how that project went.
But you know what’s even better than all of those?! Having fun with your seniors before they leave! Here are some ideas that I’ve done before and some I want to try out in the future:
Bring in an ice cream bar with multiple flavors and toppings
Go outside and play kickball!
Set up various board games and have tournaments - OR depending on the size of your class, play a whole-group interactive game, like Mafia (we did this one year and they got really into it - it was SO fun)
Bring in a waffle station with topics and some bacon, sausage, or ham
If you have a photo-loving group, go outside and take photos! (One year, this kept us busy the entire period and we got some fun photos)
Pizza and tie-dye day (students bring in a shirt they want to tie-dye) (I haven’t tried this one yet, but another AP teacher in my school just did it and it sounds fun!)
No matter how you choose to spend those final days with your seniors after all of their hard work throughout the year, soak it all in because these seniors are outta here soon!