Kindergarten Graduation
Kindergarten Graduation
Kindergarten Graduation, two words that either makes your heart burst with joy or fills you with dread. I have fluctuated between to the two feelings over the years. Mainly it is one of those things I am nervous about and dread until it’s over and then I am so happy I did it.
I used to be the new, young teacher. Back in those days I did as I was told and what our school had always done for graduation. They don’t really like change! lol. However, nowadays, I am the older, wiser lead teacher and I get to do what I want (within reason, of course!)
For our kindergarten graduation, I follow a bit of the old and mix it with the new. To start, we walk out one at a time now, in backward ABC order and sit accordingly, starting with the back rows. Each class fills one side of the gym floor of seats. As we come out, the March of Aida is played, just like real graduation! Our principal and assistant principal greet the audience with a quick speech and then we, well, here’s an outline:
Graduation Outline
1. Teacher 1 and Teacher 2 lead their students out to March of Aida
2. Kids stand in front of assigned spot
3. Counselor prays and then has kids sit
4. Counselor welcomes everyone
5. Teacher 1 and Teacher 2 go to front of each class
6. Music for 10 Best Friends comes on and we sing
8. Music comes on for Shake it Off parody and we sing
10. Music comes on for Thank You Parents and we sing
11. Teachers seat kids
12. Principal comes up and says something and then begins announcing kids and Principal hands out diplomas
14. Principal says something to close
ceremony but for parents to STAY SEATED
until the last kid walks out then turns and tells
graduates to “put on their hats and get ready
to dance!”
15. Music comes on for Can’t Stop the Feeling Parody and we sing
16. Kids dance out of gym to the lunchroom
You can get a Free Copy of our Graduation Outline AND our list of songs with links and lyrics: HERE ON GOOGLE DRIVE. It’s shown here:
What we use:
We use these graduation hats from Oriental Trading:
And also these medals for awards :
I love these, too, because they are inexpensive and the kids can color them:
Wee also make goody bags for the kids to get in the lunchroom after graduation. Inside are goodies (bubbles, graduation keepsakes, etc) On thee front of the bag, I attach the graduation directed drawing they each did and I laminated.
You can find my graduation directed drawing and details about it HERE on the blog!
