To an eleven year old, graduating from the sixth grade is just as monumental as graduating from the eighth grade or even the twelfth grade. For most students, leaving the sixth grade means leaving the school building, teachers and friends that have formed their educational experience for the last seven years (including kindergarten.) This departure is both thrilling and heartbreaking and in any case, certainly worth celebrating. It is very fitting to plan a sixth grade graduation party to celebrate the achievements of students who have reached the half point of their pre-college educations. The key is to plan a sixth grade graduation party that is understated, so as not to set the bar too high for future graduation parties such as those that will mark their graduation from eighth grade and eventually twelfth grade.
Instructions
1. Establish a sixth grade graduation party committee. Ideally, this committee will include a handful of students, a handful of dedicated parents and most importantly, a teacher who is directly involved with the students. You'll need the guidance of the teacher to ensure that your committee and its party plans are in keeping with the school's rules about such celebrations.
2. Hold a preliminary meeting to discuss the direction the committee envisions taking the sixth grade graduation party. The committee members will all have their own ideas about the party and it is important for everyone to share these ideas as the party plan takes shape. You'll also need to establish a schedule for future meetings.
3. Look for ways to celebrate the students' academic achievements without planning a party so elaborate that it takes the fun out of future graduation parties the students will enjoy such as the party they might have when graduating eighth or twelfth grades. Cookies and punch are perfect for a sixth grade graduation party whereas a full dinner would be too much. The dress code should be a young person's version of "business casual" as opposed to formal. The time frame of the party should be shorter rather than longer. Finally, the location should be a simple location such as the school cafeteria or gymnasium.
4. Put together a class video or photo album that showcases the many ways the students have changed over the years, how they have grown, and the fun they have all shared together. Provide each student a copy--this is worth holding a fundraiser for if necessary. Keep the contents under wraps until the party. The unveiling of the video or album can be the main event of the sixth grade graduation party.
5. Give the students a means to share their well wishes, favorite memories and silly inside jokes. A simple autograph book for each student works just fine for this purpose. These can be assembled with plain paper, folded in half and stapled in the center and given to the students on the day of the party. Students can take turns writing in books and having people write in theirs to create a memento of the special day.
6. Provide a detailed description of your final plan for the sixth grade graduation party to the school principal whose approval you will need to hold the event.
Tags: sixth grade, sixth grade graduation, grade graduation, grade graduation party, graduation party, plan sixth