Did you know that 1000s Day is a thing? 5th graders can celebrate their 1000th day of school on the 100th day of school, which typically lands near the beginning of February.
On average, students spend 180 days in school each year. Between kindergarten and 4th grade, that totals 900 days. Add 100 days of 5th grade, and well, you get 1000 days of school! My 5th graders this year asked if we are going to celebrate 100s Day. I immediately said, "no, you guys are probably too old for that." But after several of them protested, I decided to look into a few ideas and discovered 1000s Day! So why not celebrate this unique milestone!
There are numerous ways you can celebrate the 1000th day of school without needing to break the bank or entirely waste precious academic time. And, you can take any 100s Day activity and make a few small changes to be the 1000th Day of School for 5th Graders! Here are a few ideas to fit in with your academic day to celebrate 1000 days of school with your students.
Math
Practice any math skill with numbers in the 1000s.
Try place value review or add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals in the 1000s.
Do a few word problems of any skill. You can even make the answers into a riddle/puzzle that celebrates the 1000th day.
Have students decide what they would buy with $1000 dollars. There is a page included in the printables linked HERE and at the end of this post.
Reading
Give students a text/passage with 1000 words. Have them read with a partner or practice a fluency reading together.
Have students write a letter to their future self, 1000 days from now, they will be juniors!
Science
Try a STEAM activity and practice some collaboration. Give your students a pile of construction paper, or even old scrap paper, and have them make a paper chain with 1000 links.
Provide them with the STEAM activity included in the 1000th Day of School for 5th Graders printables. The students will create their own piece of art with 1000 objects.
Social Studies
Study historical events from the year 1000 by looking back at old pictures/paintings and discussing the events.
What happened on this day/year 1000 years ago? Have students research and write about it!
Other 1000th Day of School Ideas
Make t-shirts for your 5th grade staff, or have students bring in a blank white shirt to decorate for 1000s Day!
Encourage students to spend 1000 days reading, or 1000 days outside, before they graduate high school.
Group students and have them try to make a list of 1000 things they have learned over the past 6 years.
Have students put on their thinking caps and go back and review what happened in each grade level. Create a flipbook of each year of school, included in the 1000th Day of School for 5th Graders printables. (Updated on TPT in January 2023)
Check out 1000th Day of School for 5th Graders for more easy-to-print resources. Any of these resources can be easily printed and used to celebrate the 1000th day of school with your 5th grade students. There are pages of fun printable cards to put on student desks or attach to a small 1000th day gift, as well as several writing and interactive activities included.
