Using a Heart Map

Using the book Awakening the Heart by Georgia Heard, students have been working generating ideas and writing poetry. One of the strategies for collecting ideas is using a "heart map".

Students could interchange ideas within the heart. These were just ideas to get them started.

Students could also bring objects from home that we special to them. Below are some examples of what the heart maps looked like after generating some ideas. 

Then, students started writing!  I can't wait to see what they share!

Statue of Liberty

In Social Studies, we have been reading many excellent pieces of literature on the Statue of Liberty. Students have been transitioning to the 1900's and the Third major wave of Immigration. Specifically, the Immigration wave through Ellis and Angel Island.

Pairing some work we have been doing with poetry, notably with the power of "line breaks". Students wrote a short statement on what kind of a symbol the Statue of Liberty is for so many people. 

Combining some artwork with text, see a few pieces below.

Metaphors in poetry

Students study the usage and meaning of metaphors and word relationships as they write poems.  They also analyzed how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text or poem.

Here are some student examples.

Valentine's Day party

Students played a game where they raced to collect as many "heart pieces". When they collected the pieces,

they tried to see how many hearts they could make. 

Different colored hearts were worth different points!

The treats were amazing! We had a chocolate fountain! 

What an awesome way to end our last party for elementary school! We have such great parents that generously treat us!

Proof that it was a success!

Examining people and events in a historical context

Students used the following picture books to buddy read this week. Each day, they focused on one book and collected information in a recording sheet.

Here is an example of the recording sheet focused on Biographies.  (Courtesy Mrs. Burks).

Partnerships were then paired into groups of four. They were asked to write down questions and make connections among the three historical figures: Abraham Lincoln, Sarah Edmonds and John Brown.

A favorite way to share our thinking is with a four corner debate. Students are presented with a question or idea and then they go to a corner: Agree/Strongly Agree/Disagree/Strongly Disagree

One idea: John Brown is like John Wilkes Booth.

Students have more questions and ideas to consider after these shared conversations!

Our Kinder Buddies Celebrate 100 days of school!

Counting by tens to 100!

Global School Play Day 2016!

Today, students celebrated Global School Play Day 2016!
If you would like more information about this world-wide event, check out the site: Global School Play Day website 

Here we are in action! Card tricks, crime scenes and roller coasters to name a few! What an active morning!