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!

Shared Book group

Ending the week with a shared book club experience with some future fifth graders!  We met with Mrs. Burks fourth grade class to share books that celebrate people and diversity.  Here are some of the books that we used:

Books that Mrs. Burks' students used:

                                

 

We finished the conversation with an online discussion. Students shared how they can make a difference in their school and their community. A great way to end the week!

Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

During our reading time this week we will be reading book sets of literature on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

While we will come back to the Civil Rights Era in the third trimester, we want to take the time to celebrate Dr. King's life during this week of memorial. 

Students will utilize this recording sheet to help them 

capture their thinking and jot down notes that will support them during their conversations.

At the end of the week, students will be meeting with students from Mrs. Burks' fourth grade class to have a book club discussion paired with talk and tech! We will meet in groups of four to share our ideas and have an online discussion as well. This will broaden our ideas and also give the fourth graders a peek into what a fifth grader does!