Grades PreK-K
Winter Time! Mitten Time!
What is a mitten? How are mittens made? Mitten tales include “Three Little Kittens” by Galdone and Pinkney. Did you know that “Three Little Kittens” is attributed to Eliza Lee Cabot Follen (1787-1860), a Bostonian Sunday school teacher and abolitionist? Check out an online copy of “The Wonderful History of the Three Little Kittens Who Lost their Mittens” published in 1856 from Boston Public Library! http://bit.ly/1Bp8Edw In addition, I am demonstrating knitting!
Grade 1
What? Messy Rooms Fit for Pigs!
Oink! Oink! We are enjoying stories about pigs moving in and making or adding to messy rooms! Talk about funny! Our stories have involved predictions, math problems and room organization ideas. First graders will design kid’s rooms with places for “everything.”
Grade 2
Off to the Last Frontier-Alaska
We will learn about research skills as we travel to the awesome state of Alaska! Students are divided into 3 groups, each named by a dog sled breed. Using map skills, we learned about the geography of Alaska along with its history and main resources. Currently, we are enjoying learning about dog sled racing-purposes, equipment and dogs. As mushers, we are learning dog sled commands and no, mush is not the command to go, it is HIKE!
Grade 3
Who Was Martin Luther King?
Martin Luther King-Childhood: Who were his family members? Where did they live? How did he do in school and sports? What did he like to do?
Using several books and materials, third graders tried to get an understanding of what Martin was like as a kid. In addition, they learned about the “Jim Crow” laws and how they affected the lives of African Americans.
Grades 4 and 5
Martin Luther King-Faith Ringgold, author and artist
The library has some 30 books about Martin Luther King, which have been on display as well as educational posters. Students are encouraged to view and discuss these materials. I read a moving, serious book, My Dream of Martin Luther King written by the esteemed African America writer and artist, Faith Ringgold. (At a library convention, I was fortunate to meet and talk with Faith, who signed some books for our school.) Faith Ringgold tells and paints the story of a dream about Martin Luther King that notes his childhood, adult life and his assassination: “This time we had come to mourn Martin Luther King’s death by trading in bags containing our prejudice, hate, ignorance, violence, and fear for the slain hero’s dream. We emptied the bags onto a great pile, and as the last bag was dumped, the pile exploded into a fire so bright that it lit up the whole world. There, emblazoned across the sky, were the words: EVERY GOOD THING STARTS WITH A DREAM.” Students reenacted this powerful scene by carrying mock paper bags into a pile and discussing the above quote. For more info about Faith Ringgold and her books: http://www.faithringgold.com/
