EARTHQUAKE!
12/7/2018
Well, there was an earthquake... ...and this week, the Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade classes did their best to return to a normal school routine. We came back on Wednesday, following a few days of school closure and cleanup. We talked quite a bit about how earthquakes happen, how buildings are built to withstand them, and what we can do to keep ourselves safe when nature feels like surprising us! We also decided it might be a good idea to laugh, and so we made a point to play some fun games this week, too! Historical Investigation“If you do need to do research because parts of your story deal with things about which you know little or nothing, remember that word back. That’s where research belongs: as far in the background and the back story as you can get it. You may be entranced with what you’re learning about the flesh-eating bacteria, the sewer system of New York, or the I.Q. potential of collie pups, but your readers are probably going to care a lot more about your characters and your story.” -- Stephen King You may think that historical writing starts with a lot of research, but quite often the opposite can often be true. This week, Fourth and Fifth Grade worked on stories of historical fiction, going only on the barest of research. Students were encouraged to spend a mere twenty minutes researching based on one very vague topic: Westward Expansion, and then they were brainstorming as much information as would fit onto a single Post-It note. And then, when that one Post-It was completed, the Fourth and Fifth Grades worked quickly, completing drafts of their stories with a clear beginning, middle and end. The point was not, on the first flash draft, to get the details right but instead to create an arc of a story from which to start working. As expected, the students were unhappy with their drafts but they showed some great progress in that they so passionately wanted to change so much about what they'd come up with. That burning desire to change, rewrite, and fix tells them that they know what they want to say, and helps build a thirst to complete their work! Tune in next week, as students start to whittle away at their stories, carving up that block of marble, to find what treasure are held within! Just For Fun...On the one week anniversary of the earthquake, the Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade classes celebrated with an interpretive, celebratory dance at exactly 8:29 AM -- the very moment the earthquake hit last week! Comments are closed.
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Jessica GrahamMs. Graham graduated from the University of Alabama with a BS in Early Childhood/Elementary Education, and is currently working on her master's in reading. She enjoys hiking, traveling, arts & crafts, and playing the ukulele. Archives
April 2021
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