In the fourth and fifth grades we had rich discussions on immigration and refugees. We read Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey by Canadian Margriet Ruurs and artwork by Syrian artist Nizar ALi Badr. In some classes we had time to also read We Came to America by Faith Ringgold.
We discussed Linda Sue Park's upcoming visit on Friday, March 10th. Ms. Park released the first novel, Forest of Wonders, in her new Wing & Claw trilogy last year and the second, Cavern of Secrets, is being released this month The series explores the links "between magic and botany, family and duty, and environment and home." You can read more at this site.
Ms. Park won the Newbery Medal in 2002 for the historical novel, A Single Shard that is set in twelfth century Korea. Her book A Long Walk to Water is based on the true story of Salva, one of some 3,800 Sudanese "Lost Boys" airlifted to the United States. A Long Walk to Water is a core novel in the sixth grade at Hall Middle School.
We discussed Linda Sue Park's upcoming visit on Friday, March 10th. Ms. Park released the first novel, Forest of Wonders, in her new Wing & Claw trilogy last year and the second, Cavern of Secrets, is being released this month The series explores the links "between magic and botany, family and duty, and environment and home." You can read more at this site.
Ms. Park won the Newbery Medal in 2002 for the historical novel, A Single Shard that is set in twelfth century Korea. Her book A Long Walk to Water is based on the true story of Salva, one of some 3,800 Sudanese "Lost Boys" airlifted to the United States. A Long Walk to Water is a core novel in the sixth grade at Hall Middle School.
We reviewed nonfiction and fiction in some second and third grade classes by reading Narwhal and Jelly by Ben Clanton and Extremely Weird Animals: Narwhals by Christina Leaf. We learned a lot of new and fun facts about narwhals and jellyfish and sang a very fun song!
We read and discovered poetry in other second grade classes. Students found old favorites such as Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky while discovering other poems about everything from dogs and cats and chickens to the earth and family. A favorite was You Read to Me, I'll Read to You, poems that require two voices.
In Ms. DeAvila's fourth grade class we read Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer and discussed some of the elements of poetry. We discussed the poetry forms Haiku and Sijo. While most students were familiar haiku, the Korean style of sijo was new. We read several sijo poems from Linda Sue Park's book, Tap Dancing on the Roof.