Thank You for Your Service

Our school last year added to our School Improvement Plan that we wanted

our students to grow as citizens as well as growing in math and reading.

One of the ways we are trying to promote citizenship is to show them what it means to be

an American.

Last year, we began having a Veterans' Day program.

This program was to cover multiple purposes:

1.  To thank our town's veterans

2.  To teach our students what a veteran is

3.  To teach our students what the veterans have done for our country

Needless to say, the program was a huge hit and plans began for this year's program

which we had on Friday.

We met in the gym with parents and other visitors in the bleachers, the veterans in chairs in the middle of the gym and the students surrounding the veterans.

We probably had close to 60 veterans.

Our third graders took an active role in leading our thoughts as we thanked these men and women.

As part of the assembly, we set a white table and explained the meanings of the different items

on the white table.

My students introduced and welcomed everyone to the program.

After the presentation of the flags, the pledge and national anthem,

our third graders sang "You're a Grand Old Flag."

Each grade level presented a song to the veterans at different times during the assembly.

More of my students quoted lines of poems that talked about a veteran's service.

They also talked to us about the military history.

Some of our veterans listening to the children.

We, then, played a medley of all the branches anthems.  As their song was played, veterans of each branch stood.  We also presented them with pins thanking them for their service.

The kids loved clapping along to the different anthems of the branches.

Some of my students were pleased to have family members and friends who are veterans attend

 the program.

The students said their favorite part was walking among the veterans thanking them for their service.

You see in the veteran's hand gifts that were made by the students in the school.  Each veteran had a stack of thank yous in their chair when they arrived.

All of Kim and my kids were super proud to have 

"their own" veteran at the program, Mr. David (my dad).

Mr. David is a retired Air Force Pilot as well as a retired high school math teacher.

He works as a math interventionist in Mrs. Kim's room with all of our kids,

and they ADORE him!

I love teaching my students about our country as well as the men and women

who have helped to make it what it is today.

I read this book before the Veterans' Day assembly so they really understand the concept of

the white table.

We always go out and place flags out in front of the school around Veterans' Day as well.

When we do that, I read this book to them or we watch the YouTube video.

We also write thank you letters to veterans.

I ask for addresses from the students' parents of friends and family they know.

The kids take this job very seriously.

The letters are always so sincere and I love reading them.

We even hear back from some of them.

The kids love that!

I really believe it is so important to teach the kids about this part of our history.

Many might think they are too young to understand, but when I read my kids' letters telling the veterans

"Thank you for fighting for me!"

When I hear a first grader tell his teacher he may not be able to sing to the veterans because he might start crying thinking of how brave they have been,

I realize they understand WAY more than many adults.

Thank you for your service, veterans!

STUDENTS: What do you want to remember about the Veterans' Day program?

We Promise to Be....

Drug Free.

As part of our Fall Fun Day, the third graders took time out of their fun day

to go to the playground and make the promise to be 

Drug Free for the rest of their lives.

STUDENTS: Why is it important to you to be drug free?  

Will this be a hard promise for you to keep?

Fall Fun Day

For years, our school has had a Fall Festival on a Saturday night.

For years, it has literally killed the teachers to get everything together.

For years, many of our students were not able to come, and that broke our hearts

because we were doing this for the children.

So... last year the decision was made to not have a Fall Festival at night.

We had a Fall Fun Day the day before Halloween.

We began the day at the October Super Hero Assembly led by our 

Kindergarten classes.

We had a "Little Debbie" walk.

We danced around the circle to fun music, and 

each child won a Little Debbie snack.

Doing The Monster Mash

 Two classes at a time were able to go to the gym and play on the jumpers.

Even the teachers got in on the action!

STUDENTS: What was your favorite part of the day?

Super Hero Assembly: Our Community

In August, the third graders were in charge of our Super Hero Assembly at school.

In September, we had a hallway assembly recognizing those students who had participated in the Summer Reading Program.

In October, the Kindergarteners were in charge.

They have been studying community helpers, and wanted to highlight them in a special assembly.

Different kindergarteners brought his/her parents who help our community in different ways.

Them we all got to go out in the back lot to touch the different trucks our community heroes use in their jobs. The kids loved it.

Our electric company. 

Our road crew came to show us what they use.

Our super heroes that keep up safe.

Even those who keep our country safe came to visit.

We had a wonderful time and appreciate the Kindergartners stepping up

to lead us in this way!

STUDENTS: Which vehicle was your favorite?

Women Changing America

America has been influenced by many different kinds of people.
Over the last week, we have been studying two women who helped change
America for the good.

Look again at the lives of these two ladies,

Nancy Ward and Susan B. Anthony.

Nancy Ward was a Cherokee Indian born at a crucial time in Cherokee history.  She was raised by her mother and her father.  At a young age, she realized that her Cherokee people were in turmoil with the English.  Ward wanted to find ways to keep peace between the Indians and the English.  In her early teen years, Ward married a Cherokee man name Kingfisher and went to the battlefield with him.  She earned the title of 'Beloved Women' which was the highest honor a Cherokee woman could have.  

Susan B. Anthony was educated by her father.  When the economy collapsed, her father lost most of his money so Anthony began working.  She worked as a teacher to help her father with money.  When she began teaching she realized that woman were paid less than half of what the men were paid.  She thought this was unfair and began a movement to give women the same rights as men.

STUDENTS:  After reading the information and exploring the timelines, answer the following questions in paragraph form:

1.  Did Nancy Ward and Susan B. Anthony ever know each other? How do you know?
2.  Do you think that Nancy Ward's life choices had an impact on Susan B. Anthony's life choices? Please provide a 'why' to your answer.

Book Challenge #5 & #6

Dear Students,

     I feel like I am finally getting in the groove of reading!  This weekend I finished two books I think you should all read.  The first one I read on Friday while I sat out with y'all at your play time. I needed to get some Vitamin D (which you get from the sun) and I love watching you play!  It is a poetry book.  I know many of you have not read a poetry book yet and neither had I!  It is called It's Thanksgiving!  It is full of poems about Thanksgiving Day and the traditions around that holiday (which just happens to be one of my favorites).  I think my favorite poem had to be the one about watching the football game.  I liked it because our family loves to watch football at anytime.  In the poem, the dad yells at the tv.  I can relate to that because I have been known to yell at the tv myself!  I think you should all read this one! There are two copies in the red bucket.

     The next book I finished was a Magic Tree House book that La'Tariyahna challenged me to read.  I love the fact that she wanted me to read a book she had read.  (If any of the rest of you want to challenge me to read a book, please do so!)  This book is called Danger in the Darkest Hour.  When I first got it, I had no idea what it would be about.  I read the inside of the jacket cover and realized it was about one of my favorite times in history - World War II.  I just loved the whole thing.  My favorite part (without giving away the ending) was that Jack learned he has the ability to do whatever he puts his mind to doing.  Kathleen had lost her magic, and Jack was freaking out that they were going to get caught by the Nazis.  She and Annie played a little trick on Jack, but it was only to give him the confidence he needed.  I really love reading anything about WWII because both of my grandfathers fought in WWII.  I think many of you would enjoy this book.  Thank you, La'Tariyahna for challenging me to read this one!

     What will I read next?  Someone (who forgot to put their name on the comment) challenged me to read I Survived September 11, 2001.  I am going to try to read that one if it is in the library.  I am worried about reading that one because I remember that day very vividly.  However, I will give it a try for sure!  What do you think I should read?

Your book loving teacher,

Mrs. Becky