Wednesday, January 23, 2013

January Fly-By

Can you believe January's almost over???  It's amazing to me that we're already into the new year, and especially almost upon February!


Yesterday, we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.
We watched Martin's Big Words being read aloud on youtube.com.  In case you're still celebrating, or learning about Dr. King, the link is HERE.  It's a beautifully read version, with zooming effects, and whomever is reading it has the best voice I can imagine!

We also read some letters from a book I've had for about 10 or 12 years, called Dear Dr. King.  It has letters to Dr. King written by "today's" children.  Some are simple.  Others are moving, while others are simply heartbreaking.  After reading a few, and watching the video version of the other book, I had my students do a couple of activities.  First, we talked about eye color - you know the old study you learned about in college, where the teacher treated all the kids with blue eyes vs. brown eyes better one day, and then the opposite the next - I didn't tell them all about that, of course.  I just asked, what if I said all the blue-eyed people couldn't go to school here, or drink from the water fountain, or go to the movies, or...on and on.  They quickly observed that I couldn't be the teacher (I have blue eyes), and said that was crazy, stupid, etc.  PERFECT!  Then we talked about skin color being just like eye color or hair color - who cares??? It's just a color!  They SO got it!


photo from thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com
Next, I showed them two eggs, one white, and one brown.  They took note of the difference - color only.  I cracked them open into bowls, and of course, the yolks and whites were identical. I even switched the bowls around a few times and then asked which was which.  None of us knew.  PERFECT again!

Finally, we made a simplified version of a First Grade Parade-inspired portrait of Dr. King and used Tori's freebie MLK I Have a Dream sheet to write our own dreams for our world today and in the future.  Y'all...the best writing I've seen all year!  So powerful and thoughtful!  I was really impressed by some of my babies' dreams!  We might end up with world peace one day!!!





Next week, on the 29th, we're celebrating Amelia Bedelia's FIFTIETH birthday!  WHOA!  You can download a party planning package from harpercollins.com HERE.  There are some super-cute ideas, including a free costume rental (you do have to pay shipping), crafts, etc.  Can you believe that Amelia's fifty??? That's even got me beat!

Better get ready - Chinese New Year begins on February 10th, then on to Valentine's Day on the 14th, and Presidents' Day on the 18th! Holy Moly - before we know it, it's going to be St. Patty's (my birthday)!  Stay tuned for some fun ideas for all of these celebrations, too.

Flying Fast,
Brooke

6 comments:

  1. I think you are right with so many holidays coming up in February. I had to write you a comment because we share the same birthday! So Happy Early Birthday!!

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    Replies
    1. Well, Happy Birthday to you, too! Thanks for being a reader - I'll have to check out your blog!
      Brooke

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Brooke