March is the Month for Thinking Green

I decided that I really need to give my students more experience working with Microsoft Word.  I am more of a Google Doc girl, but I know their teachers will expect them to be able to create a simple document.
With this in mind, Ihad mys students in 3rd grade to think of things that made them think "green".  Then I read the poem "Grreen" from Hailstones & Halibut Bones.(Mary O'Neill, 1951)

They love these color poems.  I quickly showed them how to open a blank document so they could write their own "green poems".  I showed them how to use spell check, format the text, changing fonts, sizes, colors, use the centering tool, and finally how to insert, re size, and position clip art.  Finally, the kids were able to select a printer and generate a hard copy of their work.  ALL of this in 10 minutes or less, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that the students did quite well.  Part of the reason for success, is that the kids weren't allowed to do ANY formatting or clip art until their poem was done.  (quite a motivator)!

Green is ...

Like a long field at sunset

Like a pickle fresh from the jar

Like green beans and broccoli

And maybe a new car

Like grass around a tree

and some leaves

But just remember green green green

(Ashlyn)

The kids loved this "quick & dirty" project, and it gave them a much needed review of basic Word commands as well as a little keyboarding practice.  The kids also "remembered" how much they enjoy poetry books!

Stories of Fire

Snow is blanketing the ground this week. It's the perfect time of year to tell stories that help define our human relationship with fire.

Almost every culture has interesting accounts of how people obtained fire. In Ancient Greece, Prometheus steals it from the gods and delivers it to mankind. I use a version found inD'Aulaire's Book of Greek Mythologyto read to the children.

In some Native folklore, Coyote, Raven, or some other animal was responsible for bringing fire. I am lucky to have several beautifully illustrated picture books in the library collection, including Rainbow Crow, Coyote Steals Fire, and How Beaver Stole Fire(from our own local Salish tribe)

In the library the third graders will be hearing a number of fire stories, as well as playing a traditional Native game called "FireKeeper". I would like to have the visitthis siteto read more Native fire stories, and perhaps illustrate and/or retell one that particularly resonates. (Not all stories are intended for young listeners, so if one is intending to use this site, link to each story individually!)

Wants and Needs - a story and webtivity for the season

When it gets to be close to Thanksgiving, I have a favorite lesson I like to use with my 3rd or 4 th graders. I read One Grain of Rice, by Demi. This book explores many themes, from the mathematical concept of geometric growth, to hunger, crop dependence, and famine. The students are always astonished at how a single grain of rice, doubled each day, can become a monumental quantity.
It’s always a good idea to bring students a simple way they can make a difference in the world. The site FreeRice.com donates rice as the students play a game of vocabulary, simple math, or other subjects. The game adjusts in difficulty level depending on how many questions are answered correctly. It’s quite an addictive game!
The book, followed by introducing and playing the associated game, is a two-period plan. Many students will go home and play. They love to report how much rice they donated.