I teach an inquisitive, motivated group of advanced fourth graders who learn by questioning and creating. They are a joyful group, eager to discover new things each day. Together, we create a community filled with choice and empowered learners. Design and innovation are integrated into all we do and my goal is to provide exciting and engaging, hands-on experiences so that learning comes to life. Ours is a collaborative classroom where students work together to make sense of the world around them. Through exploration and problem solving, students are better able to understand and make a difference in the world they live in. Learning in our class is an adventure!
My Project
Poignant, engaging, and exciting describe Jason Reynold's award winning books Ghost, Sunny, and Patina. Following a group of friends through school as they learn the value of teamwork, the importance of taking responsibility for their actions, and the difference friends and family can make in our lives if we open our hearts to learn from them, are all concepts that Reynolds explores in these captivating novels.
Reynold's books take the reader on a journey of self-discovery.
What better way to explore who we are as individuals and who we want to be in the world, then to enjoy the stories of #1 New York Times author Jason Reynolds.
As students read the three novels, our lessons will focus on character change and how minor characters in the story are both positive and negative influences. Students will then design and create a story cube for one of the protagonists that shows the different sides of the character and explains the impact others have on his/her life. As a final part of the project, students will identify and explain one trait they admire in the character that they can learn from and give the character advice regarding a more negative trait. Students will create videos in which they share their character cubes and explain the admirable traits as well as areas of advice.
Through the reading of Reynold's novels, students will learn to look more closely at who they are, what they value, and who they want to be in the world.
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