These two books have crucial scenes where a main character is bullied.
In reading, we are currently in our Social Issues Unit. We have read fiction stories that you may recognize: The Hundred Dresses and Thank You, Mr. Falker. Both stories while having several other small social issues share the the social issue of bullying. After reading and discussing the books in depth, we decided that we needed to gather some information about the topic of bullying. In order to do this we watched a video that explained exactly what bullying is. We learned that there are three types of bullying: physical, verbal and social bullying. We also learned that the easiest way to solve the problem of bullying is to be kind to everyone. After the short video we read a non-fiction article that discussed what to do if you experience bullying as a bystander or as the victim. The students in Room 24 are armed with a 3 step plan No!, Go!, Tell! The one word cues remind the students how to handle a bullying situation and how to turned it around sooner, rather than later. We finished off with writing advice to either Patricia, the character in Thank You, Mr. Falker who was bullied or Wanda, the character in The Hundred Dresses who was bullied. Students needed to include information we gathered in the video and the non-fiction reading in the advice response.
These books were our book club texts. Each has a strong main character who has clear longings and desires. The main characters work though adversity to accomplish big things! Beatice Beruit and William Kamkwambo from The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind are real people who have made a difference in their own world.
We have read about the condition of poverty, homelessness, and the desire for education or a home of ones own in several different book clubs. All of these books had themes and sub-themes. Students read to recognize the characters longings, and the way in which the characters reached his/her dream. It is fair to say that we have hit home the idea of "working long and strong is the best way to make life's dreams come true!" Along the way we read non-fiction articles and watched TED talk video, CBS 60 Minute excerpts and agency informational videos to learn more about how these real people worked toward their dreams with the assistance of volunteers and specific organizations that supported their in need.
In social studies, we are learning about Native American Tribes from around the 1700-1800 time period. Just about the time many European traders and explores began to arrive in America. To mix up the hum-drum month of March, each third grade teacher prepared to teach about 1 tribe. We covered 5 regions of America and 1 major tribe from each region. In each learning group we covered the tribe's shelter, clothing, food and the main natural resources that connected that tribe to the Earth. Then students enjoyed making a craft such as decorating an Iroquois mask, a Northwest Coastal totem pole bookmark, a Pueblo Kachina, a Sioux paper bag 'buffalo' skin and an Inuit inuksuk 'stone' statue.
The students LOVED traveling from classroom to classroom. You would have thought they were traveling to Disney! They really enjoyed learning about the tribes and were able to share a lot when they returned to their home base!
Now students in room 24 are compiling all of their research into a final project showing all of their learning. We will cap off this fantastic unit with student led digital research on four famous Native American and listening to a Native American Tale on line which will be included in the project.
