SELF-PORTRAITS WITH MODEL MAGIC

It is always a little confusing coming back on a Tuesday, I kept thinking it was Monday.  Fortunately I didn't forget Spanish.

Señor Geffen read a book 'La Ola' by Suzy Lee.  As you can see the children were captivated by the beautiful illustrations and Señor Geffen's reading.

We started creating self-portraits using model magic today. Working with play dough last week benefited them greatly.  They already had the knowledge of how to produce the shapes for each part of the face, requiring little or no support for this version.  Wait till we do our clay versions they will be experts.

We did not read a book today.  My plan was to look at pictures of Martin Luther King Jr. and his family, and to discuss any similarities they saw in comparison to their family.  The goal was to help them see Martin Luther King Jr. as an ordinary man even though he achieved amazing things. Unfortunately I had to attend a meeting so Mr. Billadeau graciously continued the conversation.

MARGOT: That’s the baby & the mom. 

IKE: noticed that his family was a lot like his family - 3 kids, a mom, and a dad. (There was only 3 of the 4 children in the picture)

IKE also recognized what they were doing in one of the pictures at their home - they were playing a piano together. We talked about his life, showing pictures of him shaking hands with President Johnson and another of him in front of a microphone.

MARGOT Why is he in front of a microphone?

FANG: He’s speaking.

We talked about some things he said in his speeches - about loving one another for our differences and about doing good for others.

GRACE said it was about “being kind to each others.”

IKE: But he got shot.

We agreed that was true, and sad.

LEONARD asked if other people from that time are alive today and we talked about how our own grandparents and great-grandparents may still be alive from Martin Luther King Jr.’s time. 

We also looked at a picture of him as an adult and a picture of someone much younger next to him. Who might that be?

BEATRIX guessed it was him as a child! He was a child who went to school, something that might be similar but also very different from how we go to school now.

After P.E. I explained I had something to share with them.  It was some strawberry fruit strips (vegan) that I cut up into little piece.  I told them I had decided I was only going to give them to the students with red on their shoes.

Valentina, Leonard, Nolan, Beatrix and Ella were the only ones with red on their shoes.

IKE: "THAT'S NOT FAIR! "(very angry look on his face)

The rest of the friends that did not have red on their shoes just sat very quietly but did not look happy.

MS SMALL: "Are you Ok with no one else getting it besides you?"

BEATRIX: "I don't like it because I like to share."

MS SMALL: "Those friends that didn't get any, how do you feel?"

IKE: "MAD!"

Nolan: "Disappolinted"

MS SMALL: "Those friends that did get it, how do you feel?"

LEONARD:"Happy."

VALENTINA:"I didn’t like that another friend feels sad."

BEATRIX:" It’s not fair.  I feel bad that they don’t have one."

MS SMALL:"Should I give the people with no red on their shoes some?"

Everyone agreed the whole class should get some

I explained how happy it made me feel that friends were willing to stand up for themselves and each other. How a community looks out for one another and they did that, just like Martin Luther King Jr.