This November we focused on thankfulness and gratitude. We read The Thankful Book by Todd Parr, Even Robots can be Thankful by Jan Thomas, The Thank You Letter by Jane Cabrera and Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora. After reading we participated in different creative and reflective activities including listening to songs, writing thank you letters, drawing, writing and sharing things and people we are thankful for, and discussing ways to show gratitude and be thankful everyday.

This October to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, we explored the works of Flavia Z Drago!

We read her books Gustavo the Shy Ghost, Leila the Perfect Witch and Vlad the Fabulous Vampire. She uses bright colors and fun scenes that are full of details to create the world in which all three books take place.

Through these three stories we met 3 characters who found the courage to make friends, be themselves and who overcame personal challenges. We connected with these characters and participated in many creative and reflective activities.

Learn more about her and check out what other books she has written or illustrated here. https://www.flaviazdrago.com/

This September, we are exploring the works of author and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds through an author study. We read his books The Dot, Ish, and Sky Color and took part in a variety of creative activities including creating our own dot pictures, ish drawings, building ish animals and even a mural. We celebrated Dot day which is a global celebration inspiring students to make thier mark on the world by celebrating creativity, courage and self-expression.

www.franklinsquare.k12.ny.us/o/jss/article/2443524

Create your own Digital Dot to celebrate Dot Day!

Copy of Let's Celebrate Dot 1

We read the book Misunderstood Shark and learned about how sharks are misunderstood creatures that need to be studied, protected and respected, not feared and hunted. We discussed some of the misunderstandings about sharks and then made positive shark posters to help challenge these misunderstandings using facts and friendly shark illustrations.

We read the book Shark Lady and learned about Eugenie Clark. We created drawings of Eugenie swimming with sharks, sharks out of Legos, and did some research on whale sharks, nurse sharks and tiger sharks. We loved watching the livestream of the of the whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium! Check it out! https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/ocean-voyager/

Shark Lady Sharks

We read the books Flying High, Saving the Day, and Sweet Justice. We learned about Simone Biles, Garrett Morgan, and Georgia Gilmore. We created drawings of Simone and watched her Olympic routines, created our own problem solving inventions like Garrett, and discussed how every day people can make huge differences in their communities and can stand up for change!

We read the books Mae Among the Stars, Trombone Shorty, and Ice Cream Man. We learned about Mae Jemison, Troy Andrews and Augustus Jackson. We created drawings of Mae, listened to Troy play the trombone as a kid and an adult, and created our very own ice cream flavors just like Augustus!

We read the book Groundhog Gets it Wrong, and learned all about groundhogs by completing a scavenger hunt, and escape room style puzzles with facts and information!

Groundhogs Day.pptx

To Celebrate Lunar New Year and the year of the Snake, we read the book The Great Race and learned about the story of the Chinese Zodiac. Then we figured out which animal was the year we were born and made that animal out of Legos!

Lunar New Year

Be sure to check out our Traveling Mural on Display in the Hallway by the Big Gym!

Scroll down to read more about our Traveling Mural Project.

We read the book Martin's Big Words, learned about the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and then created pixel art representing one word that describes Dr. King's beliefs or actions.

MLK.pdf

We watched and listened to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, learned about the March on Washington, The Washington Monument and The Lincoln Memorial and then created these landmarks with Legos.

MLK

We read the books Just One Flake, I Am Going To Build a Snowman, and The Snow Thief, learned about snowflakes and symmetry and then created snowflakes out of pattern blocks, Keva planks, popsicle sticks, and Brainflakes.

snowflakes

We participated in the Traveling Mural Project!

We read the books Maybe Something Beautiful, and learned about how impactful murals can be in a community.

Inspired by the art in the story Only One You, Kindergarten through sixth grade students each created a “rock fish” that we combined together to form a colorful 10 ft. long mural of our JSS School of Fish! The tissue paper elements were created by our PreK Classes.

I cut it up into 10 pieces, we kept one piece and I sent the remaining 9 pieces to other schools around the world. The other 9 schools did the same and in the end we each have a mural consisting of 9 pieces of other schools' murals from all around the world to display.

Through the Traveling Mural Project, we connected with other school communities around the world to create a collaborative mural of peace, friendship, diversity, community and love.

Global Traveling Mural

We read the book Our Table, discussed the importance of media balance and real life connections and then created a dining table out of Keva Planks.

our table

We read the book The Thank You Letter, discussed what it eans to be thankful and be grateful and created a pennant showing ways to show gratitude

thank you

We read the book Don't Blow Your Top, discussed coping strategies and created a breathing stick to practice our breathing to calm down.

We read the books I Am Enough and The Day You Begin discussed affirmations and created a positive affirmation beaded bracelet to practice positive self talk.

Coping Skills

We read books about peace and responded creatively to the books by doing yoga and meditations, making peace themed Agamographs, poems and origami peace doves. We learned how we can spread kindness and peace in the world, our community and within ourselves.

Peace week