Community: Books and Treats... And our Live Chat

My students have really taken to Tyler and enjoy the time we get to spend learning from him. The community video was really helpful in understanding what a community is and how we can best support each other. I notice that students always dream big when tasked with helping their community and this year was no exception. After watching the video, my students brainstormed ideas that ranged from reading to younger grades, helping out at recess, to building a new animal shelter. We spent a lot of time discussing how they may help out in their community on their own and then landed on two projects they hope to complete. The projects are building a Little Free Library for the school and neighborhood and then making bags of snacks and treats for homeless men and women. We have a police department connection and that individual is going to help distribute the snack bags. This is the chart of planning we created as a class for everything we will need to do or supplies we will need to complete the project.

Students then worked in various small groups to research recipes, designs for little libraries, write our principal a letter to figure out installing a little library, etc. 

The Little Free Library may be a tough project to complete because we aren't sure about getting the permission necessary. I struggled with whether or not I should get this pre-approved for the kiddos, but realized that if we aren't able to do it, there is a lot of learning that can happen within that too!

This lesson used various search engines and I am excited that we are going to be able to start using our Bak Boards to complete the remainder of the project for writing proposals and researching. 

The standards this lesson targeted included:

The letter to the principal: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.A
Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.B
Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.C
Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently,specifically).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.D
Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

Discussion and planning:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.4
Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

December also ended with our Live Chat and the students were enthralled... They even convinced Tyler to Whip and Nay Nay for us... I'll post that video to the G+ site ASAP!

Here are some pics from their conversation. It was great to see them so interested in him as a person and making connections. It definitely makes the experience more authentic and personalized now that they have talked to him!