LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Thursday evening, around 8:30 P.M.
Dear Friends,
Just thought I'd share this new fact with you. Tomorrow, right
after school, I will be heading to New York. I'll be visiting Ellis
Island on Saturday morning. (A trip I had planned @ a month
ago.)
Last night about 3:30 A.M., I jumped up in bed. Here's the idea I thought of, a
n
d why......
Yesterday some children had asked me what kind of prize was
going to be given to the class finding the most points. Was there
going to be an extra recess, a pizza party, etc.? I told them again
we were doing this just because we WANTED to do it, going for
intrinsic rewards....because we had the desire or "ganas" to do it,
to make ourselves smarter and more informed citizens....for our
school, our community, our America....
O.K..... that was ok with them....but then I thought. They're so
young, will that be enough of a reward for all of their hard work?
Believe me they worked...any free minute they had... they
explored the encyclopedias, the Guiness Book of World Records,
the Presidential book series, the Grolier's Encyclopedia of CD, all
the Timetables of history or technology books, Famous First Facts,
etc.
The two thoughts came together and exploded in my head.... New
York and the contest / doing our best for America. So this
morning, after reading off some super facts, and then announcing
the top scorers.....I said how we were ALL winners....anybody
who elected to participate was a winner and I was going to prove it.
Anybody who had even only 1 fact entered in this contest (Harper
Bauer had 95!) we just concluded could write his/her name down
on a class rooster sheet I provided (2 copies each for each
classroom).
I proceeded to tell them how I was going to go to Ellis Island, and I
would point myself to face the Statue of Liberty, and I would read
off each and every name to "her," the symbol of America, in
recognition of their hard work and efforts. I would have someone
take pictures to prove that I was doing this. (Maybe even a video.)
Two books are in the process of being hastily prepared. One,
complete with their names and the press coverage we have received
so far, and all of the Internet letters with wonderful historical facts
and greetings from all of you in the 20 states we have heard from,
would be in this book and would be presented to the Ellis Island
Museum as a gift from us, since so many of the facts they had
found were on immigration.
The other copy I would bring back with me, and continue to fill
with pictures of the day's activities, and keep for all to see in our
library. I saved several choice facts from each classroom to include
in the books. (Most of the facts are lining all of our school
hallways, 2,155 of them!)
So, if any of you who sent greetings feel your ears burning on
Saturday, it's just me, gratefully reading off your name to the
Statue of Liberty Lady in the Harbor!
Keep your fingers crossed for a nice day!
As always, Love, Mim xoxoxoxoxo :->
P.S. Some mothers standing in the hallways in the morning during
the morning announcements and teachers afterwards, told me I
gave them Goosebumps! (Not the Stine kind!!! :->)
LM_NET
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