[LM_NET] HIT: 9/11 elementary lessons

[Melissa Byrd <mbyrd3@GMAIL.COM>]

Thanks to all who responded to my inquiry about elementary lessons for
9/11.  I plan to follow the lead of several others and read "The Man Who
Walked Between Two Towers".  This fits nicely with my 2nd & 3rd grade
classes since we just began talking about the Caldecott medal.  This is my
1st year as an elementary librarian and apparently the kids have had no
exposure to the Caldecott medal, much to my suprise.  Very few knew what it
was or had even heard of it!

At least a couple of people also mentioned the book "Fireboat: The Heroic
Adventures of the John J. Harvey" by Maira Kalman.  My library doesn't own
this book but I will definitely look into purchasing it.  Thanks again for
the responses.  I love this list!

Melissa Byrd, Librarian
Jacksboro Elementary
Jacksboro, TN
mbyrd3@gmail.com

Below are responses I received.



While I have not mentioned this to my principal, I am in charge of our
morning news show (video announcements).  During our moment of silence (a
county requirement) I thought I would direct the camera person to focus on
the flag.  On the day before, I will be recommending that students and
families display the american flag.  Hopefully the sentiment will transfer
during the moment of silence.  Just a thought...
theresa


 We don't do anything at our school and I don't plan on doing anything
either. My school is first, second and third graders. The third graders were
three when 9-11 occured. We are far enough away that it did not directly any
of our families.
 Karen DeFrank


 I was lucky enough to meet the author of "The Little Chapel That Stood" in
St. Paul's a couple years after 9/11 and bought an autographed copy and
share this with students and also another book I have at school that is
filled with children's letters to the fire dept. and police officers. We
talk about why they think the chapel STOOD while everything else fell.  It
is real but not morbid or too depressing for them.
*Notes: *How St. Paul's Chapel, across the street from the Twin Towers of
the World Trade Center, survived the 9-11 blast and then served as a service
depot for rescuers
Debbie Remington
Media Specialist
Teacher of the Year
Manatee Elementary
Port St. Lucie, Fl.
772-340-4745
remingtond@stlucie.k12.fl.us


  Hi, Melissa

   Over 500 libraries around the world are participating in the September
Project:  http://www.theseptemberproject.org  I signed up my elementary
school.  There are some great ideas on the website.

   During library time, my students in grades preschool through sixth grade
will be participating in lessons that focus on PEACE.

   Preschool and Kindergarten will be sharing the book, *I Call My Hand Gent
*le by Amanda Haan and creating an illustration of how they use their hands
to promote peace.

   My first graders will be sharing the book, *What Does Peace Feel Like?*
by Radunsky and doing a shared writing of what peace looks, smells, tastes,
sounds, and feels like.  We'll also be sharing the *Peace Book* by Todd
Parr.

   My second through sixth graders will be doing Reader's Theater
presentations of folktales.  I simply created scripts just by putting the
tales into dialogue form: Narrator and the main characters.  Some really
great books are:  *Peace Tales: World Folktales to Talk About* by Margaret
Read MacDonald and the *Children's Book of Virtues* by William Bennett.  The
scripts are for 3-4 students and they're 1-2 pages long.  Great stories,
which deal with cooperation, consideration, and conflict resolution.

 * If you are interested in trying this activity, I would be happy to email
the scripts to you.  **I'm ALMOST finished typing them.*
**
   *Sadako* the picturebook version by Ed Young is a good book to share.

Or how about some peaceful poetry.  You can look poems up online.

Hope this helps!

Johanna Archer
Librarian
UGL School
Hewitt, NJ


Melissa, Hi,

I live and work within 45-60 miles from NYC so this is very, very close and
people around us lost family members and friends so I am quite careful about
what I do.  My principal has a moment of silence during the day and I read
that lovely pic book about the fireboat (I think that is the name as well
tho am not so sure).  It is very well done and does not actually show the
carnage but uses colors and a kind of innuendo to get there.  It is a
perfect setup to open discussions with kids who can understand and express
thoughts but is also great read for younger kids.  I am afraid I do try to
keep it low key because it is too close to us.  Good luck, Barbara

Check out the book "Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey"
by Maira Kalman.  It's the true story of a 1931 fireboat that was restored
by a group of friends.  On 9/11, the John J. Harvey helped put out the fires
after the towers fell.  We have read it to the kids every year.

Amazon still has a few copies and the reviews by SLJ and Publisher's Weekly

Cindy Thompson
Library Assistant/Longwood LMS Student
Jane H. Bryan Elementary
Hampton, VA 23666
cthompson@sbo.hampton.k12.va.us


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Shortcut to: http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/911.php


 Melissa,
Two books that I have used to observe/reflect on the 911 tradegy are *
Fireboat* by Maina Kalman and *The Man Who  Walked Between the Towers* by
Mordicai Gerstein. I have read the books aloud to grades 3-5 and then had a
followup discussion. I plan to use them again this year.
Margaret Mack, SLMS
Maple Road School
West Milford, NJ 07480

At our elementary school we want to focus on the importance of peace.  We
plan to use the book A Million Visions Of Peace: Wisdom From The Friends Of
Old Turtle by J. Garrison as a model for our students to create a message
and/or picture.
The book is a beautiful and profound collection of children's messages and
drawings.  Included is an activity
page at the end of each chapter that invites readers to explore peacemaking
in their daily lives.
We have over a thousand students at our school, and we want to have a
gallery of thoughts and drawings in our foyer called A Thousand Visions of
Peace.
Vicki Krebsbach, Librarian
Wilderness Oak Elementary
San Antonio, TX

Arlington County does little.  The plane that hit the Pentagon was in
our school district. School staff and students lost family members.  In
the past the school system did not want to bring up unpleasant memories
and so we didn't do much.  Things may be different this year, but it
will be low key.

I don't have a lesson, but two books for very young
children about 9/11 that I find wonderful are Maira
Kalman's FIREBOAT and Jeanette Winter's SEPTEMBER ROSES.
GraceAnne

 Kids get so much of the "sad" part of the story... I was thinking of doing
something to celebrate the Twin Towers as a part of history. *The Man Who
Walked Between the Towers* is great, talking about Phillipe Petit and his
incredible feat!
Brenda Strack
Media Specialist
Franklin / Montessori at Franklin
Rochester, MN 55904
brstrack@rochester.k12.mn.us

The day after 9/11, I took down my displays and changed to a patriotic
theme.  That's my small tribute to all those who have sacrificed for the
USA. Now we are required to teach the US Constitution in Sept., so my
displays work out well.
Nancy Krebbs, Librarian








-- 
Melissa Byrd

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