I have really high expectations for my kids. Call me a Grinch, but my kiddos can't just get away with having a simple Halloween party. I try to incorporate some sort of educational activity into anything they do. Our students were allowed to dress up for Halloween, so I had them dress up as literary characters. They chose a character, wrote a few sentences from their Perspective (my favorite was Charlotte from Charlotte's web who saw the world differently because she had 8 eyes and it was harder to walk because she had 8 legs, and oh yeah, she wanted less babies :). Then they used Unanswered Questions to come up with a few things they still wondered about the story character. Parents were invited to come watch and the kids had an opportunity to practice their public speaking skills. It's amazing how quiet and shy some students appear standing in front of people, when we know they are not quiet and shy on a regular basis!
Your blog is so awesome! I teach 6th grade gifted students in California and get so much from your writing about the other end of elementary school :) Send me an email at ian@byrdseed.com sometime, I'd love to share ideas!
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