Remembering September 11th

Nation Of Survivors

In the bright September morning without warning to us all
A few thousand lives were shattered and we watched two buildings fall
And a billion souls felt empty, and the flags at half-mast fly
In the memory of the innocent which didn't have to die
We've lost brothers, sisters, cousins.
We've lost family and friends
But we've made the choice not to forget their lives and tragic ends
Though we've had our share of troubles we have put them all aside
As a nation grieves we find ourselves defending them with pride
We're a nation of survivors, with one heart we share a tear
But we live to serve the memory, not giving in to fear.
Though they try to take security with the things they've done and said
All their acts of inhumanity bring unity instead.
So we stand here as a family.
One heart, one soul, one voice.
We are challenged by this moment, and united here by choice.
--Jack Foshee Jr., Sept 12, 2001.





Today, as we commemorate September 11th, I'd like to recommend that you share with your child the beautiful book, September Roses by Jeanette Winter, whose cover is shown above. If you have not already read it, please know that it is a poignant story and most appropriate for this age group. It is one of my all time favorite books. I hope your Explorer will initiate a conversation with you about 9-11. It came up as a topic of discussion today. I shared with the class that even though it was 6 years ago when the tragedy occurred, and the Explorers were 3, 4, and 5 years old, that someday, perhaps at a camp, they might meet a child of whose family members perished in the 9-11 tragedy. If that new friend decided to share this personal information, then because your Explorer was aware of 9-11 and its importance, that he/she would be able to show empathy for that new friend. We also discussed the importance of keeping historical events alive and honoring those who have died. We decided that each student would write an entry in his/her classwork notebook about 9-11. This classwork notebook will be going home in the Friday Folder.

In addition to taking time for remembrance, Explorers continued their work on their vocabulary words in Lesson 1 of Wordly Wise today. This packet is due back on Friday. Students received their Wordly Wise packet last week and they have had, and will continue to have, class time to complete it. Students may turn it in early as they complete it. If they want to do extra work at home, which is not assigned homework, then they might select this packet. One word in Lesson 1 is "immigrants". We spent time discussing the difference between being an "immigrant" verses an "emigrant". Feel free to ask your child the difference.

Today marked the first of our Jr. Great Books series. The story is "Charles" by Shirley Jackson. Your Explorer is to read it to you tonight.

Jr. Great Books is an excellent way for gifted students to explore higher level thinking skills with rich literary pieces. The Jr. Great Books curriculum is an inquiry based program that gives my students opportunities to interact with thought provoking stories as they develop their reading, writing, oral communication, and critical thinking skills. It is because of the curriculum's emphasis on discussion and its focus on interpretation, that everyone is able to contribute. It develops reading comprehension in context with thinking about genuine problems of meaning . It is a staple of my classroom and I am forever amazed at the insightful comments my students give regarding the intent of the author, inferences and character motivation.

Another homework assignment is that of writing a story of "My Life as a Dog". We will have time in class for the next 3 days to work on this and also in the computer lab during Writer's Workshop. Please know that this is just a rough draft and only as much as each student wants to write tonight. 20 minutes is all I am requiring.

HOMEWORK FOR EXPLORERS:
Jr. Great Books-read story to parents
My Life as a Dog-written in the first person

Navigators' Social Studies:
All Naviagtors completed their Social Studies homework in class today.