PROJECT CITIZEN
I took two groups to Montpelier on Monday to compete at Vermont State Project Citizen Portfolio Showing. There were 14 groups from eight schools from all over the state. Though we did not bring home a plaque, our students did a great job and should be proud of their work. All students participating in Project Citizen will receive one grade that is actually worth 400 points. This grade is based on the following: consistent effort, cooperating as a group member, following directions, complete portfolio (that is the binder and the posters), oral presentation, plus final group and self-evaluation.
THE DAY OF THE PELICAN
The Day of the Pelican by Katherine Patterson is the 2010 Vermont Reads book that follows an Albanian Kosovar family trying to escape the “ethnic cleansing” perpetrated by the Serbians in the late 1990′s. Through this story we will be practicing our reading and geography skills, and exploring the idea of cultural diversity. We began this week by watching some of the History Channel’s special on Ellis Island. This is to get the students thinking about the “push” and “pull” factors of immigration. On Wednesday we will begin the story and start tracking the characters and places.
Homework
Wednesday – students will be sent home with a progress report. They are to have a parent or guardian sign and return it the next day.
Thursday - A letter from the Leshi’s to their Albanian neighbors, explaining why they are leaving.
