I can’t believe that the end of this school year is here already. We have so many more books that we want to breathe life into before our fourth graders take flight to middle school. As I look at the stacks and stacks of books in my office, I have to resign myself to the fact that this is it for this year.
I am sure you want to know how we ended the year. While on our field trip in NYC, we visited the Schomburg Library. I had recently been gifted a book entitled Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by my writing coach, agent, and friend Janna. At that moment, I decided that we would end the year by reading that book and the Dr. Seuss classic, Oh, the Places You Will Go!
The book, Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library is filled with so many facts that we needed 3 weeks to cover it! We created three vocabulary lists, along with research and critical thinking questions for the students to complete over the summer months.
(A special note of appreciation to Dr. William A. Shell, Nashville, TN, for purchasing Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library for each student as a keepsake and reference.)
With their maps in place, the students again raced to be the first to locate the likes of Puerto Rico, New York, Spain, London, West Africa, Maryland, Massachusetts, and the Gulf of Panama, to name a few.
The students learned about authors, and how and why writers had pen names. One of their activities was to come up with a pen name.
Schomburg attended many galas. The students were unfamiliar with the term “gala.” So Papa K dressed in his tuxedo and me in a formal gown, and showed up ready to attend a gala. The students loved it!!
Did you know that...
Mr. Schomburg’s book collection was purchased by the Carnegie Corporation and donated to the New York Public Library.
Ludwig van Beethoven’s mother was a Moor.
Alexandre Dumas, author of the book, The Three Musketeers, was descended from slaves.
Mr. Schomburg founded and established the Fisk University Library’s Negro Collection.
Papa K was able to squeeze in one additional presentation. Students pulled out their maps and faux passports, ready for their stamp of validation. He introduced and told exciting stories about his travels to Egypt, Israel, and Kenya. Papa showed the salt balls that he had collected from the Dead Sea and allowed each student to feel, touch, and smell one. I gave a CLASS WARNING: DO NOT PUT THE SALT BALLS IN YOUR MOUTH.” Ms. Butler had to give Jesus a second warning. We all laughed.
We closed out the year with an awesome party. The class officers created a party menu. They wanted pizza, chicken wings, chips, Doritos, ice cream with sprinkles, cookies, and water or tea. Their wish was granted and sponsored by Publix, Papa John’s, Thunderbird, Tea Tea, and Co., Panera Bread, and Mr. Kenneth Ford. Book-em gave each student a bag that we filled with the book gift from Dr. Shell, along with their summer homework assignment with additional note paper; a pencil from our travel to the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin (yes, the students were able to locate it on their map--quickly!) and a framed photo that we took with each student as a keepsake provided by Mr. Kenneth Ford.
Each sponsor was given a class photo with a thank you note signed by the students. Papa K and I also wrote a note of appreciation to each of the sponsors.
After the students feasted, I read the last book to one of my favorite classes, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! The students surprised us by telling us the many places that they plan to visit when they grow up. We heard Noah say Chicago (that’s where he was born), Jesus plans to go back to Puerto Rico, and then we heard North Carolina, New York, Mississippi, Florida, New Mexico, and Indiana, to name a few.
Zak said it best: “I am going to be a tourist and go everywhere, including swimming in the Dead Sea like Papa K.”
I confess, as we packed up, my eyes were full. Noah, the class Sergeant at Arms and designated consoler of Mama K, came to my rescue with a hug, saying, “It will be okay.”
My hope and prayer is that each of my students will be okay and never forget what we taught them early on in August, something they recited at the beginning of each literacy session, a poem that my Mom recited to me often:
Be a better “B” Be a better Best Never let it rest until Your “B” is better and your better is BEST!!
In closing, we read twenty-one books this year. Every book brought so much joy and excitement. The students learned a lot... and so did we.
Pondering about the upcoming year.