Fact and Opinion

Another "Mailbox" Idea

Turkey Fact or Fiction
They know he's usually the center of attention on Thanksgiving, but what else do your students know about Tom Turkey? Create a fact vs. fiction game with the facts below. Cut out 20 feathers from construction paper. Write one fact on each feather. Program each of the remaining eight feathers with false statements about turkeys; place them in a box. Place the box of feathers at a center and create an answer key. Have a student pick a feather, read the sentence, and place the fact feathers in one pile and the fiction feathers in another.

Turkey Facts:

Male turkeys are called toms.
Female turkeys are called hens.
Young turkeys are called poults.
The long piece of loose skin hanging beneath the turkey's lower jaw is called a wattle.
A tom's beard is a tuft of stiff feathers on his breast.
Many domestic turkeys have white or light-colored feathers.
Wild turkeys have brown or bronze-tipped feathers.
Wild turkeys usually weigh only about ten pounds.
Only wild turkeys can fly.
Wild turkeys rest in trees at night.
Turkey eggs are tan with brown specks.
Turkey eggs are twice as big as chicken eggs.

ELECTION IDEAS

Duck for President

Read Duck for President by Doreen Cronin with students. Suggest that the class have an election for a new boss of the barnyard. Have students recall the different types of animals in the story; then list the animals on the board to identify election candidates. Over a few days, encourage each youngster to make a poster for his favorite candidate and ask each of several students to tell the group why he thinks his chosen candidate is the best. On a designated day, have each youngster vote for his favorite candidate by secret ballet (ballot pattern). Count the votes with students and record the results on the board. (If there is a tie, determine how to resolve it with student input.) Declare the top vote-getter the boss of the barnyard.

Election Day Song
(sung to the tune of “Down by the Station”)

The day for elections
Is early in November.
It’s always on a Tuesday,
When people vote.

See the voters at the polls,
There they can cast their ballots.
Vote! Vote! Count! Count!
See who wins!

Presidential Characteristics

Aside from citizenship and age requirements, political candidates must possess certain qualities. Have students brainstorm what these must-have attributes are. Honesty? Objectivity? Global awareness? Calmness under pressure? Have the class vote to reduce the list to ten characteristics. Then have each student individually rank each item in the list in the order of its importance. Tabulate students’ opinions for each separate trait. Then divide students into groups to graph the results on posters, creating a presidential profile.

New Release

We're decorating cupcakes here today!

What Fear?

"The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything," by Linda Williams

This story works perfect for an interactive read aloud! In the story, an old lady walks home one night and is followed by shaking clothing, amongst other things. Everything that follows her ends up being the perfect makings of a scarecrow. Bring in articles of clothing that match up with the story and encourage your students to wiggle and shake their props as the story is read again, or retold by another student.

Click on the Posting Title for a link to a Readers' Theatre that goes along with the story as well or check out this post reading activity that encorporates Science.

FIVE SENSES REPORT
Under each heading, list at least three words to describe a forest:
Sights
Sounds
Smells
Colors
Tastes

Use the words in a five senses report

The forest is (color)_______________________
It sounds like____________________________
It tastes like_____________________________
It smells like_____________________________
It looks like______________________________
It makes me feel like_______________________

Walk to School Day

International Walk to School Day - October 8, 2008
This day encourages students to exercise and communities to create safer walking and biking routes. For ideas on how to organize an event, promotional materials, and more, visit the link that is attached to the posting title!

E-Mentoring Program

Free for Title 1 Schools
In2Books is an e-mentoring program that pairs students with adult pen pals to correspond about books they read. New to the site is Student Place, which is designed to help students choose books they would like to read based on genre, reading level, and more. It's all for grades 3-5. Visit the site attached to this posting title to learn more.

Family Day

Studies show that the more kids eat dinner with their families, the more likely they are to get better grades and the less likely they are to smoke cigarettes and use drugs and alcohol. Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children reminds parents that what kids really want at the dinner table is to spend time with them! This year's celebration is September 22, 2008. Learn more by clicking on the posting title listed above!