Bringing It All together

We have many interesting ideas on the blog. I have enjoyed reading and thinking about them. I would like to take the thinking to a higher level.

So, I have a new question:

What connections can you make between the comments on the blog? The connections that you make need to help us understand the question of the blog - how can kindness and caring cause change. The last sentence of your post should say what your connections have taught you about the power of words and actions.

February is Fairness Month

This month's character trait is FAIRNESS. We treat others with justice and play by the rules. We take turns. We listen to others. We are open-minded. What does playing FAIR have to do with being KIND? How do you play FAIRLY on the school yard, at home, in your classes, in the gym? Share a story of FAIRNESS.

Here is a quote to get you thinking....

The future which we hold in trust for our own children will be shaped by our fairness to other people's children. Marian Wright Edelman

Kindness and Caring is Happening Here

Everyone at school is very busy. Often it seems that we talk about the bad things that happen and forget the good things. I know there are lots of good things going on as well.

If you have done something nice for someone lately, at home or school we want to know about it. If someone has shown kindness and caring towards you, we want to hear about it also. Be specific.

What does kindness mean to you?

Mr Cotton is very kind because he helps me learn about computers.
Kindness is helping one another.

Exerpts from 'I Have a Dream'

Here are some of Martin Luther King's words from his famous 'I Have a Dream' speech. How do these words connect to the idea that kindness and caring cause change?

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day . . one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!

Martin Luther King Junior Day: A Kindness Hero

Hello Grade 3,
Monday, January 19th is Martin Luther King Junior Day in the United States. He is remembered on the third Monday every January because his birthday is January 15th, 1929. Reverend Martin Luther King Junior was a man who used kindness and caring to create positive change. Class 3C has been learning about Dr. King in the picture books Martin's Big Words and Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King! Dr. King wanted all people to have justice and freedom no matter what culture or colour of skin. In the 1960's he helped laws to be changed to allow all Americans to sit together on buses, eat together in restaurants and go to school together. Some people thought that African-Americans and white Americans should not be allowed to do these things together. In 1963, Martin Luther King made a very famous speech on his dream for peace and freedom for all people in his country. It was called the "I have a Dream" speech. How is Dr. King a hero who helped make change? What are some examples and ideas from the stories and your own ideas? How did he work together with others to make change?

We are young...we are powerful!

In grade three we have talked about children who, in spite of their young ages, have made a difference in the world. Think about things you have learned and read. How could you use the kindness and caring within you to make a difference in this world?

Kindness and Caring Connects to Health

In Ms. Papoff's class, we discussed the connections between health and kindness and caring. Here are the ideas that we came up with:

• You can care for people when you are playing an active game. For example, you can include someone who wants to play or help someone up if they fall down.
• You can help people who are sick get healthy.
• You can give people healthy food and tell them about the importance of healthy eating.

Can you think of any other connections between health and kindness and caring?

con. ext. fs. :~]

Kindness and Caring Cause Change

Welcome Grade 3s!

The central question for Grade 3 is: How does the idea of 'kindness and caring cause change' connect to the school subjects and the world?

The purpose of this blog is to explore the central question.

The audience is Grade 3 students, other students, teachers and anyone who finds it on the web (!).

Here are some guidelines for what makes a good post or comment.

A good post or comment :

• is connected to the central question.
• extends the ideas of the post. Maybe it does this by asking a question, making a connection, making an inference or adding new information.
• uses full sentences and correct punctuation and spelling.

For your first post, answer this question. How have kindness and caring caused change in your life? Give a detailed example.

At the end of your comment use the following codes to show that you have followed the guidelines.

con = My comment is connected to the central question.
ext = I have extended the ideas of the post.
fs = I have used full sentences and correct punctuation and spelling