Monthly Archives: February 2024

Recommended Reads

Black History, Read Alouds

Three books that I have enjoyed reading are Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito, Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson, and The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard. These stories bring out the strength, determination, and perseverance of different individuals and groups.

If you are interested in learning more about the individuals in the stories, I have included links to the books being read online and videos.

I hope your students enjoy learning about Georgia Gilmore, the Birmingham Children, and Mary Walker!

Pies From Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott

This is an interesting story as we learn about an individual and her team who worked behind the scenes to support the Montgomery bus boycott that started in 1955. Georgia Gilmore and the Club of Nowhere cooked and baked food to raise money to support the action. She was fired from her job when they found out she was a part of the boycott.  Martin Luther King, Jr. encouraged her to start her own cooking business. The business took off and many people went to her house for meals. In addition to this, her home became a meeting place for civil rights leaders. When the boycott was over, Georgia Gilmore kept on cooking as there was more work still to be done.

Read Aloud https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFOf2Tp_jl8&t=10s

Interview with Georgia Gilmore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV-JnFRmsOY&t=26s

Let the Children March is about the Birmingham Children’s Crusade, that took place in Alabama, May 2 – 10, 1963. As Black parents were fearful of losing their jobs, their children decided to march in their place. It was a nonviolent protest that was led by Black children against segregation. The violent ways they were treated by the police was captured by news photographers and television crews. The country and the world were horrified by what they saw. Not long after this exposure, the white city officials and Black civil rights leaders reached an agreement. The actions of the children played an important role in ending legal segregation.

Book Read Aloud https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbSyjMtFt0k

Children’s Crusade of 1963 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV0k-3Hkjsw

Britannica Article https://www.britannica.com/event/Birmingham-Childrens-Crusade

The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard

In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. She did not learn how to read until she was 116 years old. She was certified as the nation’s oldest student and was twice named Chattanooga’s Ambassador of Goodwill. She died when she was 121 years old.

Read Aloud https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDdBZAvWreo

Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSKXf1HB9n8

Generating Writing Ideas

Personal Narratives, The Writing Process, Writing Stamina, ,

“I don’t know what to write!” is something that I have heard countless students say when they have been told that they could write on any topic of their choice. Some students would jump straight in with ideas flowing, while others sit not knowing where to start. Their uncertainty led me to think about ways students could be taught to generate their own writing ideas. Here are three strategies that I have found effective, and students have found engaging.

Strategy One

The heart mapping strategy shared by Georgia Heard in her book, Awakening the Heart: Exploring Poetry in Elementary and Middle School, is effective not just for generating ideas for poetry writing but also other types of writing.

Activity

Students draw the outline of a large heart in their notebooks, or they could be given a printed version to glue into their notebooks. In the center of the heart, students, in a few words or phrases, jot down their special memories, special people, and special events that mean the most to them.

Strategy Two

For this strategy, students create a running list of very broad writing ideas at the back of their writer’s notebooks.

Activity (Possible list ideas.)

Places they have visited.

Things they like to do.

Things they do very well.

First time they did something.

Accomplishments

Favorite foods

Favorite movies

Favorite sport stars

Favorite books

Strategy Three

This strategy is centered around visual prompts.

Activity

Students collect photos and pictures from various sources, e.g., magazines, the internet, etc. They are then glued into their writer’s notebooks. Students will collect the images that they find interesting. As they look at their images, they can create stories related to them. For example, they could imagine what happened before the picture was taken, what is happening in the picture, and what happened after the picture was taken. They can use their imagination to create characters and stories around the images.

Students now have a bank of possible writing ideas, and they have a starting point for when they are able to choose their own writing topics. They can add to the strategies throughout the school year.

Happy Writing!