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Category: Seesaw

Studying the Impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Posted in character education, fifth grade, holiday, picture book lesson, Seesaw, and Social Studies

Last week in the Jackson Library, fifth graders listened to the read aloud, Martin’s Big Words, and we discussed the impact those words had on America. Then they used Kally Miller’s Seesaw activity and the dates in the back of the book to sequence the major events in Dr. King’s life on a timeline. Finally, they wrote their own ‘I Have a Dream’ excerpts to convey ways they want the world to improve. 

MLK Martin's Big Words lesson

Seesaw activ Make a MLK Jr. timeline

More of Kally Miller’s Seesaw activities here

ANSWER KEY

key

I HAVE A DREAM SHORTENED POEM TEMPLATE

I Have a Dream Poem Template - short
short template

 

pollution article 2021
article, Jan. 2021

Student Poems
5th I Have a Dream poems
Nancy W comment

Using Active Voice: A Jeff Anderson Lesson

Posted in bilingual, fifth grade, picture book lesson, Seesaw, and writing

Today in the Jackson Library, fifth graders practiced using active voice during writing. First, we read Chall’s Up North at the Cabin. During the story, I pointed out the author’s use of active voice, personification, and imagery. I used Jeff Anderson’s Patterns of Power book, lesson 6.5. Then the kids used a Seesaw template I created to sort sentences from the story by active or passive voice. After that, I gave them dry erase boards and they wrote an active voice sentence about the school camping trip. As you can see, it rained during most of camp this year! 

active voice

up north at the cabin book

Jeff Anderson – Patterns of Power- 6.5 What Do Verbs Do? Finding Your Active Voice 

“The sunshine sits in my lap…”

“The river spills over rocks and whispers to me…”

“The [boat’s] motor sputters softly, waiting…”

“The boat roars forward…”

“blood thumps through my head…”

“when frosted windows cloud the sun”

 

seesaw

 

 

active voice

Puddles of ink stained the blank paper.

Little dots of paint sketch a beautiful dog.

I just ordered the bilingual edition of the book but it hasn’t shipped yet, so I talked to our bilingual team leader and we guessed at how to translate this lesson for the bilingual kids: 

El libro fue liedo por Juan.

Juan lee el libro.

Patterns of Power

5th shearman

5th kuw

Burkhead's class

Seesaw Ambassador

Posted in Seesaw, and technology

After receiving an invitation from Seesaw, I completed the training course to be a Seesaw Ambassador. Shawne Briggs, Sheffield Primary librarian, told me how useful it is in the library and she talked about how she infused it into all of her lessons. I started using it for lessons at the beginning of the school year and it has enriched our learning tenfold! The kids love it and I like how everything is in one place for me to approve. It has caused some shy kids to ‘come out of their shell’ and share! I can’t wait to find out more about this amazing tool and to share it with the staff via our Technology Committee meetings!

Seesaw ambassador badge
Dec. 2019

 

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