Hiaku WBES

Stephen W.
4th Grade
The Rain is pouring down hard
We can't go outside
I am really bored.

Jacob C.
3rd Grade
I like to measure
When will they come over?
I always like school.

Drake D.
3rd Grade
School is very fun!
I love it when it is fall.
It is raining cheese.

Joshua G.
3rd Grade
The sky is falling!
No, the leaves are falling down.
I love when its fall!

Tori P.
3rd Grade
What's up, Spring is here lets play
School's here lets work guys
So you like baseball?


Tristyn R.
3rd Grade
The flowers are blooming now
They are pretty big
This season is spring.

Aly B.
4th Grade
I am happy it is fall!
The leaves are falling!
Rake the leaves again!

Joel R.
3rd Grade
What time is it now?
I hope they come over soon!
I like Halloween!

Anna Cate M.
4th Grade
Springtime is coming.
All the flowers start to bloom.
Bees are buzzing too.

Mary Beth B.
4th Grade
Acorns are falling.
Leaves are blowing now
It gets colder at night now.

Pictures from "Sadako's" Peace Park

These are actual photos from the "Peace Park" mentioned in our book. I hope these give you some real images to have in your mind of what Sadako experienced on Peace Day (chapter 2). Pardon my excitement, I just think it is neat to have a real image in my mind of what Sadako experienced.

This is the statue of a young girl holding a "paper" crane. It is believed to be the image of
Sadako Sasaki.

I like this one. If you look on page17 in your book. You will see Sadako and Chizuko running in to the Peace Park. See the building and fountains?

You can read these lines on page 18 "After speeches by Buddhist priests and the mayor, hundreds of white doves were freed from their cages. They circled the twisted, scarred Atomic Dome." - This is the sight Sadako saw and she looked up at THIS building!

Haiku Poetry - WES

Take a look at these. I am so proud of them.
Kathleen E.
WES 3rd Grade
3rd Grade

The leaves are changing colors
Nature is gorgeous
Fall is coming near!
______________________
Keegan T.
WES 4th Grade

Hunting is awesome.
Where are the good deer?
I just got a brand new gun!
_____________________
Ashley R.
WES 4th Grade

I love to party
My frind is coming over
School is coming soon
_____________________

Hallie C.
WES 3rd Grade

Summer is here now
The birds are singing
I feel a chill, now its gone!
_____________________
Drew S.
WES 4th Grade

Flowers are pretty
I see birds and butterflies
I love spring a lot.

____________________
Chase M.
WES 4th Grade

The sun is shining
There is no snowing
There is no rain falling down.
____________________
Chris O.
WES 3rd Grade

Hello, its winter
My birthday is in winter
It is January now!
____________________
Justin M.
WES 3rd Grade

The snow is falling
You will sweat in the summer
Summer is very hot.

____________________
Baleigh J.
WES 3rd Grade

It is warm today,
Warm enough to say , oh hey!
I'm getting a drink.
____________________
Sierra M.
WES 3rd Grade

My birthday is near!
It might snow in March.
What time is it right now?
____________________
Breanna P.
WES 3rd Grade

It's not winter now,
drops are falling down,
Now that is all for right now.
____________________
Brock D.
WES 3rd Grade

September is my birthday.
September is here.
I am turning nine!

____________________
Peyton C.
WES 3rd Grade

Summer is almost near here
Football is starting
and I am going.
____________________
Emma Hicks
WES 4th Grade

I see leaves falling
I see beauty now again
I love fall a lot!
____________________
Caleb P.
WES 3rd Grade

Winter is close now
I prayed for my school
The rain is falling down hard.

Week Three

Activating Activity

How many book shelves do you see?
Can you recreate this illusion on your paper?

3rd-4th Grades
Read/Discuss Chapters 1-2 of "Sadako"
Begin Haiku Poetry

5th-6th Grades
Read/Discuss Chapters 1-3 of "Sadako"
Haiku Poetry Project
**Display or Poetry Booklet due next week**

7th-8th Grades
Read Discuss Chapters 1-3 of "Sadako"
Begin group project of writing play

I also used this video to preview and discuss the droping of the Atom Bomb on Hiroshima. This is actual footage taken from the air craft. This is "the bomb" that affects Sadako.

Week Two's Task

What a great week we had in class. Everyone seems very excited about learning about Japan. So, here is what I need you to do for next week.

3rd and 4th Grades:

Look under the "important links" to the left on this page. Choose "Kid Web Japan". When you get to that page, look to the left under the "play" section. Choose "Virtual Culture" and you may choose any one of these topics. Click on it, read what it tells you to read, play the game it provides or you, and then answer the following questions in your notebook. 1) What topic did you choose and what is it? 2) What did it ask you to do? 3) What did you learn from this?

5th and 6th Grades:

You have two options this week.
Option One: Choose one of your interesting questions about Japan and search out the answer. Write a summary of your findings for next week.

Option Two: You may also choose one of the "Virtual Culture" links from the Kids Web Japan site. Follow the instructions for the 3rd and 4th Grades and write your conclusions in your notebook

7th and 8th Grades:

Remember that we are trying to be better problem solvers! You are to come up with a new daily school schedule that will help correct some of the problems we discussed in class while maintaining academic excellence for schools.

Email me with questions or concerns cottinghama@bibbed.org

Week Two - Whats wrong with our schools???

Think for a moment about your school day. Write down your schedule including subjects, teachers, and times (as best you can.)

Now we are going to do an activity called THINK, PAIR, SHARE. Follow my instructions...

1) Think about your school day. List the top FIVE problems this schedule causes in your life.

2) Pair up with someone who's birthday is two months before or after you (I will help those who cannot find a partner!)

3) Share the problems you created with your partner. Now, the two of you compile a list of the top three problems with your school day. We will use these in a moment.

Now lets look at some basic facts about school in Japan...

Japanese School

4) Write down some things you like about school in Japan.

And Lets watch this video...





THINK: If our class found so many problems so quickly, and there are SO many educators in the United States, WHY do you think our schools are set up the way they are? Is is just to TORMENT teachers and students???

Here is a video of some kids in Japan at school.



Japanese High School:



Now, own-your-own come up with a new schedule that you think would work to meet the needs of parents, teachers, and students - while maintaining academic standards.

First Week's Task

7th and 8th Graders: You should be posting a comment to the blog stating your "best" problem you formulated in class.

3rd and 4th: Take a look at the three maps on the post "Why Japan?" and tell me something you learned from each map.

**Everyone** Try a get a notebook before next week. It does not matter what size, but it needs to be for Gifted Class only. Also, don't forget to bring something to write with to class!

Have a Great Week
Mrs. Cottingham

Week One - Why Japan?

You may wonder, "Why did Mrs. Cottingham choose Japan for us to study?"

There are several reasons. First, I find it interesting! Also, Japan is a good case study of a society that is (1) different from ours (2) similar to ours (3) has changed drastically over the past decades...and many more! Also, when researching for this course, I found a plethora of resources available for our use.

You may also wonder, "What exactly about Japan are we going to study?"

For the first few weeks, we are going to be on a fact finding mission. Searching for, learning about, and remembering "stuff" about Japan. Then, we will use some of the knowledge we acquire to guide us through our learning journey of Japanese history, modern culture, changes, and people.

I have planned some really cool stuff for us! I am even working on a way for us to take a virtual field trip and actually see and talk to REAL students in Japan!

Let's get started!

First, I want you to write down everything you already know about Japan.
Then, write down everything you would like to learn about it.

We will come back to this later...

Take a look at this map. I want you to write down the FIRST thing that you notice about Japan.

Map One

Okay, take a closer look. Can you think of two problems that Japan or the Japanese might have based on what you see here? Write those down as well.

In Alabama, in average rain fall per year is

Based on what you already know, make a conclusion from this map and write it down.

Map Two

Now look at this map:

Map Three

Now we are going to use the information you wrote down and complete a problem solving task.

Weekly Gifted Schedule

Here is my tentative schedule. I suspect it will change once I get in the classes...

Monday:
Centreville Middle School
8:00 - 10:00 5th Grade
10:00 - 12:00 6th Grade

Randolph Elementary School
12:30 - 2:30 ALL Students

Tuesday:
Centreville Middle School
8:00 - 10:00 7th Grade
10:00 - 12:00 8th Grade

Brent Elementary School
12:30 - 2:30 3rd and 4th

Wednesday:
West Blocton Middle School
8:00 - 10:00 5th Grade
10:00 0 12:00 6th Grade

West Blocton Elementary School
12:30 - 2:30 3rd and 4th

Thursday:
West Blocton Middle School
8:00 - 10:00 8th Grade
10:00 - 12:00 7th Grade

Woodstock Elementary School
12:30 - 2:30 3rd and 4th

Friday:
Office
Referrals, testing, teacher consultation, GEP or parent meetings, lesson planning,phone calls, records, inservice attendance or planning.

Welcome!

I am so excited about this school year. As many of you know, our Unit of Study for this semester is Japan. I have lots of great lessons in store for you!

I hope that you will become very familiar with this website. I will store all of the images, maps, links, and assignments that we cover in class right here. Please take some time to familrize yourself with how the page works.

Once I began posting very often, you will notice that the new posts are always at the top. If you need information from an older post, scroll down. If you do not see it on this page, check out the "Old Posts" list on the right-hand side of the screen. Please feel free to email me anytime.

I hope as the semester goes on that several students will choose to create their own blogs as well. I will help you set it up and make it secure. This will be a great way for all of the students to share ideas and stay connected; even across the county!

Classes will begin next week, September 8-11th. I will post my weekly schedule. For 5th and 6th Graders at CMS due to the Labor Day holiday, I will not see you until the next week.

I cannot wait to see you!

~Mrs. Cottingham~