Starting a new unit on Monday

January 2, 2014 | Posted in: Class Updates

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Happy New Year!  I hope your holidays were relaxing and you enjoyed time with family and friends. 

Parents, please click on the link below this line of text to read an important message about a new reading and social studies unit starting on Monday.

On Monday, we have the Hartford Stage coming to begin a program with the fourth grade students. Throughout the week, theater educators from The Hartford Stage will join our class to teach the kids about the novel Number the Stars.  This novel tells the story of a fictional family in Denmark that helps to hide a Jewish family that tries to escape from the Nazis. The following week, we will begin reading this novel as a class.

This program and the reading of Number the Stars covers mature content matter.  Fourth graders at PGS have had this unit for many years, and I’m always impressed by how maturely students are able to participate in the lessons. When we teach this unit, our focus is more on characters and situations in the novel, with general background information provided to students.  We will work hard to make the unit “kid-friendly” and age-appropriate for fourth graders.  Of course, the Holocaust is a sensitive subject, and I always remind kids that they are safe and surrounded by people who care for them.  I have reminded students that because everyone has different amounts of prior knowledge about the Holocaust, there are some questions and discussions we can have address in class, while others are best done in private or at home with parents.  I always do my very best to avoid graphic details or anything that might be particularly upsetting to students.

As the unit progresses, I will be in contact with you to keep you informed about class discussions and content so that you can be prepared for follow-up discussions at home. As always, please feel free to email me if you have any questions about this unit.