Letter about Homework

Good News from Room 303

Dear families,

       I was going to give out a reading log, math packet, and spelling list for homework this week, but I think something more important may be in order...  

Lately, our world has been seemingly filled with all kinds of horrible events. It seems like every time we turn on the news, get on the Internet, tune into the radio, or pick up a newspaper we are immersed in negative stories about crime or violence. Some of these stories are important; we want to ensure we are “in the know” because some of these stories hit close to home, maybe it reveals wounds that were simply covered up and can lead to productive dialogue that can actually change the course of history.

          Yes, we do live in a world where “bad things happen”. But, I think the reason we phrase it like that is because we recognize that it’s a shame that so much good in the world gets overshadowed by the bad. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to celebrate the good things in the world instead of dwell on the bad.

          Our class is in the middle of a unit on nonfiction. We were going to work on pieces about weather, but something came up in our morning meeting today that I think would be immensely more powerful and authentic. The students want to create a newspaper that only has stories, opinion pieces, instructional pieces, sports pieces that focus on the good in life.

          This is a massive overtaking. We want to get it put together before Winter Break begins; we’ve already begun coming up with some possible ideas:

·       South Carolina flood recovery

·       President Obama pardoning the turkeys

·       The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade

·       The lighting of the tree at the State House

·       Clemson’s 30,000 person pizza party

·       A community helping replace a woman’s stolen Christmas lights.

·       The Panthers being 12-0

·       Important things that make us personally joyful

·       Passing of the Cans

·       Donating gifts

·       Recipes/directions

·       Student Voice Council

·       Morning Milers

·       5^th graders getting ready for 6^th grade

I’ve decided that I’m going to do a story on President Jimmy Carter being cancer-free. I want to learn more about the man and what his life has stood for. Your child wants to come up with an idea for a piece that is positive and worth a read. It can be:

·       A story from the local community

·       A story from your personal connections about someone doing good to others.

·       A sports story that highlights something positive

·       A national story that is positive

·       An opinion piece about something positive your child wants to convince others about.

·       A story about our school.

·       Recipes and other how-to pieces

·       Interviews

Your child’s homework tonight is to come up with a possible idea to write on this week. So we can publish it next week. I appreciate your help with that. Your child will have a sheet of paper to guide their thinking tonight. If you would ensure that it is completed and brought back tomorrow, that would be awesome.

-Mr. Foote