Last week, Scholastic presented a live webcast with special guest Usher, entitled Bigger Than Words. During this special program students learned "how to take informed action, become reading advocates, and help make a difference in their schools, communities, and the world." I had heard about this program through multiple outlets and shared a short commercial video with my class to determine the interest level of my students. They were thrilled, of course. I was able to rearrange our schedules in order to make this special event happen.
The day of the webcast (Thursday, Nov. 6th), my students were anything but still and attentive. They were all looking forward to the live webcast. In class, we discussed the books that inspired them or books that are their favorites. We shared why these books had lasting impressions and what made the adventures so memorable. The students then decorated a small book cover for the book they had chosen and we decorated the classroom door with reminders of what books inspire them.
The greatest moment came when a student told me that the book we are reading in a small book group, Masters of Disaster by Gary Paulsen, is a book she just can't put down or stop reading. This book has inspired many great conversations and more than a few laughs in our little book talks and is one I love as well.
Two of the big questions that were asked during the webcast were: 1. Why do we read? and 2. What can we do to open a world of possible for ourselves and for others? What great questions! The following day my students wrote about and then discussed with each other their own answers for these questions, taking ideas and inspiration from the webcast.
Scholastic will be continuing their World of Possible initiative with a plethora of resources on their World of Possible website and with four "calls to action" that will be released online throughout the year. Here is the link to the webcast and first call to action. Teachers, parents, and students will be able to take small actions that will have big impacts on the lives of children!
The day of the webcast (Thursday, Nov. 6th), my students were anything but still and attentive. They were all looking forward to the live webcast. In class, we discussed the books that inspired them or books that are their favorites. We shared why these books had lasting impressions and what made the adventures so memorable. The students then decorated a small book cover for the book they had chosen and we decorated the classroom door with reminders of what books inspire them.
The greatest moment came when a student told me that the book we are reading in a small book group, Masters of Disaster by Gary Paulsen, is a book she just can't put down or stop reading. This book has inspired many great conversations and more than a few laughs in our little book talks and is one I love as well.
Two of the big questions that were asked during the webcast were: 1. Why do we read? and 2. What can we do to open a world of possible for ourselves and for others? What great questions! The following day my students wrote about and then discussed with each other their own answers for these questions, taking ideas and inspiration from the webcast.
Scholastic will be continuing their World of Possible initiative with a plethora of resources on their World of Possible website and with four "calls to action" that will be released online throughout the year. Here is the link to the webcast and first call to action. Teachers, parents, and students will be able to take small actions that will have big impacts on the lives of children!
Thanks so much for sharing Scholastic's "World of Possible". I love your pictures by the way. :)
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