December’s superpower is acceptance. Acceptance is the willingness to embrace feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from your own. Acceptance is the ability to experience or survive something unpleasant. Acceptance is the willingness to tolerate a difficult or unpleasant situation. We all have the human need and right to be accepted.

This month’s book of the month is Remember: The Journey to School Integration.  It is a collection of photographs from the Civil Right movement and the era of public school integration with a story by Toni Morrison.  In this two-minute mini-documentary, Toni Morrison introduces her book and shows young people the relevance of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision.

After reading Toni Morrison’s Remember: The Journey to School Integration, look back at photographs on page 22, 42 and 67.  Select one photograph and write a dialogue between the two students. Post the conversation to this blog.

It is time to get those creative juices going again! Mrs. McBride is offering an opportunity to put your skills to work. Find out more details for this month’s challenge here – The Paper Mache Gift Challenge.

Solve the logic puzzle by filling in all of the squares in the game grid. Use the clues and your deductive reasoning to solve these online logic games:

• Pet Mix-Up
• Foot Race
• Toy Cars
• Pony Snacks

Are you an expert? Try these logic grids on PuzzlersParadise.

This month the Hulk challenges to use our Superpower, Gratitude.  Kid President has a few ideas for us too.

Here are three challenges:

1. Call that special person on the green slip and let them know how grateful you are for him/her. Return the slip to school and link it to our gratitude chain.
2. Bring in an item for our Food Drive.
3. Be inspired by The Secret of Saying Thanks and keep a 21-Day Gratitude Journal. Read and listen to our book of the month here – Secret of Saying Thanks. Comment 3 things you’re grateful for. They can be super simple—and nothing is too small. For example: 1. Favorite cereal this AM 2. Warm bed to sleep in 3. Funny chat with my brother. Do this for 21 days, But you can’t list your family members by name over and over. You have to write different things each day—this is how you learn to flex your gratitude muscle.Why 21 days?  Scientists believe it takes that long for something to become a habit.  Good luck!

On October 27, 2004 marks the anniversary of the NYC subway system.  Before reading, Ride of the Century, let’s take a stroll back in time to see what it was like in NYC at this time.

Challenge:  Research the NYC Subway System today.  What are some issues?  Have fares, lines, tracks, riders changed?  Post your research in the comment section.

It is time to get those creative juices going again! Mrs. McBride is offering an opportunity to put your skills to work. Find out more details for this month’s challenge here – The Turkey Disguise Challenge

Breakout EDU brought gaming to our classroom. Our Breakout presented us with a challenge that encouraged teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, and troubleshooting. Let’s continue using these skills when solving mysteries, logic puzzles and/or riddles!

More Mysteries..

• Cafeteria Caper
• The Mystery at the Third Strike Sports Store
• Bell Clapper Caper
• The Pilfered Pizza
• What am I?

• What is home?
• What makes a place a home?
• Do we need a home? Why or why not?
• Is being home about a place outside of us, or about something inside us?
• Can we be at home anywhere?
• Do homes change?
• Can a home become no longer a home?Does home mean the same thing to all people?

You did it! You solved problems through playful exploration and trial and error.  With TEAMWORK you were able to breakout.  Today a door is firmly locked. You will need your problem solving skills to escape once, twice…forty times! Can you escape the mysterious room? And do it again and again and again? Play 40x Escape.

It is time to get those creative juices going again! Mrs. McBride is offering an opportunity to put your skills to work. Find out more details for this month’s challenge here – The Out of the Box Cardboard Challenge