1. Add your “Black Out” poem to our Google doc – Women’s Black Out Poem
2. It does not matter if you are a boy or a girl.  Watch –  What are you going to make? Write your “One day I will…” statement to this blog post.

We can a learn a lot about perseverance from Martin Luther King, Jr. On Monday, January 16th we observe his birthday and honor all of his accomplishments. Listen to Kid President’s video on how King taught us that things won’t always be awesome, but your response can be.

Remember, things don’t always have to be they are. We can change them! Kids can change them.

Let’s use a creative form of poetry, Blackout Poetry, to share our own message of hope and perseverance with MLK: An American Leader.  For homework, post your poem to this blog.

Additional Resources:

• Try this listening activity. Listen to the I Have A Dream speech while you’re reading text.
• Here is a Martin Luther King, Jr. Internet scavenger hunt. Information is from the official U.S. Government website on Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Watch the video of the book, Martin’s Big Words.
• Watch King Leads March On Washington.

Tonight is the opening ceremony for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. There are so many opportunities to learn about winter sporting events, countries around the world and athletes. Here are a few links:

• Mrs. Ramirez friend, Stacy Spletzer, is working with athletes for WADA. Watch her videos and send her questions here, Greetings from the Winter Olympics.
• Mrs. Wagner’s Winter Olympics Online Scavenger Hunt. You can find fun facts, create Olympic rings and/or learn the science behind sports.
• The official 2018 Winter Olympics website – PyeongChang 2018 will host the XXIII Olympic Winter Games. Find voting results and all the latest news as South Korea prepares for the Games.

It is time to get those creative juices going again! Mrs. McBride is offering an opportunity to 4th graders ONLY! Let’s put those problem solving and designing skills to work. Find out more details for this month’s challenge here – The Valentine Challenge.

Compassion is caring about others more than yourself.

Will you ask someone to join you at lunch? Will you reach out and play with someone at recess? Will you listen more to those around you?

Be a “Soup-er” Hero and bring in a soup can and another item for our local food pantries. SOCES is asking 3rd graders to bring in canned vegetables, 4th graders to bring in peanut butter or jelly, and 5th graders to bring in canned tuna, chicken and other canned meat.

Eve Bunting’s Train to Somewhere is our book of the month. Many orphans were placed with caring families across the United States. Read to find out if Marianne is chosen to be with a compassionate family.

Remember our Compassion Twins message for this month. “Show Love. Be Kind. Keep Compassion on Your Mind.”

“Winston Breen finds puzzles everywhere, even on pizzas, and solving them is what he does best. But when his sister uncovers mysterious wooden strips with words and letters that even Winston can’t figure out, the entire family is obsessed. It turns out the strips are part of a scavenger hunt that a town patriarch set up for his children. If all four sets are put together, they will lead to a ring worth thousands of dollars.”

Text – The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin
Audio – Winston Breen 1.1 & Winston Breen 1.2

Have you ever tried to blow bubbles in the cold?  Have you wondered what would happen if you did?  Hope you are dressed warm.  Let’s make some predictions and give it a try.

Play Frozen Bubbles!

Learn more – The Science Behind Bubbles

Let’s use this time of year to keep our logic in check. Choose from the following activities to keep your brains active.

• Factory Balls is a problem solving game that emphasizes logic and sequential reasoning. Your job is to create a design that matches the customer’s order!
• Blocky Christmas Puzzle  is a fun game that challenges you to move some blocks around the screen.  As you move through the levels, new obstacles are added and your own block becomes magnetic – which can be helpful and irritating at the same time.

Just like you, snowflakes are unique.  Let’s try a few different ways to make them.

Challenge #1 – Try Hopscotch – (This is a free app.  I highly recommend.)

Challenge #2 – Try Code.org with Anna and Elsa
Challenge #3 – Make a Six-Pointed Snowflake