Empathy is the feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences and emotions.

• Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
• Empathy is about standing in someone else’s shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes.
• Empathy makes the world a better place.

Practice empathy by being observant of others, using active listening and donating a pair of new or gently used shoes for Soles to Souls.

Our book of the month is The Yellow Star by Carmen Deedy. After reading and listening to the Legend of King Christian X of Denmark, explain why the author titled the book The Yellow Star. What does the yellow star symbolize?

Why Do Countries Declare Independence?

This is the big idea that we will be exploring in social studies for the next month.
We will begin our journey by studying our own country. Why did the 13 colonies decide to sign the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson (with help from others) in 1776?

Why did the colonists want to declare independence and separate from Britain and King George III?
What were the big ideas in the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence?
What did they mean?

Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Everyone is out looking for great deals on holiday presents. Don’t fall into this shopping craze. Use some imagination and creativity with Mrs. McBride’s monthly challenge, The Paper Bag Challenge. Save money and the environment! All entries are due Monday, December 17th.

Please visit The Paper Bag Challenge blog post for additional information, ideas and resources.

Check out Caitlin’s Turkey for Mrs. McBride’s Post-It Contest!

Here is a link to Mrs. McBride’s blog with fun Thanksgiving activities.

Kayleen entered Mrs. McBride’s Post-It Contest by designing an apple on grid paper!  Here she is beaming next to her apple.  She explained, “The apple reminds me of teachers.  When I think of school, I think of a fun place to learn and grow.  I wanted others to see the apple and be happy.  This way when they come to school, they feel the same way I do.”  Way to go Kayleen!

Check out the Post-It Contest!

Mrs. King visited us today with an awesome lesson about empathy.
She ended the lesson with a very powerful video.
Watch it again. What are your thoughts?

Happy Halloween! Have fun and be safe!

Kate and Savannah decided to write a song using all of their spelling words and then rap it for us! Go Girls! So creative!

Sunday, November 11th is Veterans Day. Our book of the month, America’s White Table. Listen to the significance of each item placed on the table and how Katie comes to understand and appreciate the depth of sacrifice that her uncle, members of the Armed Forces and their families have to make.

It is important Americans give thanks for their freedom. The perfect way to do this is by thanking our active troops, our veterans, our heroes. It is important to show gratitude toward those who serve. Consider writing a card to send to a veteran.

Additional Resources:

• Learn how to say thank you to veterans – The Gratitude Campaign!
• Bet You Didn’t Know: Veterans Day | History
• Men’s Basketball Veteran’s Day Recognition
• History of the Holidays: History of Veterans Day | History

This month we celebrate Thanksgiving and Veterans Day. It is important to show gratitude for your own happiness, health, relationships and impact on the world.

Cottage Lane will be growing a gratitude tree. The gratitude tree will show everyone that we appreciate the small things in life, are grateful for everything they have, are mindful of the things that are going right in their lives and hold people in our lives close to our hearts.

In your writing journal write daily gratitude responses. Feel free to go above and beyond and say thank you to others, write them a letter and share that letter with them. After 7 days of gratitude responses, receive a leaf for your teacher and add it to the CLE gratitude tree. If you need writing prompts, try these:

• It was a good moment today when __________________.
• I’m glad I had the opportunity to _________________ this week.
• Thinking about _______________ makes me feel good.
• I like seeing _______________________ in nature.
• I’m grateful I’ve accomplished ________________ in my life.
• I learned _________________ from a challenge.
• ______________ always makes me smile.
• Additional gratitude writing prompts can be found here.