September 15-ish is Dot Day !
We are learning about how ordinary people, our neighbors, have made a mark, and made it matter.
From their inspiring lives, we learn how we can also make a difference by making a mark, and making it matter. If you would like to join us, please look at what we are doing here: All Dots Matter.
We will join an Anti-Bullying assembly at our neighbor school, and learn from Rachelle’s Challenge. Stopping bullying is one way to “make a mark.”
On September 27th, we again join our neighbor school to celebrate Native American Day. Learning about our heritage and the contributions of our friends and neighbors, ancestors and elders, also inspires us with ways to make a mark, and make it happen. Our ” All Dots Matter” project features three of our community members and two of our ancestors. You could learn from them too. A skill we learn while reading their biographies is “inference.” You need to read between the lines to answer our questions:
How did each make a mark?
How did each help people?
What challenges did each have?
What made each strong?
What can we all learn from each?
Each of our community members and ancestors choose to matter. They are or were neighbors and friends who chose to matter in their lives. As we look at our lives, we realize that every day in small ways we can matter. We, who are neighbors and friends, can in simple ways of kindness help others.
How do we know about Dot Day?The inspiration comes from over 350,000 of us who love the message: Make your mark — see where it takes you, which comes from the book, The Dot by Peter Reynolds. This year, Mr Reynolds has teamed with Angela Maiers to stretch our creativity, genius, and kindness so that “we make a mark and make it matter.” Read more here:
Dear Ms. Edwards,
I found your blog via Mrs. Krebs’ “Cool Classes” links. Your Dot Day idea is indeed very cool! Our class participates in a number of community service events throughout the year so that we can make a difference. We collect tabs for the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, had a movie night for Equestrian Hippotherapy, helped disabled kids play baseball, planted flowers at a home for the disabled, sponsored a cleft-palette operation with Smile Train, had a baseball game fundraiser on September 11th, “9 Innings for 9/11” to support St. Jude’s and Share Our Strength, and sent goodie bags to our soldiers overseas. The metaphor of the dot artwork is very cool!
I am just starting to blog with my class. We have two class blogs: bdonofrio.edublogs.org and teddytours.edublogs.org. With your permission, I would like to add your class to our list of “Classy Classes” so that we can visit you often.
I hope you have a great start to your school year and that we are able to connect throughout the upcoming months.
Sincerely,
Beth Donofrio
Hello Beth!
We would be delighted to learn and share with you. I hope we can add your blogs to our list also.
I am so impressed with all the ways your class helps others! I think you will have given us some ideas.
I see you have a Traveling Teddy — we will have to learn about your Teddy, and follow his adventures. He certainly looks like a happy hound!
Thank you for stopping by.