Shared Experience

The fourth graders who have been reading historical fiction I small groups shared what they learned this week. An interview was conducted in front of the class with Tree Ear,the main character in A SINGLE SHARD. Life lessons were shared from BEHIND THE BEDROOM WALL. A stick puppet show illustrated the important events from BAT 6. A time machine took us back to interview children about their experiences with their teacher from THE SECRET SCHOOL. Quiz show questions (in Jeopardy format) reviewed informations about World War II as portrayed in THE KLIPFISH CODE (for which a study guide was given to the children by the group members for optional studying the previous night; all studied!). Students line up by German soldiers to answer questions before being allowed to cross the river into unoccupied France in connection to BLACK RADISHES.

In the last experience, each person was given an answer sheet and could choose how to answer each of the soldier's questions. Each also had either a hand-drawn black radish, a Star Of David, or a Swiss passport. The soldiers quickly took the black radishes and let those persons pass. They put all holders of the stars in prison. They glanced at the passports, and let those fortunate people pass also.

The shared experiences not only taught about time periods and life lessons. The children. Want to read each other's book selections, too.