We read and discussed a special article in TFK, called "The Year in Pictures." By looking back at moments of joy, triumph, hope, and tragedy, we were able to characterize the year of 2016.
Students read a book about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). This was a 2-sided book that presented 2 different arguments. We had some interesting debates and students all wrote about the author he agreed with most.
Our next book was The Power of Red. This book gave information about the history of the color red - why it was so popular, and how it came to be associated with wealth and power. Students also did some writing in response to this text.
In addition, we have been working on sharing meaningful thoughts about our books and/or our reading habits. These thoughts are ones that could, through further discussion, lead us all to deeper thinking and understanding about books, authors, characters, ourselves, and the world. We've been practicing listening with intent - with the intention of really understanding what is being said.
