5th Grade Lesson - Rumor Has It

This lesson entitled Rumor Has It focuses on encouraging our students to stop and T.H.I.N.K...

So many times, students speak without stopping to think about the consequences of their words.  In this lesson, students watched a video entitled "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz, Did You Hear About...?"  The video is comprised of several different segments in which students learn how rumors often start. Students are shown that things are not always how they appear and that they should always have their facts straight before talking about something. We focus on the fact that it's best not to talk about other people...period. The objectives for this lesson are as follows:

• Understand the meaning of rumors and gossip
• Recognize how rumors and gossip start and are spread
• Be aware of the reasons people might spread rumors and gossip
• Understand the dangers of spreading rumors and gossip
• Learn how to defend against rumors and gossip

By the end of the lesson, students have a greater understanding of how rumors start and what to do if they find themselves involved with rumors and gossip.

Students are encouraged to try the strategies above if they are dealing with rumors and gossip. They may also make an appointment with me to discuss other strategies and to get help if this is an issue they are dealing with. We want our students to learn to solve their own problems, but also to be happy each day when they come to school!

4th Grade Bullying Unit, Lesson 2

This month 4th graders continued with the next lesson in the bullying unit from The BullyProof Kit. The title of this lesson is "5 Ways to Stop a Bully" and is designed to teach students strategies to use when dealing with bullies and when dealing with people who are just not being nice.  The objectives for the lesson are as follows:

• Review the behaviors of a bully.
• Learn 5 ways you can stop a bully.
• Describe appropriate ways of handling various bully situations.

I stress to the students that these strategies will work with people at school, people on the bus, and even siblings! They are versatile and can be applied in various situations.  We discuss the fact that you might have to try a strategy more than once and you might even need to try more than one strategy in order to solve your problem.  The strategies we discuss in the lesson are listed below.

Although "Tell an Adult" is listed last, we have a long discussion about when it is appropriate to seek assistance from an adult right away. If a student is threatened by someone else, they should go to an adult right away, especially if the threat is of physical violence. In addition, if someone speaks to the student about having a weapon or using a weapon or if the student sees the person in possession of a weapon, the student should go to an adult right away.

While we want our children to learn strategies to solve their own problems, we understand that sometimes these strategies do not work and adult intervention is needed. If you ever feel that your child is the victim of bullying, please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail or phone. I will work with you and your child in a confidential manner to help solve any problems that arise. In addition, students may obtain a red counseling appointment request form from me or their classroom teacher to request a meeting with me during the school day. I am here to help your child navigate through these elementary school years!

Second Semester Club Day Selections

Information about Club Day was sent home and e-mailed to parents on Friday, December 12, 2014. If your child misplaced his or her form, you can print another one from my website by clicking here.

Instructions for Entering Club Choices Online
Click on your child's grade level below to enter their Club Day choices online. Remember, students need to turn their Club Day Selection Forms in to their homeroom teachers signed by a parent by Tuesday, December 16th.

Students will know what Club they are in by Tuesday, January 20th. If you have any questions, please let your child's teacher or Mrs. Blake know.