Ordinary Epiphanies

This morning, instead of our usual journal topic, I proposed that the kids write an entry called "The time I realized..." First, I brainstormed my own ideas under the overhead. I modeled this for them and ended up basing it on something to do with karate. I told them I had the middle of my narrative all thought up, and that I could go back and add the beginning and the end later. I fumbled through my opening, crossing through an idea I had at first, before I realized there was a better way to word it. Then I had the kids open up their journals and start writing their own, brainstorming at first but then they had to start writing. I just gave them a fifteen minute "quick write" today, but we will come back to these again and again, editing and altering every few days until we get to a publishable piece.

You should ask your kids what they wrote about today.

Homework tonight is a Study Link (5.1) for my Math class, study for the spelling test tomorrow, and also read for 20 minutes.