As a first year teacher of third grade, I am looking forward to a positive experience. As a kick-off to this theme, I would like to begin with creating a classroom community. Morris, an expert at writing meaningful non-fiction for early learners, includes informative photographs, sparse writing, broad representation, and lots of room for children to theorize about how different customs differ in communities. Photographs of their elders' weddings could also be shared for comparative study of customs and history. Invite musicians and costume designers from local or regional theaters into the classroom as guest speakers and performers.
Communities exist in nature as well.
Use large plastic drink bottles for planting miniature terraria simulating rain forests in your classroom. Unite community and conservation by involving students in recycling playground litter or taking on the responsibility of monitoring roadside refuse. Each page ends with focus questions interjecting a thoughtful, feeling tone. Link this objective and artistic view of the tree with Shel Silverstein's classic, The Giving Tree, and give literary voice to the concept of support and sacrifice between generations in community and family. When the empty lot fills with junk, Marcy and her neighbor, Miss Rosa, organize their community to lease the land, clean up the trash, and plant a communal garden.