Equity and Access Newsletter
Elementary Edition - December 2016
Happy Holidays!
Tis the season for celebrating! As we began to think about the holidays, it is interesting to note how closely related they are.
Hanukkah celebrated this year December 16-24 is the Jewish Festival of Lights. It commemorates the rededication of the second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in the 160s BCE/BC (before Jesus was born). Hanukkah is the Jewish word for 'dedication.' During the rededication people entered the temple, they saw there was only a small amount of oil in the lamp stand. The People assumed it would only burn for a few more hours. Instead, a miracle happened and the lamp continued to burn for eight days. On the first night of Hanukkah, families light the first of eight candles on the Menorah; gifts and cards exchanged and the family makes latkes to share with friends.
Las Posadas is a ceremony in Mexico celebrated December 16-24. It is not only a Catholic tradition but other religions also celebrate Las Posadas in Mexico. Posada means "shelter, " and the celebration lasts nine nights. The guests dress up like pilgrims, Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, and angels. When the guests arrive at the host's house, they stand outside the door and sing. The people inside the house will listen and sing back. The host invites them in to eat and socialize. After socializing, there is a seven-point piñata that looks like the star of Bethlehem for young and old alike to hit; when the piñata falls, it means forgiveness of sins. If it falls and is unbroken, it represents a blessing.
Kwanzaa is a seven-day festival that celebrates African and African-American culture and history. Kwanzaa takes place from December 26 to January 1. The name Kwanzaa comes from the phrase 'Munda ya kwanza' which means 'first fruits' in the Swahili language. During Kwanzaa, a special candle holder called a Kinara holds seven candles, three red ones on the left, three green ones on the right with a black candle in the center. Each night during Kwanzaa a candle is lit, and one of the seven principles recited. First, the black center candle then, you alternate between the red and green candles starting with the ones on the outside and moving inward. The lighting of the Kinara is quite similar to the lighting of the Menorah in the Jewish Festival of Lights. Also like Hanukkah the children receive gifts for each night of Kwanzaa called Zawadi.
Christmas, originally known as the Feast of Nativity celebrated December 25 is a Christian holiday honoring the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas evolved over two millennia into a worldwide religious and secular celebration, incorporating many Christian traditions into a festive celebration of life, love, and joy. Today, Christmas festivities include gift giving, church services, Christmas trees, as well as the Christmas Day feast and Santa Claus.
Christmas comes but once a year but to those who believe in peace, love, and happiness it continues day to day in your heart. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Let's celebrate Diversity.
"Celebrating the December Holidays." Neapolitan Families. N.p., 22 Nov. 2016. Web.
Book Of the Month
The Polar Express
Late one Christmas Eve, a boy boards a mysterious train - the Polar Express bound for the North Pole. Once there, Santa offers the boy any gift he desires. The boy asks for one bell from the harness of a reindeer. The boy loses his bell, but finds it on Christmas morning, under the tree. The boy's mother admires the bell that seems broken — for you see, only believers can hear the sound of the bell. The Polar Express is a beautiful 30-year-old classic for those that still believe.
Students may enjoy listening to the Polar Express on YouTube.
Additional activities and suggestions are available including:
- Summary
- Ideas for a Polar Express Reading Celebration
- Retelling The Polar Express (lower grades)
- Simile and Metaphor (upper grades)
- Imagination/creative writing ideas
"The Polar Express." Houghton Mifflin Company. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.
Being on Time for School or Class
Each month Success Tools will provide some ideas on life success skills that students may not have developed on their own. Feel free to provide these supports to an entire class or students that may need the support.
Benjamin Franklin is quoted to have said: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man/woman healthy, wealthy, and wise. One of the most important skills to develop in our students is the art of being on time. It is a trait that will lower stress, and make them more productive at school, in business and home. As educators, we know that tardiness can become a real problem if there is not an active tardy policy in place. In the article Methods to Deal with Tardy Students, it suggests strategies that will help students understand the importance of being on time. The most difficult task for teachers is finding methods that work. Some of the suggestions are:
- Make the beginning of class relevant
- Use consistent consequences
- Use detentions
- Use a reward system
Reflection Sheet
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0_TLeMwJ_W2N2FTdnhDV241WUk/view?usp=sharing
Think Sheet
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0_TLeMwJ_W2bG9wV0JmUWhtLVk/view?usp=sharing
Coming Events
Elementary Schools
Your school has been invited to participate in an art contest tied to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday in January 2017. This contest is being co-sponsored by the offices of the NAACP, SPS Diversity and Inclusion, SPS Community Partnerships, and SPS Fine Arts. Your class participation in this contest is voluntary. However, we hope to have entries from all SPS elementary schools!
Contest details:
Theme: Your Life, Your Choice (for the march and rally on January 16, 2017)
The number of entries: Each elementary school may submit one entry per grade level.
Specifications: All artwork submitted should be on 8 ½ x 11 plain white paper. List the student's name, classroom, art teachers names, grade, and school on the back. Any text on the artwork needs to be dark, and we recommend using bold colors and outlining designs in sharpie when appropriate. Submitted artwork should be “print ready.”
Deadline to submit entries: Submit entries to Breana Kavanaugh at KAC no later than Friday, December 9, 2016. Entries received after this deadline will not be considered.
Contest winners: Winning entries will be chosen and notified by December 21st. Winning artists will be recognized at a Board of Education meeting, the MLK March and Rally on January 16th at the Gillioz Theatre and receive a set of printed notecards featuring their winning artwork.
Martin Luther King Essay Contest for All Middle Schools
Students who are submitting essays: Submit electronically to info@naacpspringfieldmo.org. Some teachers may choose to submit all their students’ essays as a group. All essays are due December 7, 2016.
Submitting videos: Teachers will upload videos to the contest YouTube channel (URL and password); make sure the student's essay title, teacher’s name, school name, and student name, grade and telephone number appear in the first frame of the video. Submit a title sheet for your video to info@naacpspringfieldmo.org. Some teachers may choose to submit all their students’ title sheets as a group. All videos are due December 7, 2016.
If you wish to assemble all your students’ essays and video title sheets, please submit them to info@naacpspringfieldmo.org. Entries are due December 7, 2016.
STEAM through December
Minority students are often under-represented in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Science) fields. Encourage ALL students to become STEAM problem solvers with these activities for Winter Break can be done at school or at home with minimal preparation.
Dissolving Coal STEAM Activity
Pine Cone Science Experiment for Kids | Why Do Pinecones Open?