Thankful 4th Graders!

Did you ever watch the Macy's Day Parade and marvel at the gigantic helium balloons?  Recently I shared the book Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade with my fourth graders.  (This is one of the 20 books that have been nominated for the 2013 Rhode Island Children's Book Award.  Any fourth graders who reads at least 5 of these books gets to go to the Rooster Games in the spring!  Click here for more details about the games!)  The students enjoyed learning about puppeteer Tony Sarg and how his incredible balloons - and the tradition of a Thanksgiving Day parade - came to be.

Because Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we are thankful for, I asked my fourth graders to consider how fortunate we are to have books and libraries.  I gave them three different writing prompts and invited them to share their thoughts.  Here are just a few of their excellent ideas:

I’m thankful for books because they help us learn about things.  Also books give us knowledge about our ancestors.  

-Collin, 4C

I’m thankful for books because I love books

 and reading.  It’s so fun!  

-Jamie, 4O

I’m thankful for books because every time I read a book I get excited and I don’t want to put it down 

(even though I have to).  

-Maya, 4Y

I’m thankful for being able to read because it can help me 

find out things I’ve never known 

and it can help me throughout life.  

-Syler, 4C

I’m thankful for being able to read because if I didn’t know how to read I couldn’t learn.  

-Sean, 4Y

I am thankful for libraries because they have books that are filled with knowledge and adventure.  

-Trevor, 4C  

I am thankful for our library because if we didn’t have

a library it would be sad.  There would be no 

Mrs. Mann and no reading!  

-Jack, 4Y

I am thankful for our library because without it we wouldn’t be reading the Rooster Books and I love the Rooster Books.  

-Lynsie, 4O

I am thankful for libraries because I don’t have lots of books so I get them at the library.  

-Cameron, 4Y

I am thankful for libraries because we can get books to read and share and make our brains happy.  

 I love reading and I really enjoy books.  

-Natalie, 4C

I'm thankful for libraries because when I'm reading I get engaged.  There's no place like the library!  

-Gabe, 4C

(By the way, if you know one of our fourth graders, ask them about how Tony Sarg fed his chickens when he was six years old; I promise you'll be surprised!)