Juli
Kendall's
2004-05
READING/WRITING
WORKSHOP JOURNAL
Entry #14
Shark Tales
The adoption is complete! The official papers have been signed and everyone is settling in to their new relationship. Even though this adoptee needs special attention, all interested parties are coping well. But just because it's a shark adoption, don't think it was any less involving emotionally. It all started with a terrible event.
In response to the vandalism at the Aquarium of the Pacific, one of our classes decided to adopt a shark. They set a goal of raising $500, which seemed impossible at the beginning. In the end, they not only met but actually exceeded their goal by a significant amount. To help explain what they wanted to do, in December the class wrote a collaborative article for our school's newspaper, The Whittier Times. It laid out their plans in great detail.As time passed and the money from the See's Lollipops started to add up, kids became really excited about the possibility of achieving their goal. The class committees continued with their plans and a date was set for Shark Night and a Saturday car wash. When the day finally arrived, as parents poured into the Multi Purpose Room filling a plastic bucket with their donations, kids showed off their display boards with information about sea creatures and sold decorated cookies and note cards. What a wonderful sight! And then came the play, "Innocent Sea Creatures in Danger." From a Great White Shark to a Hammerhead to a Jelly (with long strings of yarn dangling in front of his face) to the surfer carrying a large cardboard surfboard who yelled out, "Radical! I want to see a shark," it's hard to adequately describe the wonderful costumes the kids created. This article for the next issue of the school newspaper does a good job of filling in the gaps.Shark Adoption
by Room 72Room 72 found out that something terribly sad happened. Some boys broke into the aquarium and vandalized the Shark Lagoon. Two sharks (one of them was Michelle) and a ray were killed. Phillip is okay.
The Car Wash Committee is chaired by Punleuk O. The other members are Martha E., Sophak S., Jorge G., Carlos A., Somrung K., Jennifer P., and Patricia P. We will raise money to adopt a shark. We were supposed to have a Car Wash on Dec. 4th but it rained. We will have a rain check on a Saturday in January. If you bought a ticket hold on to it until then. You can still buy a ticket at the Car Wash or before the Car Wash. (We hope to see you there.) The tickets are 3 dollars each. Bring dirty cars and we will make them clean and sparkly.
The Dog Wash Committee wanted to do a dog wash at school. But, unfortunately, dogs aren't allowed on campus. We wanted to do it at one of the other classmate's house but their parents turned us down. Dennis, Diego, and I, Gregory, are still looking for a place to do the dog wash!
The See's Lollipop Committee is selling See's Lollipops after school. We are doing this to raise money to Adopt a Shark. We have raised lots of money for the Shark Adoption. The lollipops are 50 cents each. We made a schedule by writing people that want to work after school from 2:30 to 3:00 and 3:00 to 3:30 PM. The committee members are Mario P., Angie R., and Abel M. The committee captain is Guillermo S.
The Shark Play Committee is writing a play about sharks. We want people to know that sharks are not dangerous. They are gentle sea creatures. They think we are fish or seals. When we swim with them. The play is going to be held in the multi-purpose room. We are thinking of putting it in a fiction way, but it tells facts of most feared sharks just like the great white shark. Somolly, Helen, Diego, Jimmy, Jorge, Carlos and Victor are working very hard.
Watch for Shark Night! It is coming this January!!! Everyone is invited. We plan to show shark displays of all kinds. There will be skits that Room 72 will perform. At Shark Night we will also sell cards made by students in our room. We are selling packs of ten for $3.00. We hope to see you there!
Raising Money to Adopt a Shark
by VictorOn Thursday, January 20, 2005, Ms Warner's fifth grade class had Shark Night. The purpose was to raise money to adopt a shark at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Victor, Martha, and Maribel sold cookies with sea decorations. They sold student created note cards with pictures of sharks and other sea animals.
There were also car wash tickets to buy for the Saturday car wash in the Gundry parking lot at Whittier School at 12:00 noon.
The class completed and set up display boards in the Multipurpose Room for viewing. The purpose of the display boards was to teach about some of the animals in the play, "Innocent Sea Creatures in Danger."
The play was written by two students in Ms. Warner's class, Helen Soeur and Chansomolly Kim. They wrote the play in their classroom during Writing Workshop. The performers were: Narrator - Helen, Great White - Jimmy, Jelly - Punleuk, Hammer - Diego, Aquarium Officer #1 - Jorge, Aquarium Officer #2 - Mario, Surfer - Carlos, Marine Biologist - Patricia, Fisherman - Chansomolly, and Boat Captain - Victor.
The goal was to make $500 dollars. We passed our goal! Thanks to all the parents and families who supported us.
It's all be a wonderful opportunity to combine our growing skills as readers, researchers, and writers of non-fiction with an authentic and exciting community service project. That's our Shark Tale — mission accomplished!
Resources page for our Reading/Writing Project
