In honor of Martin Luther King
Some kings rule their kingdoms sitting down
Surrounded by luxury, soft cushions and fans
But this King stood strong
stood proud
stood tall
When the driver told Rosa
"Move to the back of the bus!"
When the waiter told students
"We don't serve your kind!"
"Your vote don't count!"
And when the sheriff told marchers
"Get off our streets!"
using fire hoses, police dogs and cattle prods
to move them along
This King stood strong
stood proud
stood tall
Speaking of peace
of love
and children
hand in hand
free at last
free at last
When some yelled for violence
For angry revenge
An eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
Preaching peace
And when some spit out hate
He stood there smiling
Spreading love
Until it rolled like the sea across the land
Sweeping away Jim Crow
Breaking down the walls
Ringing the bell
Joyfully
For Freedom
Until
Standing on the mountain top
They shot him
Coldly
Hoping to see him fall
Hoping to put him awayTo bring him low
But this King
even in death
even today
stands strong
stands proud
stands tall
And we remember
by Jamie McKenzie
© 1982, Jamie McKenzie, all rights reserved.
This poem may be printed and shared by schools
without special permission and may be sent electronically
from individuals to other individuals. All other forms of
duplication, publishing and distribution require explicit
permission from the author.
What we are learning this week, the week of 1-17-12:
In Word Work, we will be working in our Word Wisdom book on Unit 3, “Thinking,” Part 2. Our words for the week are scientific, concept, perception, suppose, conscience, positive, probable, purpose, probe, and preconceive.
In literature study, we will begin reading Why They Marched: The Struggle for the Right to Vote. This book recounts the events that took place in Selma, Alabama that led up to Voting Rights Act of 1965. We will discuss how to read non-fiction by applying survey strategies such as acknowledging the use of bold print, key words, and graphics. In addition, we will critically evaluate the information in the book by asking questions and discussing the events that took place during this time.
In writing workshop, students will be creating a plot diagram for their fiction stories and continue to write and share what they’ve written aloud.
This week in math, students will identify fractions that are in simplest form and find the simplest form of a fraction. Students will model fractions on tenths strips and use the models to write decimals. They will also use a model to help them express fractions as decimals.
This week in science, we will be working with class-1 levers. Students should understand that class-1 levers have the fulcrum located somewhere between the load and the effort.
