Lesson Plan for Early Kindergarten School Students: Letters to the City of Boston, Boston City Archives Collection Overview The process using a word or words as the basis for creating an image or drawing to describe the word reinforce acquisition and use of vocabulary. Students will practice writing skills from their engagement with drawings and letters from school children related to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
Objectives After completing this lesson and activity, students will be able to: - Write capital and lowercase letters and accompany words with descriptive images; and - Practice vocabulary acquisition and use in addition to speaking and listening skills.
Grade Level Kindergarten
Topic(s) Boston Marathon
Subject Writing
Standards Common Core State Standards http://www.corestandards.org/ English Language Arts Standards: Writing Conventions of Standard English Print many upper- and lowercase letters. Spell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships. Vocabulary Acquisition and Use Identify real-life connections between words and their use With guidance and support from adults, explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings. English Lanuage Arts Standards: Speaking & Listening Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
1 | Our Marathon: L e tters to the City of Boston Lesson Plan
Preparation Background Information About Letters to the City of Boston, Boston City Archives Collection Almost immediately after the bombings at the Boston Marathon, letters began pouring into the Mayor’s Office from around the world. Often addressed to “The People of Boston” or beginning “Dear Boston,” these letters responded to the bombings and subsequent manhunt and often expressed solidarity, love, and hope for the city.
Nearly 2,000 letters were sent to the City of Boston from people from all over the world. The letters and cards have been scanned by Iron Mountain, a records management company which generously donated their time and resources, ensuring these letters can be accessible via Our Marathon's website to people all around the world. Our Marathon is adding new letters and messages to its archive every day
About Our Marathon: Boston Bombing Digital Archive The Boston Marathon is woven into the fabric of our community: it brings together runners from around the world, spectators, family members, and neighbors, forging a river of people stretching from Hopkinton to downtown Boston. The April 15, 2013 bombing at the marathon finish line aimed to destroy that fabric. We invite you to help mend and strengthen the fabric of our community by contributing your stories and media from the week of April 15 in Boston.
Mission Statement Our Marathon is a crowd-sourced, digital archive of pictures, videos, stories, and social media related to the Boston Marathon bombing. We believe that sharing stories from survivors, families, witnesses, visitors to the city, and everyone around the world touched by the event will speed the healing process. This is the place to share those images, emotions, and experiences to help us understand the bombing and its aftermath.
Materials Used - Letters to the City of Boston, Boston City Archives Collection < http://marathon.neu.edu/bca/boston_letters> - Selected drawings with BOSTON or BOSTON STRONG: < http://marathon.neu.edu/items/show/12210>
2 | Our Marathon: L e tters to the City of Boston Lesson Plan
Procedure Before the class period: Create your own drawing to use as a model for students. Also, prepare to present copies or prepare to display examples for the Letters to the City of Boston collection. Decide if this will be a class project or individual student project.
During class period: Present the project: Writing in capital and lowercase letters Boston, Boston Strong, Believe, etc. and drawing a related picture such as how they view the Boston skyline or the Marathon finish line, etc. Show your example to students and show work from the archive other students created. By the end of first class: Students will have completed or almost completed their individual writings and drawings.
(Optional) During second class period: Students can present their poems. (Parents can be invited!) and find a place to display the poem in the classroom.
Evaluation - Teacher-measured rubrics, if appropriate, for poems and for optional presentations - Final poems will demonstrate desired skill-sets
Optional Students/Classes can submit their poems to Our Marathon archive. Teachers can submit their adapted teaching guide/lesson plan, summary of experience to the Our Marathon archive.
Additional Resources for Support Teachers, are you prepared for the anniversary of the Boston Marathon tragedy? by Tripp Underwood
3 | Our Marathon: L e tters to the City of Boston Lesson Plan