Let’s Do This Together

Prompt 1: Looking back at your whole life, let's pick the top 5 most significant events.

• Guide them to think of their life in chapters (baby, toddler, school, past year) and choose one from each.

• Discuss why they chose the event and see if/how it changed them as a person.

Notebook follow up

• Model how to build a timeline using years as units and summarize each event with a brief description of who was involved, what happened, and important things that were said.

Prompt 2: What will happen to humanity by the time they are in their 80s.

• Guide them to think what they might do within this vision, from 6th grader to grandparent.

Will they live on Mars? Will they save the rainforest?

Notebook follow up

• Have them return to their timeline and extend it or draw one beneath.

• Add "future" bubbles for when they are in high school, college and stages of adulthood.

• Use the same format of who, what and important discussions in this future world.

Lionel Messi: The Soccer Star

Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in a city called Rosario, Argentina. From the time he was a very little boy, he loved playing soccer more than anything else. He played with his brothers and cousins, and he was so good that people noticed his talent right away. Even as a child, he could dribble the ball better than kids much older than him.

When Lionel was eleven years old, he faced a very big challenge. Doctors found out that he had a growth problem, which meant he would have a hard time growing as tall as his friends. His family did not have enough money to pay for the special medicine he needed to help him grow. He almost had to stop playing the game he loved so much, but he did not lose hope that he could still become a great player.

Everything changed when a team in Spain called FC Barcelona heard about how talented he was. They offered to help pay for his medical treatments if he moved to Spain to play for their youth team. Lionel moved far away from home at a young age to follow his dream. He worked very hard every single day, showing everyone that he could be a star even if he was smaller than the other players.

Soon, Lionel Messi became one of the most famous soccer players in the entire world. He became known for his amazing speed, his smart passes, and his ability to score beautiful goals. He played for Barcelona for many years and won many trophies, including the Ballon d'Or, which is given to the best player in the world. He even led his home country, Argentina, to win the World Cup in 2022, which was a huge dream come true for him.

Today, Lionel Messi is a hero to millions of people. He teaches us that even when things are difficult, you should not give up on your dreams. Because he kept working hard and believed in himself, he was able to find something truly special in his life. He is remembered not just for being a great soccer player, but for showing the world that you can achieve big things if you keep trying.

I DO

• Using the biography exemplar on the website, point out how it's organized sequentially. The author begins with birth location and setting the scene and creates subtopics or chapters for each stage of their life.

We DO

• Return to the timeline bubbles, and guide them to turn these into sentences and paragraphs.

• They can decide if they want to write this in the 1st person (autobiography) or in the 3rd person (biography).

• Develop the future paragraphs with descriptions of fictional settings, people and events.

• Prompt them to find a larger theme to their life story. This can be really fun!

• In 3rd grade, there is a clear focus on using Dialogue.

Make sure to find points in the timeline that include important moments where key things were spoken. Maybe it was advice or even an argument.

It's ok if they don't remember word for word. What's important is using dialogue to help bring the reader to the experience.

Help them use these quotations with the proper grammatical marks to show exactly what people said during those big memories.

Here is how adding dialogue to Messi's medical challenge helps deepen the reader's understanding:

His family did not have enough money to pay for the special medicine he needed to help him grow. He sat on the edge of his bed one night and whispered to his mom, "What if I can't be a soccer player because I'm too small?" His mom hugged him and said, "Don't lose hope, Leo. You have a special gift, and we will find a way."

We Do:

• Read the draft out loud together, looking for areas of confusion.

"Run on sentences" use too many clauses and commas.

"Sentence fragments" are incomplete.

• Make sure each paragraph is sequenced and contains all the elements from the timeline.

How does the dialogue element fit?

Does the future paragraph match the style of the past?

• If your student is ready, see if they can vary sentences to make the flow more interesting. Celebrate the "juicy words" they used in their descriptions and point out areas where they could use more.

• Decide how they want to "publish" this story.

• Have them create a paper book with a table of contents listing subtopics and adding illustrations.

• Guide them to create a word document:

• Choose fonts and titles

• Upload photos and images

• Introduce the idea of a survey using an example.

• Discuss how the blue and orange show which are the most popular (roller coaster) and which are the least (broccoli).

• Come up with a list of 8 simple "Yes/No" questions like these.

• Decide on 10 people to survey.

Notebook follow up:

• Write the list of questions and potential survey participants down.

Tech Tools: Model how to use a Google Forms

• Open and title the file

• Create new questions as "multiple choice"

• Write the questions and add answer options as yes and no

• Send out the survey by text or email to participants

Non Tech Tools: Model how to use their notebook as a tally chart

• Divide the pages up into 10 boxes and write each question

• Divide the boxes in half and write Yes and No in each

• Interview participants and capture their responses in their notebook

• HINT: Have your child try a hybrid of both strategies and discuss which they prefer:

Talking to participants?

The ease of emailing and getting back responses already organized?

WE DO

• Review the Math 7 Fractions card and:

• Model how to review responses of yes and no and turn them into fractions. For example, 6 out of 10 saying yes would be 6/10.

• Guide them to draw "pizza" pictures or number lines for each of these fractional amounts and find fractions that are equivalent (6/10 = ⅗).

• If there are any questions that are 10/10, remind them that this is the same as 1 whole or 100%.

I DO

• Model for your child how to use the graph paper to outline horizontal bars 2 squares tall and 10 squares long.

• Shade the number of yes responses in columns horizontally across the bar. For example, 6/10 would have 6 columns shaded and 4 empty in the bar.

WE DO:

• Have them complete bars for each question, they can use colors if desired.

• Rank the questions in order from greatest to least amount of yes responses.

• Ask more questions that compare fractions using <,>,=

• TECH TOOLS : If using Google Forms, model how to check your data charting against the "response summaries" it gives.

Heads up: This project's title, goal, standards, and Cards A & B are missing entirely from the live page — the section jumps straight from Project 2 into what is clearly the middle of a research-report project (an outline structure and a presentation card). The title and goal above are my best inference from the content that is present, not text found on the page. Card B is referenced ("images gathered on card B") but its actual content isn't on the page anywhere. You'll want to check whether this content simply didn't render, or whether Cards A and B need to be written.

Part 1: The Introduction (The Hook & The Plan)

• The Hook

• The Subtopics Summary

Part 2: The Body Paragraphs (The Evidence)

Use this chart to check each of your three body paragraphs.

Paragraph — My Own Words (3–4 sentences) — Sources to Cite
Body 1
Body 2
Body 3

Part 3: The Conclusion (The Wrap-Up)

• The Big Summary

• Final Thought: (Write one sentence that leaves the reader thinking about why your event was important)

We DO

• Work together to create an outline like this in their notebook, organizing their essay using their notes.

• Compare your sources and notes and choose the best facts to include.

• Allow them to draft the paragraphs on their own this time.

• Remind them to say the sentence to themselves before writing it.

• Remind them to look back at the exemplar to see how they build out the subtopic paragraphs and use quotations to cite the important facts.

• When ready, have them read their draft to you and stop them to rethink any places of confusion, where a citation is missing, or where more description could be added.

Non Tech Tools:

• Create a presentation poster, sketching sections first in pencil

• Have them draw their own charts/diagrams and summaries for each subtopic and attach them to the board

TechTools:

• Using Google Slides or PowerPoint, model for them how to create slides, using different fonts, inserting images, themes, and backgrounds

• Model how to use bullet points and reduce the wording to get across the main ideas on each slide

• Model how to cut and paste images gathered on card B to engage the audience and reinforce their presentation

We DO:

• Guide them to create flashcards to help them present this information to an audience.

• Practice presenting this with them. See if they can present without flashcards.

• Try scheduling a presentation for other family members or friends.

IMPORTANT: This project requires your child to have read at least two editions of a book series during StoryTime.

Identify the recurring character (Harry Potter, Ramona Quimby, Jack and Annie, or Ms. Frizzle) that will be the focus of the study. Here are some prompt options you can use for the comparison:

Prompt A: Which book do you feel like Harry was the bravest?

Prompt B: Which book do you feel like Harry changed the most?

• Using Socratic dialogue (Listener/Advocate) develop their opinion.

• Use "clarify, consider, restate" to question.

• Use specific scenes in each story as evidence.

Notebook follow up:

• Have them draw a picture comparing the character engaged in an important event in each story.

• Have them write down their final opinion.

• Have them find supporting scenes in the story and record using this simple 3-paragraph outline format:

• Introduction — stating the argument

• Body — using scenes from the story to expand and support

• Conclusion — restating the argument and making connections to the world

I DO:

• Review the exemplar narrative "Harry's Bravest Moment" on the website and point out how they took their notes from each section of the graphic organizer and expanded it with description in complete sentences.

• Point out how the account slows down and describes the key moments in the story with Chapter citations.

We DO:

• Review their graphic organizer on their character and speak with them about how they want to expand these with description.

• Have them say the sentence to you first and then, when it sounds ready, let them write it down.

• Encourage your student to practice the "inventive" sound spelling and take risks in choosing new, more "scholarly" words in their writing.

• After a few sentences, have them practice saying it out loud to themselves before writing it down, and eventually fade into "You Do."

We DO:

Reading over the two versions of the example essay, guide them by thinking out loud on how Essay 2 improved on Essay 1. Point out how it:

• Identifies and fixes mistakes and confusing parts

• Makes better word choices to express things more sharply

• Expands description of supporting scenes to better convince the reader

• Challenge: It clearly defines what the concept "brave" means in this context.

Essay 1

Harry Potter was very brave in the first book, but I think he was even braver in the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. In the first book, he was trying to stop a bad guy from getting a magic stone. But in the second book, he had to face a giant snake called a Basilisk! He had to go deep into a dark, scary room all by himself to save his friend, Ginny. That is very scary, but Harry did not give up.

Another reason he was braver in the second book is because people were being mean to him. Some kids thought Harry was the one hurting people at the school. It is hard to be a hero when others do not trust you, but Harry kept trying to do the right thing anyway. He was sad and lonely, but he still chose to be kind and helpful. He proved that being a hero means doing what is right, even when it is hard.

In the end, Harry had to be very strong to face the giant snake. He used a special sword to win the fight and save the day. He showed that he could face his fears, even when he was scared. Because he was willing to go into the dark and save his friend while people doubted him, Harry was much braver in his second year at school.

Essay 2

While Harry Potter displayed great courage in the first book, it is in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets that he truly cements his status as the bravest hero in the series. In the first book, Harry's actions were largely motivated by the immediate need to stop an external threat and protect the Sorcerer's Stone. However, in the second book, his bravery is tested by a deeper, more personal terror. He faces a monster he cannot see or fully understand, all while his own reputation is under attack as students whisper that he is the Heir of Slytherin. To continue fighting to save his friends when the entire school suspects him of being the villain is a profound, mature type of bravery that surpasses his actions in the first year.

Furthermore, Harry's decision to enter the Chamber of Secrets is a far more active and perilous act of heroism than his journey to the Stone. In the first book, he was guided by a set of trials that were prepared as a final barrier; in the second book, he chooses to descend into a dark, unknown underworld with no guarantee of safety, specifically to rescue Ginny Weasley from certain death. Confronting a thousand-year-old Basilisk—a creature that kills with a single glance—requires a level of resolve that goes beyond the quick reflexes needed to stop Quirrell. It is this willingness to plunge into the heart of darkness for the sake of another, even when he feels completely alone, that makes his bravery in the second year truly unparalleled.

Ultimately, Harry's courage in the second book is defined by his choice to embrace his identity as a Gryffindor when he was tempted by doubt about his own nature. When Harry wonders if he belongs in Slytherin, it is his active choice to act with selflessness and integrity that summons the Sword of Gryffindor. This moment proves that Harry's bravery is not just about physical reflexes or stopping a villain, but about the strength of his character in the face of internal and external pressure. By choosing to stand up for the innocent despite the fear and isolation surrounding him, Harry demonstrates that he was, without a doubt, much braver in the second book.

We DO:

• With this same lens, review their draft.

• Let them spot mistakes and find areas where they can enhance the word choice and add dialogue.

Publish: Create a final version with their best handwriting and a detailed illustration.

We DO:

• Go to a local park, playground or use your backyard and sketch out the different areas and features. This works well if you each draw your own.

• Select 3 sections, no more than about 30x30 feet large, to focus on.

• While some sections might be rectangles, others may be more complicated. Gauge the detail you want to include; the more irregular the shape, the more challenging it will be.

For example: the playground, the picnic area, or the grassy field.

I DO:

Ask "If we wanted to put a fence around this, how much fencing would we need?"

• To find the answer we need to find the Perimeter.

• NON TECH TOOLS: Use a measuring tape to find the length and width of each section. If desired, you can estimate by counting your own paces.

• TechTools : Model how to use the measurement app on a phone. Click on one point and glide to the other side of the item and click.

• Label each side on the section.

• Model for your child how to add up every side of a section to find the total distance around the edge, or the Perimeter.

We DO:

• Guide your child to measure the lengths and widths of the two other sections.

• Watch that they correctly label their sketch and correctly add to find the other two perimeters.

I DO

• Talk about how city planners use "blueprints" to design safe parks for the whole community.

• Model how you can use graph paper to create a "scale." 1 foot = 1 square.

• Using a ruler, carefully redraw one of the lengths of the areas by counting the number of graph paper squares to match the number of feet.

• If a measurement isn't a whole number, encourage them to estimate it as a fraction (about ½ or about ¾).

We Do:

• Guide them to complete the scaled drawing of the outer boundaries of all the areas.

• Watch that they are counting the squares and using their ruler to keep things neat.

• Add in the features like benches, trees and playground equipment as they want.

We DO:

• Review Math 8 Area together.

• Take the "complex shapes" (like an L-shaped playground), and show your child how to divide it into smaller, simple rectangles.

• Use the formula Area = Length × Width for each smaller rectangle.

• Then add them all together to find the total area of that section.

Challenge: Follow up with the notebook and ask, "Can two garden plots have the exact same area but different perimeters?"

• Draw a 2x8 garden and a 4x4 garden and see if they can figure out which one needs more "fence" (perimeter) even though they both take up the same amount of space.

Prompt 1: Can you think of someone or something they have noticed has made a recent positive change in the world?

Who recycles all of our plastic?

Who makes sure our beaches stay clean?

Who helps make sure everyone in the world can eat food?

• Using Socratic dialogue (Listener/Advocate) guide them to develop their opinion on which act they feel had the most impact.

• Use "clarify, consider, restate" to question.

Notebook Follow up:

• Help them research any information you need to find out about the person or organization credited with this positive change.

• Find out any specific facts about how they accomplished this.

I DO:

• Use the image on the card to show how to format a formal letter with Address, Date, Greeting, Body, Closing, and Signature.

• Point out how the letter is organized by introduction, reasons why it's important, and closing.

July 12, 2026

Mr. Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
United Nations Secretariat Building
New York, NY 10017

Dear Mr. Fletcher,

I am writing to you today to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible work you and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs do to feed children all around the world. Knowing that your organization works so hard to ensure that kids have the nourishment they need to grow and thrive is truly inspiring.

Access to healthy food is so important for every child's future. Because of your dedication, many children are able to stay strong, stay in school, and have the energy they need to play, learn, and dream. Your efforts provide a vital foundation of health and hope for families everywhere.

I understand that managing such a massive, global mission involves many complex challenges and limited resources. However, I want you to know that your work is a life-changing investment in our world's greatest treasure: its children. By providing consistent and nutritious meals, you are not only saving lives today but also helping to build a safer, healthier, and more peaceful world for tomorrow.

Please continue your noble work. You are making a profound difference, and you have the heartfelt thanks of young people everywhere who are inspired by your kindness and mission.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

We Do:

• Allow them to draft their letter, asking them to start with date and address, and pay close attention to their formatting.

• Have them say their sentences for the introduction to you before writing them down.

• Allow them to complete their draft letter independently, reminding them to keep their paragraphs to 3-4 sentences and to stay on topic with the reasons they discussed in the car.

• Once they complete their 1st draft, have them try to rewrite and improve a 2nd draft and sign the bottom.

(The goal is for each project to get more independent.)

In the past, students were taught to address envelopes, often as part of sending penpals, as part of 3rd grade. When your student is ready, use the image below to help them format the envelope to send their letter.

Recipient's Address (The Delivery Address):

• This should be placed in the center of the envelope.

• It must include the recipient's name, the street address, the city, the state, and the ZIP Code.

• All lines should be left-aligned and written in clear, capital letters to ensure readability by scanning machines.

Your Address (The Return Address):

• This should be placed in the top left corner of the envelope.

• It must include your name, street address, city, state, and ZIP Code.

• This ensures the mail can be returned to you if it cannot be delivered.

Stamp Placement:

• The stamp should be placed in the top right corner of the envelope.

• Have them practice in their notebook until they are ready, and then give them an envelope and a stamp!

IMPORTANT: This project requires your child to have read a book with a movie version during StoryTime.

Examples are Charlotte's Web, Harry Potter, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

When you are done reading, you can use a prompt like this:

Prompt 1: Which did you like best, the movie or book version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

Creating Socratic Dialogues to strengthen logic — State, Clarify, Probe, Consider, Restate

• Clarify: By best — do we mean most exciting or most satisfying?

• Probe: The book had more characters in it, but did that make it "better" by our definition?

• Consider: Practice switching roles and take the opposite position through this cycle with them challenging you.

• Restate: See if they can restate their initial opinion with reasons more strongly.

Notebook follow up:

• Have them write down their opinion in their notebook with their supporting logic.

Session 1

• Review the book version, scrolling through the chapters and recalling how the event unfolded.

• Use the notebook to make a timeline, divided by chapters, summarizing and sequencing the events of the story.

Session 2

• Watch the movie together with their notebook, creating the same timeline to compare how the events unfolded.

• Instead of chapters, have them divide the timeline into "scenes."

I DO:

• Use the sample Venn Diagram to point out how to use this to compare. The outsides show differences while the overlap shows similarities.

• Look over the two timelines and model writing one difference on each side and one similarity in the center.

We Do:

• Guide them in spotting more similarities and differences between the two stories.

• Discuss the differences to see which approach to an event or character they preferred.

• Return back to their initial opinion to see if they have anything to add or change.

• If desired, have them complete a draft paragraph independently to explain their reasoning in their notebook.

• Repeat for other Movie/Book pairings throughout the year!!