9/11 Remembrance - Heroes

With the eleventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, there were many news stories of the tragedies that happened because of a few extremist individuals.  Although the event was awful, there are many heroes to celebrate from this day, both dead and living.  Certainly, the first responders at the World Trade Center, the firemen and police, are considered heroes; they gave their lives trying to save others.  But those that came in the aftermath of the attack could also be called heroes.  They gave their time and hearts to help dig or even just made sandwiches for those working at the World Trade Center site.  

Heroes are all around you every day.  Can you spot them?  First you have to have a definition of a hero.  

What is your definition of hero?  Using the definition you came up with, describe a hero in your own life.  

And the school year begins ...

With every start of something new, one can feel both eager and anxious.  The definition of eager is “wanting to do or have something very much”.  The definition of anxious is “Experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome”.  As fifth grade starts, students become the top dogs of the Lower School and are very eager.  There are, however, things about fifth grade about which students are anxious.  

Even teachers get these mixed feelings at the beginning of the year.  The excitement of setting up a classroom, planning new units, and learning new things energizes us.  At the same time, these new things make us nervous - will we plan well enough?  All the names to learn, getting the classroom ready in time, and making sure we have done all of our “homework” makes teachers anxious.  It is all part of the beginning of the year butterflies we all feel.  
 
As you begin the year, what are you eager about in fifth grade?  Explain what you are looking forward to.  What aspects of fifth grade make you anxious?  Explain why you think they make you feel this way.  Please respond by typing in the Comment section below and then clicking "Publish".