Marooned in 4th Grade! Mr. Bradshaw's Classroom Website and Blog
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Enjoy our classroom blog below.

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Keep the Quote--September 4th

9/4/2018

14 Comments

 
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The kids and I had a busy day back from the long weekend.  Our weekly newsletter has gone electronic.  You should have received it by text today.   Here is a link in case you missed it.

https://www.smore.com/w2kzf

Even though we had a busy day, we did make room for this week’s installment of Keep the Quote.   For those that don’t know, I work at the Palace Theater here in town.   I love working there because I get to see a ton of movies.   I remember shortly after the start of 2018 that the theater booked a showing of “The Greatest Showman.”   My initial thought was great, another “musical.”   After working the first couple nights and hearing the music while I cleaned up the popcorn popper, I thought, “This might not be a bad movie to see.”  The next showing I was ready to watch this movie.   Man, was I surprised!  It was a great movie with wonderful music.  The film tells the story of PT Barnum and his circus.
 
After watching the movie and leaving the theater I immediately thought, this movie has so many life lessons in it.    One of the songs stood out to me.   I made my mind up then that one day I would explore it with my students.   I am a fan of using music for reading comprehension.  I love to break the lyrics down and discuss meaning with my students.  
 
"This Is Me" is a fight song for people who are not accepted by society. It is performed by Lettie Lutz, the bearded lady, after she and the rest of the circus troupe are barred by Barnum from a party with special guests.   The bearded lady refused to be cut down by the fact that Barnum was embarrassed by them.  She and the rest of the troupe sings a song.
 
This week’s quote comes from the Song “This is Me”
 
I am brave.  I am bruised.  I am who I’m meant to be.  This is Me!
 
I loved this quote because it piggybacks off last week’s quote.  We talked a lot about leaving things that were bringing us down into the shadows.   After researching the song,  the writers said, “These people had lived in the shadows their whole lives and for the first time wanted to feel love and acceptance, and even when P.T. Barnum turned his back on them, they made a statement - not only to him, but to themselves - that they declare to love themselves for the first time."
 
I know this is deep thinking, but students only think as deep as you make them.  We spent the next 25 minutes or so breaking the lyrics down.   We focused on this particular stanza:

“When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me”
 
We discussed the meaning of sharp words and what it meant to send in a flood.  Then the favorite part of my day--the actual quote.   Here are some examples of conversation from my students:
 
“Kids at recess say mean things.  The song tells us that those things bruise us but to be brave.”
 
“I think the writer used bruised because bruises, well, they hurt, but eventually they leave.   We do the same things when our feelings are hurt.” 
 
“That lady with the beard had a hard life.   I bet she was made fun of.   But she seems happy with herself”
 
Pretty good responses, huh?   As a teacher, I was really getting into the fact that kids were paying attention and contributing.   Then I asked one last question.  I asked, “What is one thing you’ve learned from this week’s quote.”   One hand went up immediately.   Her response: “Don’t apologize to anyone for who you are, unless you are bad, then you need to apologize to your mom, dad, your teacher, and God”

Boom!   There it is!  Exactly what I wanted my students to understand.  During the time we spend together in the classroom we become family.   We all come from different walks of life.   We all learn differently, look differently, and process differently.   I have students above grade level, on level, and below grade level.  I have students who have physical disabilities and academic disabilities. The one thing I want most for my students is to always remember to not apologize for who they are.    Is there room for improvement?  Of Course.  I want them to take what was handed to them in life and make it a positive and bloom!
​
We have so much more to discuss this week with this quote.  By Friday, each student will journal their representations of this quote.  I can’t wait!  I let the kids know that even at 35, sometimes I need a reminder to be happy with “ME”.    Enjoy the song by clicking the video below. 
 
Until next week,
 
Mr. B

14 Comments
Sandy link
9/5/2018 07:46:05 am

Loved this weeks blog. You are special and so are your students!

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Raina Moore
9/5/2018 05:31:27 pm

I love everything about this! Though, I haven’t seen the movie, I did listen to the song. We need more teachers to teach life lessons like this, this is what is going to take our students who struggle, either privately or openly, to the next level. I’m so glad KPS has a teacher telling our students that it’s okay to be themselves and to never be ashamed for it. I truly believe you’re making a real difference in our students lives by incorporating real life into your lesson plans. This is the kind of teaching I’m aiming for!

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Theresa Elliott
9/6/2018 04:53:13 am

This is an amazing lesson! As a kid I struggled with self image and this would have help me so much! As an adult it will be my goal to be "me" and love who I am. Thank You for sharing this experience!

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Brittany Spence link
9/6/2018 06:43:52 am

Mr. Bradshaw,

I want to start off by saying that I love how you have implemented the use of technology into your curriculum! I love how simple it is for both students and parents to get online and view the weekly "Keep the Quote!" As an aspiring Teacher, I believe that quotes are "so" incredibly beneficial for our students, especially as "we" as Teachers aid them in de-coding the true meaning behind the quotes! I love this quote! Students are "so" perceptive and if you are able to get onto "their level" and let them know that it is okay to be a little "bruised," because we all have been at one point or another throughout our lifetimes; this is wonderful and so beneficial to the entire well-being of your students! Students are still brave and spectacular, capable of doing anything despite what they may have gone/or are currently going through!
I admire how you have not only provided a quote for both students and parents to view, but how you have also provided an online overview for what you are doing weekly with your students! This truly allows parents to be in "the know" at all times. I appreciate and admire this so much! I love the Pirate Theme, I think it is perfect for your elementary students. Lastly, I can see how much time and effort has been put into creating this website for your students! I appreciate it very much!

Thank you,

Brittany Spence (EL-274-759 student)

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Malary Farmer
9/6/2018 12:17:09 pm

I loved this. It is so true that most students are broken in some way, shape, or form. I have realized that since I started working in a school district. It is such a great idea for you go through and break down every line and its meaning. That just builds the kids knowledge and it will help them as they grow because they will be able to break down things to really understand what it is saying.
I love how your website is open so parents and the community can come and look at what all you are doing. By having a website that parents can look at and see what their child is learning or focusing on will benefit them so they are on the same path as everyone. It is overall a great idea.

Malary Farmer (EL-274 student)

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Grace Riley
9/6/2018 04:56:21 pm

I absolutely love this. I haven’t seen the movie but now I am dying to watch it. I think this is an excellent lesson to teach any student, but especially in the fourth grade. At this age bullying is so apparent and some students crumble under the rude words of their peers. By teaching students to love themselves and be kind, you are creating a better classroom environment and better world. I will definitely use this in my own classroom!

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Shardonney Perkins
9/6/2018 08:29:05 pm

This movie has so many messages. I absolutely love this song as well as the movie. You're right the quote is deep, but it allows your students to think about how painful words can be. You know what nobody’s perfect, everyone is bruised and everyone has issues. I know this is just a quote and a movie, but I hope their was a lasting lessson behind the dissecting of the lyrics. Good song choice - the soundtrack of movie is just as good-.

UI 506

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Melanie smith
9/7/2018 11:53:58 am

Ahoy! I love this song! I also love that you incorporate music into your classroom. So many times the “arts” are left for special teachers. Music and art should be enjoyed much more than one day a week. Music opens our eyes to other people’s thoughts and emotions. Music allows us to express ourselves. Music gives us energy and motivation. I hope you guys have a great time being marooned in fourth grade!

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Elizabeth Bolen
9/7/2018 12:24:50 pm

My niece has always had a problems with other people bullying her. She is so unique an I wouldn't ever want to change her. She's in 6th grade this year and I am going to write this quote down and give it to her. You're fourth graders interpreted this quote to a T! I am very impressed with their responses!

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Miranda Knight
9/10/2018 08:23:33 am

I absolutely love that you are implementing weekly quotes into your classroom. It's a perfect opportunity for self-reflection, which is something that we ALL need to take the time out of our week to do, no matter how old we get. I particularly enjoyed your incorporation of The Greatest Showman for this week's quote. I loved this movie after seeing it in theaters, and "This Is Me" is one of my favorite songs off of the movie's soundtrack. It is an inspiring, uplifting song of empowerment. It always picks me back up when I'm feeling down on myself. Not all notable quotes come from speeches, proverbs, etc. Some of the best ones can come from songs. Music has the power to move all of us; I'm sure that your students loved getting to hear this song and talk about what it meant! They did a great job dissecting the meaning and relating it to their own life experiences. Awesome job, 4th grade!

Miranda Knight
UI 506

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Rachael Huntsman
9/10/2018 02:06:53 pm

Mr. Bradshaw,

When you talked in UI506 about doing this with your students it instantly made me think of the book "Wonder."
I think it is amazing to see this actually being implemented in a classroom. I feel like a lot of people underestimate the abilities of children to understand things like this, so it is even better that you post their responses.
I also saw this movie and now it is my all time favorite movie. I think the kids hit the nail right on the head with their interpretations of the song!! I am really looking forward to seeing what they say in the future!
I hope they all continue to keep these wise responses going! Great job fourth grade!

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Hanna Wells
9/11/2018 06:54:10 pm

I absolutely love this. I think that this is such a great lesson to teach students. Teaching kids to be kind and to love themselves is so important especially in todays world. I love how the students really understood what the song was saying. I will for sure have to use this in my classroom! I think you have done a great job with this blog! I will definitely have to go watch this movie now!



Hanna Wells
EL274

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Mackenzie Moore
9/12/2018 04:57:58 pm

I absolutely love this movie as well! When reading the response from your students, I could not believe how much they connected to the songs. It truly shows how powerful lyrics can be. I agree with them that even though people can be mean and say not very nice things, we always come out stronger. This song is just a reminder to keep going when times get hard! Great job Mr. Bradshaw's class!

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Kelsey Warren
9/13/2018 04:57:56 pm

I'm a little late, but I wanted to comment anyway so that your 4th graders could read it! I love bringing music into reading comprehension. It helps students connect to what they already know in a different way! I wanted to commend the 4th Graders on their responses to the quote and song as well. They seem so wise beyond their years! I agree that even though mean words can hurt, we can let them leave us like bruises. Wonderful job 4th graders!

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