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Award winning author, Helen Ketteman, visited Hart Elementary on February 3^rd.  Helen Ketteman has written many well loved children’s books such as:  Bubba the Cowboy Prince, The Three Little Gators, Armadillo Tattletale, Armadilly Chili, and many more.  Mrs. Ketteman presented four presentations to the students at Hart and even ate lunch with eight fourth and fifth grade students who’s names were selected from a drawing!  Students loved listening to Mrs. Ketteman’s storytelling as well as learning about her experience with writing books.  Many of the students were shocked to learn just how long it takes to write a book!  Mrs. Ketteman not only explained the writing process, but she shared some of the steps for the process of illustrating a book as well.  Special thanks to the Hart PTA for sponsoring this wonderful author visit!

Our lesson came from the idea of helping students understand the writing trait:  word choice.  How do you get 40 squirmy 4^th Graders to think about adding vibrant verbs, and descriptive adjectives to their drafts?  And then we found the book:  Chicks and Salsa by Aaron Reynolds.   It’s a hilarious tale of barnyard animals who get tired of the same boring food everyday.  The rooster decides to matters into his own hands and one day discovers the farmer’s wife watching a cooking show on TV.  The next thing we know, the rooster is making salsa – although no one is certain where the rooster got the chips!  As the story continues, the peppers get pilfered, the limes get lifted, and the ducks make guacamole – although no one is certain where the ducks got the avocados!

An idea was born:  let’s invite students to taste test a plain tortilla – it represents their drafts before we start revising.  A plain old tortilla is okay – but we know that with a little help we can turn a tortilla into a crispy chip that’s just begging for salsa!  Our writing can get spicy when we add sensory descriptors and substitute bland words for bold verbs and adjectives.   The next part of the writing lesson is the fun part:  eating chips and homemade salsa.  Our 4^th graders love spicing up their writing!  Great job!

In honor of the event, the coaches from both the girls and boys programs wore tennis shoes at the Emory Rains game to commemorate the occasion.

The girls raised $2500 this year and the boys raised $1700.  In total, the programs have combined to raise over $12,000 the last four years.

Thanks to all who have participated!

As part of Lovejoy High School Senior Mike Wilson's senior project, the 1st annual Lovejoy ISD Campus Challenge "Give Life" Community Blood Drive begins Monday, February 8.  Please use the updated link to signup on-line and type in the sponsor code lovejoycampus to schedule your appointment.

www.givelife.org/edonor