Words become Art

Today I met with the second group of first graders to continue the QR code activity with them. Just as Gail and I did with the first group, I guided the girls through their search as they learned more about the Chocolate Pilot, Gail Halvorsen and Mercedes, the little girl who grew up during the days of the Berlin Airlift. The QR codes took the students to various sites including a YouTube video of children singing to Colonel Halvorsen, current day photos of the Colonel and Mercedes, and a book review about Margot Theis Raven’s book. Because this would prove to be a challenging exercise for the girls, they worked in pairs to explore their thoughts and reactions. Together, they used their hearts and minds to answer questions about why Colonel Halvorsen would continue to bring candy to children even long after the days of the airlift ended or how Mercedes felt when she read the book written about her childhood experience. The girls’ words were insightful and sweet. After collecting all their responses, I took their words and entered them into a Wordle. The result is below, and I think it so wonderfully reflects the feelings this lesson evoked in the girls. By sharing this Wordle with them, Gail and I will then begin to help them see what actions and feelings are vital to the idea of making a difference, words such as happy, good, feel, make, think, learn, and special. It has been an insightful beginning into this inquiry.

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