During these past few weeks, the fifth graders have been exploring the idea of peace and what it means to them personally. Ideas for peace were presented in various ways -- through art, historical artifacts and history, personal stories, and stories from literature. After weeks of exploring, listening, discovering, and experiencing peace, the fifth graders wrote their own peace poems to reflect what peace means to them. Their peace poems were then submitted to the "International Peace Poem Project" with headquarters on Maui. Later this year, our students' peace poems will be added to the other 70,000 peace poems from around the world. You can view these poems at www.peacepoem.org.
We hope you enjoy reading these poems from grade 5H. The peace poems for grade 5B will be posted next week.
Peace is like sharing
Peace is in the whole wide world.
Peace is very good.
(Travis H.)
Peace is love, joy, and happiness among all people
Peace means no war among all people
Peace is what we need in this world.
(Marissa)
Peace is life
The world is peace
There is no lease for peace
Peace is everywhere
Peace can't be beat.
(Jonathan)
Peace is in all of us,
It keeps us all together.
And because of peace
The world keeps going around.
(Alexis)
Peace, war, day or night
What's the difference in this sight
How might this end and who will win
Will they have any sin?
Make peace. Make peace.
Peace lies in your heart
You can either help or hurt
Which one will you choose?
(Caitlin)
Peace is joy
Peace is happiness
Peace is love.
Peace is what the world should have
Peace is beauty
Peace is Peace
Anger can release peace
But peace has more power
You have to control it
So it will thrive.
(Kendall)
Peace flows in our hearts and minds.
Peace flows in the air all around us.
Peace can be easily destroyed
By war, poverty, and terrorism.
But...peace can be easily
Repaired by love and care.
(Carmen)
Peace is within us
Inside our heart, mind, and soul
We all want world peace.
(Sydney T.)
Nature and Peace
Land: The wind in my ears
Whispering words of peace.
Flowers swaying, showing deep affection.
Water: Waves in motion painting beautiful pictures
Creatures of the sea spreading
Joy across the sea floor.
Sky: Puffy white clouds giving graceful dreams to the little ones.
Blue skies stretch beyond my imagination.
This is the tale of Natural Peace.
(Nicole L.)
Peace, Peace, Peace
Peace is happiness and romance
Because it's from your heart.
I am peacefully graceful.
(Gabby)
Peace means happiness
Filled with love, joy, and freedom
Peace comes from the heart.
(Hailey)
Peace shant be denied
Evil shant be abide
Peace be with you.
(Malcolm)
Peace is love and joy
Brings joy to lots of people
Peace is everywhere.
(Kara)
Peace is being nice
Being happy and friendly
Peace is about love.
(Coco)
If earth had more peace
The wars would end and cease.
Peace equals greatness.
(Cole)
Peace is really good.
Peace is the answer not war.
Peace makes me happy.
(Nate)
Fish relate to peace
Peace is fish, fish is nature
Don't ever kill fish.
(Tyler)
Friends, love, happiness
Being nice, and helping out,
That is what peace is.
(Kelcie)
Peace shall be done in the world
No fights should be fought
Laughter and happiness should be done.
(Devin)
Peace
Everyone is happy
Around each other
Caring
Enormous amounts of love
(Luke)
Character Education is an integral part of our elementary school curriculum. It is more than just a program that is offered at Mid-Pacific Institute. I often see it as "food for the soul" and a way of providing a "complete" education for our children. Acknowledging that a child is more than a body and a mind, CE recognizes the soul and spirit also, and provides nourishment for strengthening that aspect of a child's being.
The fifth graders were asked the question, "What have you learned that you think is important to remember about CE? Why does it matter?" Here are some of their responses-
"I learned that all people pass away, even loved ones. And once it happens you're sad and depressed. There always will be a hole. It matters because my great grandma passed away. We can talk about this in CE." S.R.
"I learned that you have to treat others the way you would like to be treated. It matters because you should treat people nice. Would you like to be bullied?" R.C.
"I learned that a little argument can cause a big war. It matters because it reminds you not to fight over small things." R.N.
"Happiness. It matters because it brings peace." J.C.
"I learned that you shouldn't judge people. It matters because if you do, people won't like you that much." C.O.
"I learned that you need to be responsible. It matters because you shouldn't let someone else do it for you." K.C.
"I learned that when you take responsibility and give up your recess to do your job for Peace Team, you are growing older and you are helping your community. It matters to me because when I do something that is very helpful, I'm growing up and learning more." E.C.
"I learned that you cannot ask God to win something, or have the opponent do bad. You should ask him for you to do your best. It matters because you should never expect things to come to you. You should work to make it happen." N.L.
"Helping others is always a better thing to do. Doing Peace Team helps to show people what you should do. It matters because it helps our community to be a better place." D.E.
"I think prayer is important because you can let your feelings out. It matters because it is not good to keep feelings in." M.K.
"I learned that UNICEF helps kids in other places that don't have resources. It matters because all kids need help." A.O.
"I learned that writing someone a card or even a thank you card is important to remember. It matters because you are doing an act of kindness to someone and it makes them feel good inside." H.S.
"I have learned that being kind and generous to others is important. It matters because it makes people feel good and it can make their day, knowing that someone cares." C.P.
"I learned that fighting with others gets you nowhere. It matters because you get more hurt emotionally and physically than you need to." K.Y.
"I learned that when you're nice to a person, then that person will be nice to you. It matters because you don't want to be the mean person and everybody hating you." M.N.
"I learned how to do Peace Team and being of service. It matters because in the beginning, I was clueless about being of service." C.S.
Lessons such as what these fifth graders have shared are priceless. These lessons help our children grow as caring and civilized human beings who respect themselves, each other and our world.
This semester we discovered that our mind, body, and feelings are all important aspects of who we are as persons, and that our strengths and talents give us joy and self-confidence. We explored our various feelings through role plays, and used objects from nature to tell stories of what we do really well.
When asked, "What are feelings?" the third and fourth graders responded with these insightful thoughts.
Feelings are...
They come from your heart.
Emotions
Nerves reacting
Helps you to be a good person
Something you feel
Are a part of you
When you are sad, it shows
Come from your body
They are good.
Brain cells
Happiness
If you don't have feelings, everything would be boring.
Emotions that express your different moods
Something you feel that is in your mind
Your inner self
What you are inside
They are powerful
Stuff from your heart
Our past, present, and future
When they were asked, "Are feelings important? Why? or Why not?" they responded with these heartfelt ideas--
If you didn't have them you would be blank inside and could not feel.
Without them you could be dull.
They make life interesting.
It shows what's in your mind.
If you didn't have feelings, robbers could steal from you and you wouldn't know how to feel.
If you don't have feelings, you will be a thing that walks, but nothing else.
If you don't have feelings, you will be boring.
If you don't have feelings, you will feel like a robot.
If there were no feelings, everyone would feel nothing.
This was a "Walk About" activity where each child had a stack of post-its. They wrote their thoughts on a post-it then walked around to attach their post-it to a poster with the specific question. While they did this they exchanged interesting, insightful, and heart-warming conversations with each other as they shared their ideas.
I am glad we have feelings! Have a holiday season filled with happy, exciting, wondrous, awesome, funny, hopeful, loving, calm, peaceful, enthusiastic, and joyful feelings.
Shirley Rivera
In the previous blog, I wrote about Peace Team -- the first force and the second force. Well, the Third Force has just begun! What is this about? How was this "third force" created? Why does it matter?
It's all about being of service WITH others. Sometimes, the tendency in being of service is to do something "to" or "for." Both are wonderful ways of helping and very valuable. When we are of service "with" others, there is greater unity and bonding with the other person or situation. We become more involved in what they are experiencing and there is opportunity to develop deeper compassion and empathy.
For several weeks, Mrs. Johnson (Art), all the fifth graders, and myself investigated the first and second forces of Peace Team and looked for various ways to be more in unity with others. Feelings and ideas were shared as concerns and questions surfaced. There were times of joy, frustration, excitement, eagerness, overwhelm, and anticipation. At times, it would have been easier to lay the schedule and duties out for the children, telling them that this is the way it was going to be.
Mrs. Johnson and I were facilitators, guiding and watching the process unfold. As their voices were honored, our students felt safe enough to take the lead in sharing their feelings, concerns, interests, and ideas. During our own collaboration, Mrs. Johnson and I often talked about the amount of patience and trust that is called for in using this approach, as we also examined our own beliefs, uncertainties, joys, and fears.
The formation of Peace Team -- The Third Force -- has begun to take shape! The fifth graders are delighted in their new ways of being of service with others. Here are the ideas for service that we've come up with so far.
* Lunch buddies with gr. 1/2 - sitting at the lunch table and getting to know the students.
* Preschool lunch helpers - help set up for lunch.
* Preschool nap helpers - help get children ready for nap.
* Tire swing timer.
* Grades 1/2 games/ activity organizer and leader.
Why does this matter? It matters because we all belong to our community, and building unity and deep relationships take time, patience, and compassion. Modeling for our children is an important way to do this.
Grades 3-4
The third and fourth graders continue to work on building a safe and caring community. Getting to know oneself is a vital and important beginning for fostering relationships with others. We have been exploring different feelings and recognizing that feelings are an important part of who we are. While working in small groups using shells and other objects from nature, the children shared stories of what they they like, don't like, and things that they do well.
"I don't like at volleyball when I serve and I hit with my fingers instead of my palm."
"I don't like to clean up my desk."
"I don't like to wake up in the morning and go to school."
"I feel really happy when I score a goal in soccer."
"I feel happy when I get a new video game."
"I like when I hang out with my cat, Koko. He really makes me happy because he is so cute!"
"I am good at listening."
"I am good at helping people."
"I'm really good at baseball."
