In 4th grade we have spent the first semester doing a novel study on Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt.  We finished up a couple of weeks ago and the ending led to a great conversation.  There is a portion of a poem by Richard Lovelace quoted in the novel, “Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage.”  We participated in a Socratic Dialogue based on the quote and I was moved by the what the kids had to say.  It really made me stop and think about my role as teacher and parent, of the power I have in both of those roles.  I had the kids share their thoughts using Google Docs.  I hope that you will be moved by the 4th graders perspectives.  It is a reminder that we can stand to learn from the young minds around us.

Filed under: 4th Grade | Tagged: 4th Grade, Literature, Socratic Dialogue