The totem pole in our schoolyard has a story about the panther telling the raven about love, kindness, and respect. According to the story, the raven flies in ever-widening circles from the school, to the town, and beyond, eventually out to the universe. The raven goes around spreading the message about love, kindness, and respect…until it comes full circle.
Our Tell the Raven project was featured in a story in the local paper, which I’ve copied to the site because it wasn’t published online, and I want the kids to see it. The raven has flown.
The story was mostly accurate. I don’t think I’ve taught the kids web page design or programming (but they have learned to use a couple of HTML tags). The question about what they’ve learned is important, though, and we’re going to explore that. I’m curious what they’ll report.
I’m also curious to see what the local response to this attention will be, if anything. So far, no comments have been left on the site.
The kids were really pumped. They worked like pros during the reporter’s visit. They even interviewed him about being a professional writer, asking where he gets his ideas and how he knows what his audience is interested in. Perceptive, I thought. I’m proud of what they’ve done this year.
4 Comments
I have a wonderful book called Totem Pole. It’s just wonderful, really, really wonderful. Showing a father who creates the totems, his tribe and the process of creating. I think your class would like it. By way of congrats to them how excellent they did so well for your reporter. Drawings of ravens on white paper with rich number 6 black pencils, very cool. Just a thought. You need ravens or visuals. And time. Could start your arts section you know…..or supplement the poetry. By way of an interesting connection my school is the “panthers”, something I’ve worked on collecting stories about for years, so next year I’ve been toying with how to use that and imagery in a web design for their class when I prowl into 3rd. I’ll keep in mind your story too. Panther marks….Sarah
Thanks for the book link, Sarah. I’ll check around and see if I can find it – maybe request that we get a copy in our library. Totem poles aren’t common in interior Alaska, and ours may be the only authentic one in the region. We do have a lot of ravens, though. There’s a ravens flickr group, for visuals.
Doug, congrats to you and your kids on the wonderful notice in the press! Thanks so much for putting it up for us all to see. My kids will certainly notice – and naturally wonder from the picture which face goes with which pseudonym. And I bet a few will even read the article! A couple of your kids got mentioned in our “blogs I like” articles last week. I’ll suggest they inform your kids… Very cool!
Congratulations, Doug, to you and your students!
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