Dogwood fourth graders had a campout this week during ELA class. They cozied up under their emergency blankets with their tree-bark pencils and glow stick “emergency lights” while eating s'mores.
The students read Here’s Hank: The Soggy, Foggy Campout by Henry Winkler. In the book, Hank looks to nature to find inspiration for a poem. The campout starts with all of the classic outdoor fun, but it does not go as planned. Even though Hank has to rely on his emergency kit, he does find inspiration for his poem.
“My favorite part is watching the kids make the connection that we are having Zipzer’s famous cold s’mores,” fourth grade teacher Layla Zaravar said. In the book Hank couldn’t roast his marshmallows because of the storm, and we couldn’t either.”
Students got to participate in some of the experiences that gave Hank inspiration. “Students learn they can make things fun to find inspiration,” Zaravar said. “They learn they can do anything.”
Fourth grade teachers hope students find inspiration for their own writing in creative ways this year.