Fiesta! Life Celebrations!

Part 1:
1. Read the book Fiesta.
2. Discuss "What life events do you celebrate?" and"How do you celebrate?"
3. Chart student answers.
4. Post student answers on a WIKI to share with our fifth grade ESL (English as a Second Language) buddies in Virginia.
5. Post a question to our buddies "What life events do you celebrate" and "How do you celebrate?
6. Send a message to our reading buddies to invite them to respond to our posting on the WIKI.
7. Our buddies respond and share their answers to our two questions.
8. We compare and contrast the different ways we celebrate by making a Venn diagram chart and then posting on the WIKI.

Part 2:
1. After comparing and contrasting the different life celebrations, students will bring in pictures of celebrations in their lives to share with the class.
2. Each student will be paired up with a fifth grade buddy to share their life celebration with.

Students will:
1. write a caption using words, letters or pictures,about the pictures they brought to class.
2. dictate their writing to the teacher to explain student writing.
3. create a poster to be scanned (a "digital poster") and posted to a WIKI for their fifth grade buddy to see.

Our buddies will:
4. view and respond to student digital posters by asking questions and making positive comments on a message board.
5. share pictures or stories of their life celebrations by creating a poster or slideshow.
6. post on a WIKI to share with their kinder buddy.

Students will:
7. view and respond to their buddy's digital life celebration by posting a message on the message board.

8. We will compile our digital posters into a "Life Celebrations" digital book (power point slide show).

9. We will invite parents and community members to view our digital book by visiting our WIKI and class webpage.
10. Parents and community members will respond by posting comments and questions to our message board.
11. Parents and community members are invited to share with us their life celebrations.