"I would plant a teacher"

It is the 100th Day of School and Valentine's Day and two days before vacation and there is still two feet of snow on the ground...

Oh, did I mention this is the day that I see four kindergarten classes back to back?

This day was ripe with opportunity and book connections.  I decided to go with Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Peter Reynolds.  


I read it last week with my second graders and was eager to keep spreading this books positive message.  (See: Plant it Forward.) A book that promotes sharing, caring and hope seems like the perfect Valentine's Day book. 

After a discussion about the book's messages, the students brainstormed things they could plant that could be shared or that would make the world a happier place. Below are the word clouds and drawings with their ideas.

 

 

I put the 100 words they brainstormed as a whole into a Wordle, so I could see which ideas really resonated with the students.  If this is any indicator, the world is looking like a better place already.

I did ask one class, "What makes you happy?"  "What would you plant that makes you happy that you would want to share with someone else?"  The best response to this question?   SHOES - toms shoe company would love this, but I think this young child just generally loves shoes!

Of course the best response of the day was really the student who said she would plant teachers, because teachers help people learn and then they can help more people learn.  That would be a might fine garden indeed!