During the months of March and April, the students of West Middle Island will discuss the Character Education theme of Tolerance when they read The Araboolies of Liberty Street.  The General and Mrs. Pinch rule the residents of Liberty Street by threatening them with the possibility of an army invasion if anyone displays “different” ideas or behaviors.  The children who live there are unhappy, but fear there is nothing they can do.  Then the Araboolies, who speak no English and who change skin color on a daily basis, move in and shake things up!  The General is infuriated by the Araboolies’ bold differences and calls in the army to remove the house and the Araboolies!  The children of Liberty Street develop a plan to stand up and celebrate their differences with a clear message of tolerance.
The Araboolies of Liberty Street is sure to open up wonderful discussions in our classrooms as well as in our homes. 

During the months of January and February, the students will be learning about Respect.  Each class will have the opportunity to read the book Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair by Patricia Polacco. This book tells the story of the townspeople in Triple Creek that love TV so much that over time they have forgotten how to read!  When Aunt Chip discovers that the townspeople have been using books for fixing fences and plugging up the old dam, she realizes that she must teach her nephew Eli how to read.  As the other children in town want to read as well, Aunt Chip encourages the children to stand up for their right to read and learn!  This story not only touches upon the Respect we have for each other’s belongings, but most importantly it tells a story of Respecting our minds and the power books can have on young and old minds alike. 

Understanding is the character education theme for the months of the November and December.  Love As Strong As Ginger is the story of the bond between a Chinese-American girl and her grandmother.  Katie, the narrator of the story, recalls a day in which she accompanied her grandmother to the crab processing plant where she works. Katie gains a greater appreciation for her grandmother's hard work, personal sacrifice, and dignity, while learning how important it is to understand and respect people’s history and different backgrounds.  

Throughout the months of September and October, students at West Middle Island will be exploring the concept of Teamwork while reading the book GOAL! by Mina Javaherbin.  The author addresses the idea of teamwork while intertwining a personal story of how a team of young children can outsmart a group of bullies.  This story reminds us that children around the world have universal problems yet if they work together they can find solutions.  We hope that you will take some time and discuss the concepts in this book with your child.