Inauguration Day

Today was inauguration day. Yes, our school shut down for the occasion. Not literally. But pretty much. If you were to walk into our building this is what you would have seen: the office door shut with all office workers gathered around the television, the library door shut with students and teachers gathered around the television, the lights were out in the cafeteria with loudspeakers attached to the television that everyone watched as they ate, all classrooms were empty, and teachers and students gathered together around televisions throughout the school to watch history in the making.


During the inauguration festivities, I asked my students to "take notes" because they would be writing about what they saw. Now, I didn't expect much. We've never "taken notes" before. I was just trying to keep them busy. I was so impressed with how serious they took the assignment! It was SO cute to watch them listening and watching and trying to spell words they had never heard before! I loved it! Well, when I took up the notes...I loved it even more!! I MUST share some of their "notes" with you.

This is an actual account of Mrs. Johnson's 3rd grade class during the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

"I saw white people and black police."

"April Ham Linking they is using him." (Abraham Lincoln's Bible)

"Our new vice president Joy Mike"

"They look at dead people pictures"

"The woman sings My Conchree Tives A Ve."

"They play the flu. They play the peanu."

"They are moving Barack Obama in the White House and Bush out!"

"Barack Obama is the president and he stay in the White House."

"It was over 20,000 people out there."

"He is patriotic and inspring."

"Vice President Chaing"

"Brak Omba is the new prenintant."

"I saw a big white thing."

"They are using Appraham Licoins Bible."

"Gorge Bush"

"I saw people at the top and bottom."

"Obama's kids are taking pictures."

"Obama is our first black African American."

"Obama swared!"

I know what your are thinking. "What in the world have you been teaching them in grammar!?" Trust me. I try. There were MANY things the students picked up on that really impressed me. Here are a few. Some I never even noticed.

"Besuki Elementary School" - they showed Barack's elementary school during the broadcast

"Sen. Dianne"

"Harlem Armory"

"Obama is the 44th president."

"Bushes twins"

"They said they had the time of their life at the Jonas Brothers concert."

"I heard that they come here every four years."

"National Mall"

"They were talking about John Lewis."

"Obama works hard and has great hope for America." - probably something the commentators said

"He stands up and says what he got to say. Brothers has been takers. They will trance form the school. They will not give nothing up. We are the keepers of this world. We will not apolleguas."

The students were so excited. I wonder if these students truly understood what "history in the making" means. I'll probably laminate their "notes" and keep them! (after they do the writing assignment of course!)

This morning the students had a writing assignment for morning work. They had to create an outline telling how they would change the world if they were elected president. They told what they would change and why. Then, the students put their outlines into paragraph form. Go to our class website to check them out. They came up with some good ideas. :)