A Forest of Fifth-Grade Memories

At the start of a new calendar year, many people choose to make resolutions that can help propel themselves through a set of accomplishments or serve as too-ambitious goals that falter or fail by February. To deconstruct the idea of resolutions, Middle School Language Arts Teacher Kathleen Armstrong asked her fifth-grade students to choose two words as a reflection for 2021 and one to look forward to in 2022. “Words can’t necessarily be broken like resolutions, but rather, they can sit on your shoulder nudging you forward,” Armstrong said.

Students chose three value-oriented words from an extensive list of options. They spent time exploring the meaning of the word choices, the impact of the words, how they make them feel, and how each word reflects the year that just ended and as a guide for the coming year. The words can reflect favorite experiences, hopes, dreams, and areas that could benefit from more attention. Students then discussed their word choices with classmates before selecting their final word for the year. Once students chose their word for 2022, they mined their memories and selected a word for 2021. Fifth graders began chronologically going through their memories from the second half of fourth grade, moving on to summer, then the first semester of fifth grade. They could go month by month or season by season and include memories from family, friends, school, their neighborhood, camp, sports, etc.

Then the crafting of tree rings began. First, students wrote their word for 2021 and drew circles around it like rings on a tree. Next, they had to fill in the rings with supporting facts related to the word about their life in 2021. Words ranged from “bold” and “bumpy” to “joy” and “accomplishment.”

Fifth-grader Cecilia Lykins shared, “I thought the Tree Ring project in Language Arts was really fun. I enjoyed how I got the chance to look back at 2021 and see all of the great things that I accomplished in that year. As crazy as 2021 was, it was difficult to find just one word to summarize it. I chose the word ‘Bold’ because I had to be strong last year for my family.” In classmate Cecilia Mileusnic’s view, “My favorite thing about this project was remembering the fun things thing over the summer or back in fourth grade. I picked the word ‘Scattered’ because 2021 felt like at one point you were in Florida then the next you were on your couch watching a movie. I wrote a lot about my 4th-grade cohort because man, we were crazy, we would jump on chairs while doing excessive dance parties!”

Armstrong added, “This project aims to reflect upon life experiences, make connections, and serve as a springboard for a future project in memoir writing. Any memorable experience, large or small, happy or not, is fuel for a memoir.”

After spring break, students will choose three selections from their completed memoirs that will be rewritten for a younger audience and turn them into a picture book. Fifth graders will learn to make a storyboard, design illustrations that complement the text, and create a hardcover book.

From the seed of a word to a group of memory-woven saplings, MICDS fifth graders will develop strong roots for the art of telling their stories and honoring the stories of others!