Long-range planning — third grade style
Saturday, February 06 2010
Cynthia Shroyer
| Jacqueline Gonzoles, front, Alex Pyle, and Brooke Nesvik work hard on their next writing project — Valentine letters |
An envelope crossed the desk of Burns mayor Phil Oakes recently. It was filled with letters from Candice Halligan’s third grade class at Burns Elementary School. And each letter carried a plea for new activities or businesses in the town of Burns.
Halligan said the assignment to write letters to Oakes was for motivation.
"They write letters to me all the time," Halligan said of the classes daily writing exercise, adding the students turn in better quality work when addressing their missives to someone else.
In social studies the students have been studying government jobs. In writing they are learning the organizational structure of letters. In a note to Oakes, Halligan said, "Of course, writing letters always becomes more exciting when we have a practical audience."
Each writing lessons begins with a prompt. The prompt for this assignment was:
It seems that children always want something extra in a community. Think about the things to do in your community. Write a letter to your mayor persuading him/her to bring an extra activity to your community.
Halligan told Oakes though the class had "discussed an author’s purpose to persuade through their writing, we’ve never written a persuasive piece."
"It was really great to see how "tuned into" the town the students were," Oakes said after reading the letters. "Many of the same things they were asking for (i.e. restaurant and recreation space) were the exact same things that the council has been considering and trying to get in the town for some time."
Halligan’s hope with the project was to get her students excited about writing by giving them a live audience. And excited they were. The students asked for a rodeo, restaurants and game stores. A visit to talk with the students revealed the excitement had not died down.
In orderly fashion they told this reporter an indoor/outdoor swimming pool would be welcome, as would a carnival, shooting range, movie theater and a place to fish. Telling of their true concern for their community, one student suggested having more fund-raisers and charity to "help kids who need stuff." That idea was unanimously agreed with.
"It is really a great thing that the kids will take such an active interest in their community, and I think we’re going to have a great session today," Oakes said. "These kids are the future of the town, and we need to make sure that we make that future as bright as possible for them. I’m just really looking forward to meeting with the kids."
Oakes made a visit to the class on Wednesday.
The following letters were written by students in Candace Halligan’s third grade class at Burns Elementary School. They contain suggestions to Burns’ mayor Phil Oakes on how to make the town better.
Dear Mayor,
I love the town of Burns! It is really peafull because you can walk in the street and ride your bike in the street with no cars coming.
I think the town of Burns needs a water park like equipment that sprays water out of it and igloos made out of water that you can go in.
A water park would be really really Fun. I think it will be busy all the time.
Please consider the offer
Amber
Dear Mayor,
The town of Burns, is full of exiting things. Exept, it seems like kids and adolts have no where to ride there horses thow it will be helpfoul if you listen to my edvice Mr. Mayor.
I think the town of Burns, Wyoming could use an extra activedy like a rowdyow place. Pleas make a place for kids and adolts to ride there hoarses. And pleas can you make it so people can laf and have fun more offten. I am baging you to make a rowdyow place so people do not have to ride on the side of the rowd. Pleas pick my idya.
A rowdyow place is a good activedy for people to get out and if you are intrested call 1-900 rowdyow place.
Pleas consiter my offer
Sinsirly
Helen
Dear Mayor,
I love Burns, but I think it should have a little more pazaz. You could taste millons of flavors. You could smell the sweet aroma of fruit. Please follow my advice and it will make Burns a little bit more fun of place.
The thing I was thinking of was a smoothie place. It can be big if YOU want it to be big. People can hang out all day and sip on fruitey and chocolatey smoothies. We could call it the Woozie Smoothie if you like that idea. Please, please can we have a smoothie place?
A smoothie place is the best thing for Burns right now. Mosly everyone whould LOVE it. If you like that idea, contact me at 1-800-smoothie!
From,
Brooke
Dear Mr. Mayor,
Burns is a very exciting place! There is a lot of fun store. My friends and I love to see animals. Here them too.
I think the town of Burns could use one more activity, a Petting Zoo! We all love wild animals. So take my advice and we’ll get to see them, get them, and love them! There would be way mor fun if you did — P-L-E-A-S-E.
A Petting Zoo would be a great activity. Don’t you love animals? If you do act now!
Biuld a Petting Zoo!
Sincerely,
Jacquelyn
Dear Mayor,
Burns is fun and I want to hear the plastic hit the ground.
I think Burns need a little more action like a super power tower. Kids can have a chance to be what ever Super hero they want. They can fly they can have super strangth. It would only cost one doller to do it.
A Super power tower could be really popular. If you don’t pick it. It will be ok.
Sincerely,
Raymond
Dear Mayor,
The town of Burns, is full of exiting things. I would like you to bring something into Burns. You might see people eating. You might hear music. But you may not if you don’t take my advice.
I would like you to put a Rock Ranch in Burns. You would see a lot of people eating there. I love Rock Ranch a lot. So will you prety please choose my idea.
A Rock Ranch would be very yummy. I’m beging you please choose my idea. If you are intrested call 1-800-RR.
Sincerely,
Frances
Dear Mayor,
Berns is wonderful place, But you wold see see lotes of pepol stopping and biying something luscious things.
I love Brns But it cold use a sonec. Sonec wold make Berns a popular place. You cold see evrywon getting Sonec Blasts and Shakes.
Sonec wold be a grate thing to put into Berns.
Your Frend,
Sadie
Dear Mayor,
The town of Burns is a good town but needs more exsitement. Or maby more taste. What do you say about a better place to eat? I can already smell the food.
The food here is good but dont you think a chines resturant would work? Burns needs a taste of foren food. They would probaly love to taste unknown food. You to maby. You would love their food with your heart.
A chines resurant sounds good right? I hope you pick my idea. Contact me at 547-chines-resturant. Just kidding! I hope you pick my idea.
From,
Hunter
Dear Mayor
The town of Burns need for shopping, eating and studying.
I think burns needs one more thing a video game store so people can buy video games for there game console like a xbox 360.
And people can buy game concole along with a controler also you can also try out games It can also have a bin of different types of video games
sincerely,
Conner
Dear Mayor,
Burns is a wadaful place but can. You please follow my advice and. If you do I will try to use it every, Day and weekend.
I think burns needs a shooting range. I think that a shooting range. Could help a lot of uel and more for gas. And it could be fun for 10 and 8 year olds like me.
A shooting range is a good activity. And if you say yes please build one.
Sincerely,
Alex
Dear Moyor,
The town of bruns Wyoming needes new thing’s it’s full of life. I suggjust you follow my advice Mr./Mrs. Moyor you will hear chrildren laughing and adalt’s having fun. More pepole will what to come to brun’s.
I think the town of brun’s chould use a place to to like I hop. For starters I hop whould be closer so people that live in brun’s will not have to drive so far to eat and you can eat there for breakfast, Lunch, and dinner
I hop is the best-thing brun’s chould have. So I hope you take my advie and call me at 1-353 I hop.
Dear Mayor,
The town of Burns, need a vedeo game/computer games and bord games "game stop" I hop you get this letter so if you get it I willey hop biuld it.
The town of Burns, needs a vedeo game/computer games and bord games.
I will like going to there and every boy in the state of Burns, Wyoming please!
A vedeo game/competer game and bord games just for boys in Burns, Wyoming please call 966 Walerlan.
From Justin
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