2015 book information - Mattie JT Stepanek Foundation

 The Mattie J.T. Stepanek Foundation
Teacher Tips & Lesson Plans
www.MattieOnline.com
Our Loving Tribute for Mattie
Peace Certification Program Participants (yes__x_
2014-2015 – YEAR 2 for Certification J
no___)
Name of Educator or Individual: Alba Romero
Your role (e.g., teacher, counselor, parent, aide…) Teacher
Name of classroom/school: Morningside Elementary School --- Grade 4
Location (city, state, country): California, USA
Name of Lesson or Activity Plan: Mattie’s Tribute Book
Subject /content area(s):
Reading, Writing, Language Arts, English, Spanish, Art, Poetry, Social Studies, Character Development and more!
Recommended age/grades/developmental level: Elementary grades (or any grade with modifications)
Who created this plan: Alba Romero
Ms. Romero introduced Mattie to her students using Mattie’s books, video links from Mattie’s website, information about
Mattie from his website, poetry readings, and conversation and discussion.
The students learned about Mattie as a person, and as a poet and writer, and as peace advocate. Ms. Romero and her
students reached out to Mattie’s mom (Jeni Stepanek, who runs Mattie’s Foundation) to share their activities and that they
were inspired by Mattie’s life and message.
Dr. Stepanek responded, and after learning that many of the students in the class were Spanish-speaking, invited them to
help her in furthering her Spanish skills. They began exchanging e-mails in both English and Spanish. Ms. Romero also
helped the students with letter-writing skills, and sent an package of letters from the students (all penned in Spanish) and
artwork to Dr. Stepanek.
The students created a “hero tribute book” for Mattie, in which they wrote letters about how Mattie inspired them in learning
and in life. They also created “Acrostic” poems using sentences and words that describe Mattie and/or peace. Ms. Romero
helped them “publish” the book (hardcover binding through a specialty company) and sent a copy to Mattie’s mom.
SEE PHOTO SAMPLES of the letters and book pages below
along with photos from the class “Peace Chat” via Skype with Mattie’s mom…
www.MattieOnline.com
Morningside Elementary School is celebrating their “centennial ” anniversary -­‐-­‐ 1915 to 2015. Tiles were created for the school hallway, Including one celebrating the peace work of Mattie’s Foundation and MES students. th
Ms. Romero’s 4 graders enjoyed a Skype “Peace Chat” with Jeni Stepanek (Mattie’s mom” at the end of the school year to celebrate their peace journey and the classroom’s second year of Peace Certification. MORE NEXT PAGE ààà
www.MattieOnline.com
Samples of the thank you letters Ms. Romero’s students wrote at the end of their 4th grade school year. Ms. Romero chooses to make peace A way of teaching, and learning, and being in her classroom – rather than a time-­‐limited lesson plan. Each day, her students recite the “Peace Pledge” created by Mattie, and that is found on Mattie’s Foundation’s Three Choices bookmarks. MORE NEXT PAGE ààà
www.MattieOnline.com
Our Loving Tribute for Mattie Stepanek
by Ms. Romero’s 4th Grade
MES 2014-2015
MORE NEXT PAGE ààà
www.MattieOnline.com
Sample pages from the 2014-­‐2015 Our Loving Tribute book with peace letters and acrostics created by Ms. Romero’s 4th graders. MORE NEXT PAGE ààà
www.MattieOnline.com
MORE NEXT PAGE ààà
Many of Ms. Romero’s 4th grade students Speak Spanish in their homes. When they learned that “Mama Peace” (Jeni Stepanek) was studying Spanish, the class participated in a peace letter writing project – in Spanish, to help her with her studying. MORE NEXT PAGE ààà
www.MattieOnline.com
Congratulations Ms. Romero’s 2014-­‐2015 4th Grade Class on an amazing peace journey… “Peace is possible… choose peace!” Mattie J.T. Stepanek