Monday, January 12, 2015

MLK Jr.

One of Julia's homework assignments tonight was to fill in six circles, each with a word describing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It was more challenging for her to come up with these words than I had expected.

CIRCLE NUMBER ONE: helpful to the world
JULIA: So Mommy?  Should I write "helpful," because he was trying to HELP people with different skin get to do the same things as everyone?
ME: Uh, yeah...you could say he was helpful.  He did help change the world.
JULIA: Okay, I'll write "helpful to the world."


CIRCLE NUMBER TWO: peaceful


CIRCLE NUMBER THREE: Loveing


CIRCLE NUMBER FOUR: Peace-loveing man Kind
ME: Peace-loving man?  Why don't you just write "peaceful?"  Because you already wrote "loving" right up above.
JULIA: No, I already DID "peaceful" in the second circle!
ME: Oh.  Then I'd just erase that and try to come up with a different word.  Because you're sort of repeating what you already wrote.
JULIA: Ooookaaaaay...I'm not really sure what other words I should write.  Should I say...like, he changed the WORLD?
ME: Well, he did change the world.  Can you think of a word that describes that?  Do you know what the word "inspirational" means?
JULIA: No.  What does it mean?
ME: Well, never mind, if you're not sure what it means let's think of a word you DO know.  But inspirational means that you make people want to follow your teaching and your ideas. 
JULIA: Uh...should I put "kind?"
ME: Sure.

CIRCLE NUMBER FIVE: Non Vilant
JULIA: Mom?  What's the word for people who don't like GUNS again?  Democrats?
ME: Uh, no, uh, I'd say "non-violent."
JULIA: Oh.  Okay.


CIRCLE NUMBER SIX: Hero to the World
JULIA: Mom?  What else should I say?
ME: Well, what other words come to mind?
JULIA: Like, he helped change things?
ME: So, would you say he was sort of a hero?
JULIA: Oh!  Yeah!


Some time after Julia had finished her homework, she came upon a great word that she had neglected to use.

JULIA: (while galloping through the living room) Oh!  I meant to write "BRAVE!"


CIRCLE NUMBER FOUR: Peace-loveing man  Kind  Brave


And with that, our homework for the night is finally complete. 


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