Try a Little Tenderness
We are always trying to learn new vocabulary words to jazz up our writing in 3rd grade. Today's word was
gentleness.
Me:
Gentleness is a noun. If you are practicing gentleness, you are being careful and calm with something that is fragile, or that can easily be damaged or broken. Who has a connection to this word?
Student: Oh! I do! My new baby sister is fragile, so we have to handle her with gentleness!
Me: That's a great connection!
Student: Yeah, her head's still soft and squishy on top, and you can't bang it on anything or else you'll dent her.
Me: That soft spot is called the fontanel, and it's a spot where the bones of the skull aren't fully fused together yet to allow for growth (feeling pretty smug about the way I just snuck in some additional information--Go Me!).
Student: Well, whatever. My mom just doesn't want her head all dinged up.
Sometimes the best explanation is the simplest explanation. Happy Monday!