Fourth Graders practice whittling
Fourth graders used plastic knives, paperclips, and pencils to whittle soap in carvings they designed. The activity stemmed from their reading of “Tiger Rising” by Kate DiCamillo, in which the main character learned to whittle from his mother, who passed away from cancer. He used whittling to express important thoughts and feelings. Students explored how characters can be complex and made connections to story elements in their own lives.