To the Editor:
My name is Maegan Warner and I teach 3rd grade at Muddy Brook Elementary School. The third grade team here at Muddy Brook is working with Norman Rockwell Museum staff to develop a unit of study based on Norman Rockwell’s and living illustrator, Jerry Pinkney’s work. The unit examines qualities of a meaningful life, persevering over time, and working with passion and a personal mission. We launched our inquiry last week with a close study of Norman Rockwell’s painting, The Golden Rule. Students noticed details, then considered their thoughts and feelings. As a class, we put our thoughts into a poem. Students were so excited about the result they decided to march through the school holding up The Golden Rule print for all to see. We believe in The Golden Rule and thought you might like to see our work. We hope it ripples through the county, as it did in our classroom and school, inspiring all.
With Warm Wishes,
Ms. Warner’s class
Muddy Brook Elementary School
Great Barrington, Massachusetts
The March of History
Written by Ms. Maegan Warner’s third grade class, Team 307, in response to Norman Rockwell’s painting The Golden Rule
A crowd of people
Everyone looks different
White skin, black skin, brown.
Red hair, black hair, brown hair, blond hair, white hair.
Boys and girls
Babies.
Men and women
Children.
A very old man.
Someone is holding a cross.
Someone is holding a gold bowl.
Someone is holding a sword.
Someone is holding a baby.
Many people are holding their hands together.
I think they are praying.
They are praying for us to follow The Golden Rule:
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
We are treated unfairly because we are girls.
We are treated unfairly because of our skin,
Because we are boys, because of our beliefs,
Because of our age.
Because our grade.
Because of who we love.
We are treated unfairly because we are small.
These people come together.
They feel big and powerful when they come together.
They stare at us.
They tell us something.
They tell us, “You should follow The Golden Rule.”
It makes us feel nervous.
It makes us feel awkward.
It makes us feel weird and nerve-wracking
It makes us feel like hiding.
But we peek out and read the words:
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
We will do it!
We will ALL do it!
It will be hard.
We will march.
We will march through all the grades.
We will march across the earth.
We will march through the hardness.
Our hearts will pound with love.
While we march we will say The Golden Rule.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
________
Norman Rockwell’s scenes and favorite holiday illustrations that capture the essence of the American Christmas can be seen in a special exhibition “Norman Rockwell: Home for the Holidays” on view at Norman Rockwell Museum now through January 29, 2017.
