The third-grade dictionary project began in 2008 and has run continuously in the Central Kitsap School District. Every year, every third grade class gets a visit by Rotarians with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt American Heritage Children's Dictionaries in hand. These dictionaries become the property of each student.

 

During this visit, the students write their name in the front of the book and Rotarians give a brief overview of what Rotary is all about and then ask the students to help repeat the Four Way Test. One of the fun things to ask during the last test (Will it be beneficial to all concerned?), is if the students know the definition of beneficial. Most of the time there is no answer, so we ask the students, "where do you think we can find out what it means?" Certain students understand to look up the word and discover the answer. As a class, we then look up the word together. 

 

To date, more than 8,000 dictionaries have been handed out.

 

In many cases, this is the only book the student owns, and they become very possessive of their new books. Occasionally there is a conflict between a pair of siblings (third and fourth grader) in mixed classes where the students recently transferred. It is always fun to sneak a dictionary to a fourth grader. 

 

The teachers and students always show their appreciation with thank you notes and pictures. 

The third-grade dictionary project began in 2008 and has run continuously in the Central Kitsap School District. Every year, every third grade class gets a visit by Rotarians with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt American Heritage Children's Dictionaries in hand. These dictionaries become the property of each student.

 

During this visit, the students write their name in the front of the book and Rotarians give a brief overview of what Rotary is all about and then ask the students to help repeat the Four Way Test. One of the fun things to ask during the last test (Will it be beneficial to all concerned?), is if the students know the definition of beneficial. Most of the time there is no answer, so we ask the students, "where do you think we can find out what it means?" Certain students understand to look up the word and discover the answer. As a class, we then look up the word together. 

 

To date, more than 8,000 dictionaries have been handed out.

 

In many cases, this is the only book the student owns, and they become very possessive of their new books. Occasionally there is a conflict between a pair of siblings (third and fourth grader) in mixed classes where the students recently transferred. It is always fun to sneak a dictionary to a fourth grader. 

 

The teachers and students always show their appreciation with thank you notes and pictures. 

The third-grade dictionary project began in 2008 and has run continuously in the Central Kitsap School District. Every year, every third grade class gets a visit by Rotarians with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt American Heritage Children's Dictionaries in hand. These dictionaries become the property of each student.

 

During this visit, the students write their name in the front of the book and Rotarians give a brief overview of what Rotary is all about and then ask the students to help repeat the Four Way Test. One of the fun things to ask during the last test (Will it be beneficial to all concerned?), is if the students know the definition of beneficial. Most of the time there is no answer, so we ask the students, "where do you think we can find out what it means?" Certain students understand to look up the word and discover the answer. As a class, we then look up the word together. 

 

To date, more than 8,000 dictionaries have been handed out.

 

In many cases, this is the only book the student owns, and they become very possessive of their new books. Occasionally there is a conflict between a pair of siblings (third and fourth grader) in mixed classes where the students recently transferred. It is always fun to sneak a dictionary to a fourth grader. 

 

The teachers and students always show their appreciation with thank you notes and pictures.