WHO KNEW??

Today I was teaching a Science Fiction lesson and used Ray Bradbury's "All Summer In A Day". My objectives were clear: identify the elements of Science Fiction, read the story, find aforementioned elements, move on...
HOWEVER.. I must remind you dear reader that I teach SIXTH GRADE! Like that box of chocolates Sweet Forrest mentioned... you never know what you're gonna' get!
The gist of the story is this: Setting= Venus in a future time. Conflict= It rains there for seven years, only to be interrupted by one hour of sunshine before returning to RAIN!! Characters= A bunch of little kids who have never seen sunshine, the teacher, and Margot (who was born on Earth and remembers sun and is "weird" by the other kids' standards). The mean kids lock Margot in a closet and forget about her... and she of course misses the sun.
My students totally turned this into a Character Education lesson. They opened up and talked about how it really stinks to be the odd person out. These kids who don't like to be too serious asked excellent questions. "Where was the teacher? Do you think Margot recovered? If she loses her mind, is it their fault?" and then.... the really hard question..."Mrs. Freeman, did you ever do such things?". OH my heart beat quickly and my face turned red and I lowered my head in shame. THEN.. I had to summons the courage to tell them the truth.. "Yes dear ones, I may not have been William (the ring leader); but I know that kids were picked on, I knew it was wrong and I DID NOTHING and for that I have very sorry." So... did I meet my academic objectives of Science Fiction? Not so much. I did however continue to build relationships with my students, further enhanced their trust in me, and hopefully allowed them for a moment to realize it's never to late to change who you are and how you behave!
Thank you Toucans for the reminder... now tomorrow... SCIENCE FICTION is on the agenda...