More than a dictionary

Every one of Burnside Elementary School’s 203 fourth-graders got an unexpected “treat” before Halloween.

The Red Wing Lions Club made its annual sweep through the eight fourth-grade classrooms, leaving a trail of new paperback copies of “A Student’s Dictionary.”

The book is a treasure trove with a gazetteer, summaries from the U.S. Constitution, the Periodic Table of the Elements, biographies of U.S. presidents as well as facts about the American flag, planets and more.

Molly Zervas, in her first year of full-time teaching at Burnside, said she she was thrilled. And she let no dust settle on the dictionaries.

On Monday, students dove into a favorite activity — dictionary practice.

Formerly, they had to take turns sharing five dictionaries checked out of the library.

“It’s been great. Everyone has their own,” Zervas said.

Looking ahead, she noted fourth-graders will be creating state books, and they can glean information from the Fifty United States section for those projects.

Linda Kuyath, Burnside secretary, said that some students simply would not have had the opportunity to have a dictionary without the generosity of the Lions, who use grant funds to help purchase the reference books.

All Red Wing fourth-graders — whether they attend public and private school — received copies to enhance their learning skills.

Tags: lions club, communities, dictionaries, education