Melissa, How about having your students write about a family custom? Tell what it is, how long it has been going on, who started it, why it was started, how it has changed through the years, etc. Fourth graders could probably write a few hunderd words on this topic. Maybe they could post the essays to this list and generate comments from others. Good luck!! - Mike Marceau in Westminster, Maryland "I learned that with persistence, clear thinking, and proper chain saws, you can do anything." Craig George