Make Your Mark, Right on the Dot
Fourth-graders celebrate Dot Day.
Dot Day is an international celebration of connection, creativity, courage, and kindness, inspired by Peter H. Reynolds' book, The Dot. Dot Day is currently celebrated in over 200 countries, reminding us that even small dots can spark big changes worldwide.
The book tells the story of a girl named Vashti who begins a creative journey after a teacher challenges her to "make her mark" with just a single dot.
"The day is a chance to reflect upon how each of us will 'make our mark' on the world," said 4th-grade teacher Pippa Alexander. "The students wrote the ways they wanted to 'make their mark' on orange dot stickers and displayed them on their shirts."
One clever student transformed his dot into Pac-Man, but it still delivered the message!
"The students also embraced their creativity by creating artwork around an orange dot placed on a white piece of paper," said Ms. Alexander. "Each child got to choose what the dot would become...it became a basketball, the center of an atom, a sun, a part of a flower. The possibilities were endless!"
The artwork then served as inspiration for the students to write poems related to their unique creation.
Alongside The Dot, the students also read two other books in Reynolds' Creatrilogy—analyzing cause and effect, characters, and themes across the stories.
"Dot Day was not only a fun day of academic learning, but a chance to find meaningful ways to make a difference in our communities," Ms. Alexander added. "We enjoyed celebrating it!"
Jacksonville Country Day School
Located in Jacksonville, FL, Jacksonville Country Day School is a private school for Pre-K 3 through 5th grade. JCDS prepares students for a healthy and productive lifetime of intellectual exploration, character development, and social responsibility.
© 2025 Jacksonville Country Day School. All Rights Reserved.