Lots of learning adventures ahead!

In Fifth Grade, we are beginning to explore the "discovery" of the Americas. Together, we are reading, discussing and taking notes on, "Who Was First?: Discovering the Americas" by Russell Freedman. We are studying maps from the "age of explorers" as well as images of the time plus other texts. It is a challenge to reimagine our history. When I was growing up, there was no doubt that Christopher Columbus "discovered" the Americas. Now, we know that others visited the Americas before Columbus did. As we study together, students will have the opportunity to draw their own conclusions about who did discover the Americas.

Fifth Graders continue to read Scholastic News as a current events study. They have made real progress in learning to "close read" text in order to think carefully and determine the most important ideas in what they read. We are learning to create outlines so that we can organize and plan our written responses to what we read.

Sixth Graders are about to begin independent research projects on the "Golden Age" of ancient Greece. Last week, our Sixth Graders shared their oral storytelling of Aesop's Fables and Greek Myths with Kindergarten and First Grade students. There were many smiles and lots of laughter as students shared their stories. We are finishing our shared reading of "The Odyssey" by Homer. Students will be writing reflections on the "theme" of The Odyssey later this week. Through their reading and taking notes on the Kids Discover issue of "Ancient Greece," students have explored the many "firsts" that were created in math, science, architecture, the arts, and medicine during the "Golden Age." This week, students will be selecting topics based on the question, "How does the civilization of ancient Greece continue to influence our world today?" On Wednesday, December 28th, at 6:00 PM, students will share the results of their research, and the projects they create and build to express their understanding of their topics. Stay tuned...

I am impressed by the diversity and quality of the current events articles sixth graders are choosing to read, summarize and discuss together.

Busy Times in Social Studies

In Fifth Grade Social Studies, we are considering how historians use primary and secondary sources to refine our understanding of the history of human beings. We have been studying the discovery in 1991 of Otzi the Iceman in the Italian Alps. Through the study of this 5,300-year-old "ice mummy" and the possessions (artifacts) found with him, we have learned so much more about how people in Europe lived at the end of the "Stone Age." We are brainstorming key ideas, taking notes, and preparing to use our notes to prepare an outline, and write a one to two paragraph summary on the question, "How has the discovery of Otzi, the Iceman helped historians learn new information about how humans lived in the "Stone Age?" We continue to read our Scholastic News magazines. The latest issue focusing on fighting wildfires in the west. I am impressed with the creative curiosity and focus of our fifth-grade students.

In Sixth Grade Social Studies, we continue to explore the "Golden Age" of ancient Athens, Greece. As we read The Odyssey together in a readers theater format, we are identifying how this classic story informs us about ancient Greek values and their culture. (Students are demonstrating a real enthusiasm for reading this graphic novel version.) We are doing Critical Explorations of images of ancient Greek artifacts and their art. Presently, we are summarizing key concepts connected to Greek civilization as we read and take notes on the Kids Discover issue of "Ancient Greece." By the end of this week, students will begin making choices about their independent research projects based on the question, "How does Greece's "golden age" continue to influence our world today? Students continue to choose their own current events articles each week, write a summary of the key ideas in the article, then share their topics with one another.