A Trip Back to the 1880's

Today we ventured back in time with a trip to Georgia's Agrirama. It was a brisk day, but the sun was on our side! My students did a great job and seemed to really enjoy themselves. Whether they were working on the farm, cooking Irish stew and cornbread, grinding corn at the gristmill, or sawing lumber, they did it with a smile. I imagine that most of them will be heading to bed a little early tonight (and so will their teacher), but they learned to appreciate the similicity of life over 100 years ago. It wasn't an easy time to live, but it was rewarding. Our trip to Agrirama brought our social studies lessons to life as we are currently studying about the Civil War and into the Reconstruction era of our nation's history. Sleep tight and I will see you in the morning!

Honoring Heritage

On Friday we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon outside as we listened to the beats of African drums for a Black History Month assembly. February is such a rushed time of year with the holidays behind us, but those test just ahead of us, it was nice to take a break and enjoy a Florida February afternoon!

How Do You Measure Up?

My fifth grade students have been measuring maniacs lately. We have been studying customary and metric units of measurement. We took a little time away from the books and notes to have a metric scavenger hunt and then a customary measurement activity with their classmates. Do you know how long your big toe is?

FCAT Explorer

Remember to log on to FCAT Explorer and finish the math and science sections. This is a great way to prepare yourself for the upcoming tests. After finishing these sections please let me know so that I can reward you with a night off of homework!

http://fcatexplorer.com/

Fall in Love with Reading!

We hosted a dessert party for our second grade reading buddies on Friday. Fifth graders brought their favorite picture book to share over some yummy baked goods. We had a great time, and I think everyone left with a very full stomach and a deeper appreciation of reading!

Taxiation Without Representation!

It was the patriot James Otis that said, "Taxation without representation is tyranny," but you could hear the cries of my fifth graders as they had to hand over their earnings to the tax collector on Thursday. They were given M&Ms (which is as good as gold in the world of a child), and when the tax collector (Maggie) came by, it was time to pay up! The students were taxed on tea, documents (Stamp Act), and sugar. It was a great exercise to model the frustration the patriots were feeling!

Newton in a Nutshell

We love Sir Isaac Newton! Although his Laws of Motion surround us all the time, we took a deeper look at these concepts this week. Ask your child to share with you Newton's Laws of Motion. If you are a bad driver, you child might even talk to you about inertia!