This week is our last week of social studies until March and we ended it with a bang!
With Monday off and Tuesday MAP testing all day, our last lesson for social studies was not until Wednesday and in it, we focused on those that are often forgotten or overlooked. Students read about the contributions of women, Black, Jewish, Hispanic, Muslim, and Asian Americans to the Civil War (both the Union and Confederacy) and for the generations to come. Then, working either independently or in a small group they wrote a poem about one of the groups or a specific person that they read about, giving a voice to the formerly voiceless and sharing their contributions with the world (or the school as this will be a bulletin board). These poems are a powerful reminder that even though these people and groups may have been forgotten, their impact is still felt, and their deeds still important.
Then, on Thursday, instead of an end of unit assessment, we did a Civil War escape room. To add to my resume, I now own a time travel agency in which students were transported to Abraham Lincoln's telegraph office beside the White House. Once there, their groups had to solve puzzles about all things for our Nation Divided unit in order to determine WHEN they were. They looked at battles, important dates and events, and significant people and their contributions. Then based on their knowledge and the information they uncovered through the clues, they had to determine the event that occured so they knew the date. Although the 40 minutes were intense, the kids seemed to have fun with the activity. Below are pictures of each of the groups hard at work trying to escape the past.
Finally, on Friday, we began our astronomy unit with a focus on rotation and revolution and the impact that movement has on the Earth.
Next week, we will continue our exploration but with some hands-on activities. If anyone would be able to donate any of the items below, it would be greatly appreciated:
Popsicle sticks (both large and small)
Chopsticks (wooden)
Plastic wrap
Wax paper
Plastic small cups (around the size of dixie cups)
Thank you in advance