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Click here for the December 2009/ January 2010 school calendar.

News from the 5-6 Class

November has flown by! The students have worked very diligently throughout the month.  They did a wonderful job of publishing their second personal narratives and learning new spelling and word skills.  I am proud of how well they have learned to not only use but to recognize homophones in their daily writing and reading.  The students have also been engaged in a comprehensive novel study of the historical fiction book, Island of the Blue Dolphin, by Scott O’Dell

In November, the 5/6 class began their first social studies theme unit on the Civil War.  For this active-learning unit, the students were given new identities which divided them into union and confederate soldiers.  They traveled back in time to the 1860s, to an America torn apart by economic, social and political issues too deep and divisive to repair without a major conflict.  That conflict was the Civil War (1861-1865).    Throughout the unit the students participated in a number of activities, both as individuals and as group members.  They were able to role-play parts in short soldier skits/interviews, reenact Pickett’s charge at Gettysburg and deliver Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. We also had the opportunity to visit the Bennington Museum for a guided to tour of their beautiful facility, and we participated in an interactive presentation on the Civil War Soldier.  This was a great experience.

To bring 2009 to a close, our weeks of school in December will be very busy.  The 5/6 class will be completing their comprehensive novel study of the book, Island of the Blue Dolphin, and completing their social studies unit on the Civil War.  The students will also learn how to write a thesis-driven essay, which will lead to the students completing their first Document-Based Questions (DBQ) on the Civil War.

In January, the 5/6 class will begin the New Year with a genre study on biographies.  As a whole group, we will be analyzing and reading many biographies of inspiring individuals.  The students will then select and read a biography on a famous person they would like to learn more about.  While reading their biography, they will record the important information they obtained about the individual they are studying.  They will take the data they gathered and construct a timeline, informational tri-folds display, and write a speech about their famous person.  The students’ dedication and hard work will be displayed at our class “Living Wax Museum” which will be held in February.  In January, the 5/6 class will also be starting their second social studies unit on immigration. 

There is a lot to look forward to in the upcoming months.  I am excited to be guiding this amazing class through their journey of learning.  I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season.  Happy New Year!

Lianne