Social Studies Chapter 13: The American Revolution

In Chapter 13 we did a Tug-o-War simulation of the American Revolution. We were broken into teams, representing the Colonists, the British and France. We watched as the tides turned from favoring the British to favoring the Colonists. As we got set up for the game, we would be just about to start and then add in a rule change.

For example:
The blue team gets a prize if they win!
Half of the red team has to start several feet away.
The red team has to pull the rope 20 feet in their direction, but the blue team only has to hold out for seconds to win.
At some point we will call the white team in to fight with the blue team!

Ask your children what each of these rules represented!

We learned that the biggest factors in helping the colonists win were being close to home, having more to gain from winning and having allies to support them.

We all fought hard, but in the end, the colonists gained their independence! 

Dividing with Fractions

In math we have been working on dividing a fraction by a whole number and dividing a whole number by a fraction. A lot of time was spent thinking about context for these problems! Can we write a story problem in which a fraction of something is divided into smaller parts? Can we write problems in which multiple wholes are broken up into smaller pieces? What does that mean? What does that look like? We worked on many different models and representations for these ideas.

Some sample problems:
Jessie has 1/2 of a pan of brownies. She shares them evenly between her and her two friends. How much of the pan of brownies does each person get? 1/2 divided by 3 = 1/6.

OR

Glen made 5 apple pies for the carnival. If he cuts each pie into sixths, how many pieces of pie will Glen have? 5 divided by 1/6 = 30

Look for Unit 5 Post Assessment Reflection sheets in Friday folders this week.

Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

As part of our recognition of Black History Month, Shorette students read and analyzed some of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s most famous quotes. We then chose one quote and created a magazine letter replication of it. Check out these and more outside Room 120!

Social Studies Chapters 11 and 12

In Chapter 11 we read about six figures who shared their ideas during the period leading up to the American Revolution. We read about three loyalists: Thomas Hutchinson, Lord Dunmore and Jonathan Boucher and three patriots: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Mercy Otis Warren. We learned about their arguments for whether the colonists should stay loyal to Great Britain or should fight for independence. After learning the viewpoints of the loyalists and patriots in chapter 11, we began a writing piece titled Loyalists vs. Patriots. Students used their chapter notes and text books to plan and write informational paragraphs about the loyalists and patriots and form an opinion paragraph about which side of the argument they agree with. To add some alternate perspectives to our understanding, we also read an additional article "Eight Famous African Americans During the Revolutionary War". We chose one of those people to contribute one fact we learned to a class JamBoard.

Examples of Loyalist vs. Patriots Paragraphs

In Chapter 12 we are learning about the Second Continental Congress and the process of writing the Declaration of Independence. 

Classroom Needs

Hello families! As we hit the halfway point in the year we are in need of a few supplies for the classroom. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. 

-surface wipes
-markers
-notebooks

Bridges: Multiplication of Fractions

Bridges has introduced the multiplication of fractions using measurement units and everyday items. It is in our Number Corner Calendar as well as our everyday lessons. We are using geoboards to help students built parts (fractions) to find their perimeter and area. Here are some shots of the number corner and some examples of our work.

Social Studies Chapter 10

Essential Question: What British actions angered the colonists in the 1700s?

In an Experiential Exercise, I can plan a class party and then experience frustration when the PTA places restrictions on the party. I can relate my feelings to those of the colonists and then match metaphors of parent-child conflicts with key historical events such as the Boston Tea Party, the Stamp Act, the Boston Massacre, the Intolerable Acts and more. The unrest in the colonies was about to boil over....

After reading the text we did a short simulation to help the students understand what it felt like to be a colonist being "oppressed" by King George and the British Government. Ask your child what role they played in the simulation (King, Parliament, Tax Collector, Colonist), and what they learned about how the American colonists felt at this time in history.

King George, Parliament and a tax collector

All of those who chose to go to gaol in protest of the King's taxes. 

I AM

Check out the artwork done by Mrs. Godfrey's class. We've spent a lot of time talking about identity and who we are as citizens and people. Students chose words and phrases that described their talents, their challenges, their places in their families, and things they loved to do.  I can tell you, that they are the most imaginative and kindest group of children I have been lucky enough to know and teach. See if you can identify your student's artwork.

Black History is Our History

Here's a link to check out our slideshow.