Parents, Persecution and Party!
2/28/2020
The last couple of weeks before a well deserved rest over spring break have been busy to say the least. The holiday breaks allow a natural end point to current units of study. 4th grade has been working hard to finish our work on Christopher Columbus. This unit culminated in the mock trial of Columbus and his accomplices as well as the finishing of our historical writing and newspapers on Columbus and his voyages. History as they say is written by the victor. As such it does not always tell the whole story or show the whole picture of what truly happened. Columbus is one such figure. He is often credited with the discovery of America and even has his own day, celebrating him and his many accomplishments. Whilst it is true that without his bravery and courage to explore the world would probably look very different than it does today. However, was he the hero that he is often made out to be? Or is there a darker side to his story? That is what 4th grade set out to discover during this unit of study. During our studies we did indeed discover there are always 2 (or more) sides to every story. One story, that is perhaps not as well know as Columbus's is that of the Tainos. The native people of the land Columbus 'discovered'. As he was not even the first person to sail from Europe and 'discover' land that would later be named The Americas. The treatment of the Tainos by Columbus and his brother led to the eventual investigation and imprisonment of Columbus, and thus our trial. 'The People vs. Columbus, et al. At PNA we strive to encourage students growth in independent thinking and to develop open mindsets. This trial allowed students to 'get inside' the possible mindset of these people and to try and determione why they acted the way they did. Students along with their parents were split into different groups. Each representing a faction at the trial. Columbus himself, Columbus's crew, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella and lastly the Tainos themselves. Each faction was charged with crimes and was given time to develop defensive arguments. The factions then had to present their arguments to the parents and the class, determining who was most guilty party. Students not only got to learn about a darker but true side of history, they also got to engage in higher order thinking and discussions. ~Another unit of study that 4th grade needed to finish was our science work on natural Earth processes and our focus on Earthquakes. Living in Anchorage means living in an area that is prone to seismic activity. One of our driving questions in this topic was 'How can we as engineers, develop earthquake resistant buildings?' As engineers, we researched, designed and eventually made models of buildings. These buildings had to fit certain criteria, such as number of floors. They also had to use one or two methods to make the building earthquake resistant. After learning about the different types of fault lines, how earthquakes are caused and the different waves of energy released in an earthquake, our student engineers decided on 2 methods to resist earthquakes. The tuned mass damper and base isolation. They then attempted to build their structure using these methods. Our structures would be tested on a shake-table to simulate an earthquake. 4th grade were asked to present their research and buildings as part of the Science Party. Instead of the more traditional science fair. PNA held its second science party. Experts and professionals from the community were invited to PNA to demonstrate their expertise in their field. Having these experts in, showing off their knowledge and giving demonstrations, really engages the students in the topic and shows the real life applications for what they study in class. We are not just learning for its own sake. What we learn and do has wide ranging implications that will take PNA students into a successful life after school. Comments are closed.
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Martina HenkeMartina Henke has been a K-8 educator for 30+ years. A life-long learner, she loves working with kids of all ages, new technology, great books, fiber arts, and her wonderful family! Archives
April 2021
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