Wednesday, November 22, 2017

5B Classroom News: Week of Nov. 13th & 20th

A note from Mrs. Burke:
The students put a lot of time and effort into preparing for the Colonial Trade Fair, and it was worth it.  I am very proud of all of my students!  They transformed the cafeteria into a colonial town with lots of different shoppes.  I enjoyed visiting with each of them during the trade fair and hearing them talk with parents, teachers, and friends about their trade.  They all dressed like colonists, were able to talk about their trade, and show their products and tools.  Please keep reading to see their reflections about the Colonial Trade Fair.  Way to go 5th graders!


 

Today we had the Colonial Trade Fair.  I was a cabinetmaker.  I was nervous because there was a lot of people and they asked me some questions I really didn’t know.  My favorite part was making the tools because I was able to tell everyone about it.  They liked my tools and I felt proud.
- Julian the Cabinetmaker



  

The Colonial Trade Fair was very fun. One thing that wasn’t fun is that people asked the same questions and it got a little annoying. Also, it was fun showing people my items that I made. Meeting other parents was fun and seeing other people’s designs. Talking with other students parents was very fun. Also, it was fun showing people my models and your brochure. Also, I learned that many jobs can be the same and the costumes were really cool. The Colonial Trade Fair was really fun and I'm sad that it’s over. It was  fun experiencing what it is like to tell people about your job. Also, the amount of people we had was amazing and the amount of people that came to my shoppe. There was a lot of questions and people really liked my sign and models.
~Colby the Carpenter


 

Something I think that I enjoyed about the Colonial Trade Fair is that I got to see a lot of people. All people asked me, “What is a cooper and what do they do?.” Another thing I enjoyed was that I could see my mom and grandma. I learned that owning a shoppe is hard to do and there are lots of customers.  
-Alexander the Cooper


 

In the Colonial Trade Fair I had fun explaining stuff to the little ones and telling my grandma and mom about the tools I make and use, and about my job as a shoemaker. Plus, I learned a lot in this experience like the shoemaker was a valuable trade and that my great great grandpa was a shoemaker!!!!!!! Last, the Colonial Trade Fair was fun and the props I made were fun to create and explain.
-Chandler the Shoemaker


 

I think the Colonial Trade Fair (project) was an incredible experience! I think this because I got to learn more about being a  colonist in the 1600’s. Also, at the Colonial Trade Fair I got to tell other people about what I’ve learned throughout the project! I am proud of myself for this project because all of my “customers” said that they loved my shoppe!
-Paige the Shoemaker



This Colonial Trade Fair was amazing. My colonial trade was the hatter. I had many models and hats to show to the audience. One model that I shared was a mannequin foam head with a long black hat. A second model that I shared was a ring of material that the hatters used to create a hat. There were many more models to share, but a couple things I enjoyed about this Colonial Trade Fair was that I got to share what I know, telling history, making/telling about my models, and getting to meet other people that know about and have learned about my trade. This year’s Colonial Trade Fair experience, for me, was the best.  I hope to see other kids do something like this when I am older.
-Lyssette the Hatter


 

 

My experience at the Colonial Trade Fair was good.  Everyone was a lot of fun to talk to.  Everything seemed so organized.  It was an experience I learned a lot from. Two things I enjoyed were the customers and the festivity.
One thing I enjoyed was the customers.  It was fun to explain all of my research to them.  Another thing, they seemed to be interested in our stuff.  It is always better to explain to people who are interested.  And the customers helped me learn how to explain things better.  My first customers, my parents, I explained everything to them in an okay way, but when my next customers came, I was able to improve.  Those are some of the ways I liked the customers.  The customers were fun, but another cool thing was the festivity.
Another thing I liked was the festivity.  Everyone had a lot of fun, learning, and explaining.  Also, people were wearing amazing costumes that seemed to bring time back to the 1600’s.  One thing I learned from all the festivities was that it is good to take things seriously, because it pays off making the experience of the colonial times better.  Those were one of the ways that festivities were fun.
The things I learned were fun and cool.  There was costumes, fun, and models.  There was also great interest in our stuff.  From customers to festivity, this was a great experience.
-Bennett the Doctor


 


Monday the Colonial Trade Fair went down.  Here is my experience with the fair. Not that many people came to my shop but when they did come, they were the best customers that I could ever have, and I appreciated every customer that came. Thanks for coming to those who came  to my shop. I loved the trade fair and would 100% do it again. I learned a lot of things from this project.
    -Jocelyn the Saddler


 

One thing I liked about the Colonial Trade Fair is that people asked questions about  what I am and what I did. One thing I thought was interesting was that a lot of people were interested in to what I was doing. Another thing I liked was when people asked where I got my resources.
 -Sophia the Milliner


 


OH MY GOODNESS!! I thought that the Colonial Trade Fair was so fun. Lots of people came and visited my shoppe and asked me lots of questions. A question that customers asked me was what my laying rope was. I had to constantly say, “This is called laying rope, and it’s basically where you twist twine together and you end up making rope.” I’ve learned throughout this project that you don’t always need an answer to all of the questions. For example, one person asked me what my favorite part about the project was. I had to say that I enjoyed everything because I really enjoyed this project. I would like to say to Mrs. Burke and Ms. Rhoades, I am so glad that they were able to make this Colonial Trade Fair possible.
Thank you,
Cordelia the Shipwright



 

The Colonial Trade Fair was wonderful. I loved the trade fair. I personally thought that it was a lot of fun. I liked how we all got to choose our trade and that we made our own costumes and models.
    -Faith the Blacksmith




One thing I enjoyed at the Colonial Trade Fair was people liked my models. One thing I learned was back in colonial times it was different then.
-Larkyn the Wigmaker




There are so many things I want to share, but I’m going to shorten it down to a few really fun things. The costumes were amazing!!! Everyone looked so good, it made me want to compliment them all. When people came, parents, friends, and teachers, it was so fun to tell them all about my trade. This trade fair made me feel so happy and bubbly inside. Telling people about wig making was awesome because I got to tell them all about how you make a wig, and what wigs are made out of, and so much more! I was so excited when my family came to see what things we’ve done so far. I can’t wait until the next event in Middle School!
    -Lily the Wigmaker



 

My trade was the apothecary.  I learned that apothecary's made and then prescribed medicine and performed surgeries.  Apothecaries were like pharmacists.  During the Colonial Trade Fair I was super confident and proud about my models because everyone kept commenting saying, ‘’Wow!  Great Job!  That is A LOT of models!’’  The other students who were an apothecary were working together to model and describe what apothecary's provided and did.  I think students in the future should do the Colonial Trade Fair because it is fun and you learn so much.
-Addy the Apothecary



 

I thought that the Colonial Trade Fair was a great experience.  I thought this because I got to show people the work I did, the products I make, and how I would make them.  Also, something else that made me happy was when I got compliments from the parents and teachers who came to my table.  Overall, the Colonial Trade Fair that made me proud of the work I did.
-Nolan the Silversmith




The Colonial Trade Fair was super fun. People ask me lots of questions about weavers and how they make lots of stuff. Most of the people loved to read my brochure and loved my outfit, too. I learned how much hard work it takes to make baskets, clothes, and pillows.
     -- Makayla the Weaver



 

The experience was very fun because we learned so much. Things I learned were a boy can only be a homemaker if they are a widow.  Another thing about the experience was what we got to do by ourselves like making models, costumes, and a brochure.  Another thing I learned was they could never leave the house unless they had to get food for the house.  Something that was really fun was all the stuff we got to make like the essays, models, and brochures.  The last thing that was a good experience was we got to choose what we wanted to be.  
  -Ella the Homemaker



 

One thing I enjoyed about the trade fair was I got to see my mum. Another one is I got to talk to all different types of people. Also, I got to answer other peoples’ questions.
    ---Logan the Glassmaker



 

I thought that getting to learn about a trade was incredible. I learned a lot about the bookbinder such as, how to stitch the pages together, how to put the end pages on, and how to put a cover on. The Colonial Trade Fair was fun because you got to teach other teachers and parents about your trade. I also think that Mrs. Burke and Ms. Rhoads did a great job teaching and helping us.
-----Lucy the Bookbinder














Sunday, November 12, 2017

5B Classroom News: Week of Nov. 6th

A note from Mrs. Burke:
In the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, there is a box outside our classroom door to collect canned fruit cocktail donations for the Norwich Holiday Basket Helpers. If you would like to make a donation, please send in canned fruit cocktail with your child. 

This week the 5th grade went on their first field trip of the school year to see Fiddler on the Roof at the Hartford High School.  We saw many OQS alumni in the play!  The actors did a spectacular job and the set was beautiful.

Keep reading to see what our classroom reporters shared this week...

Social Studies:
In Social Studies we are learning about colonial trades.  My trade is the blacksmith. The blacksmith use to do so many important things for all people. In colonial times, the blacksmith did an assortment of things for where he or she lived. They made a variety of tools and objects for all people. They used different things to mold and make tools out of iron and metal.
     -Faith

We are writing an essay about a colony trade. My trade (job) is the saddler. The saddler made horse equipment. The equipment they made was a saddle, harness, fire bucket, girth, and rider’s whip.
    ~Jocelyn

Wigmakers go back quite far time-wise. They are not used as often anymore though.
   -Lily

I have learned that there is more than just one kind of cooper.
    ---Alex

Cabinetmakers build dressers, spindles,  tables, and chairs.
    -Julian

I am the Carpenter and I work with wood.
    ~ Colby

I am learned that weavers don’t just make stuff for people, they make stuff for themselves.
    --Makayla

In social studies we are learning about colonies.
    -Larkyn

I learned that my trade (the silversmith) makes intricate items from people’s gold, silver, and bronze coins.
    -Nolan

We have learned about colonial trades and how they are important.  
     --:o)  Addy

In social studies I’m a homemaker. I’ve learned that a homemaker doesn't have to be a girl, it can also be a boy.  However, to be a boy homemaker you aren’t married, or you were, but your spouse passed away.
    -Ella

In social studies we are finishing up essays about our trades, and starting our rough draft of colonial trade brochures. We are having a lot of fun!
    -Paige

I am studying shipwright (shipbuilding). It is very fun. At home I am working on  something called laying rope. It’s basically where you attach rope ends together and twist them together. It very simple but hard to describe.
    -Cordelia

In social studies we are writing an essay about what we are learning about colonial trades.
    -Sophia   


Math:
In math we are learning how to add and subtract fractions.
     ---Lucy

In math, we are learning about not just fractions, but also how to multiply them and to find the common denominator.  
    -Bennett

In math, we are working on finding common denominators and adding fractions.
    -Nolan

We are learning about multiplying fractions.  
    --- Addyson


Language Arts:  Esperanza Rising

Image result for esperanza rising

In the chapter called Los Melones,, Esperanza and her family successfully moved to California.
    -Nolan


STEAM:
Students built houses during STEAM time and reflected about them using flipgrid.  Click on the this link to see and hear their reflections:  https://flipgrid.com/fb42aa

Flipgrid is a cool website where we are asked to answer a question, and we record ourselves answering the question.
    -Bennett


Second Step: Learning to be assertive

Image result for second step

In Second Step, we are practicing being assertive.
    -Nolan

Being assertive is a skill you can use when solving problems, standing up for yourself or others, and making friends.  

Here are some students practicing being assertive.










Read Aloud:  The Twenty-One Balloons

Image result for the twenty one balloons

Check out the house drawings students made.  They were inspired by the book The Twenty-One Balloons.  Each house contains a special invention.