This week, 5th graders spent our social studies time working on a project about prehistoric peoples.  We have been using the research process to learn about the culture and lives of people who lived during the Stone Age.  Each student chose one of our “beginning of unit” questions to focus on and formulated 3 more specific research questions.

Students used a variety of books to research the answers to their questions and wrote up short informative paragraphs (using proper paragraph expectations we learned in Writing last week).

To add another dimension to this project, fifth graders will create some pieces of art inspired by prehistoric paintings to hide their paragraphs on a presentation wall in a lift-the-flap style.  In our last Outdoor Education class, Mrs. Bowsher, our Outdoor Education teacher, dedicated her lesson to teaching the fifth grade about plants found in our backyard (native and nonnative) that have historically been used to create pigment for paints and dyes.  We learned about elderberry, goldenrod, and lamb’s quarter among others- what part of the plant was used for pigment and how it is extracted.

Using this information, Mrs. Walter, our art teacher, will be leading students in making some of our backyard pigments into paints and imitating prehistoric art styles by creating their own pieces.  Our “lift-the-flap” wall will hopefully be set up by late next week.  Make sure to stop by sometime and see it!