In sixth grade, students have been studying Mesopotamia and its various elements, especially the system of writing called cuneiform. On Wednesday, we spent our class time in the kitchen, etching cuneiform letters into cookie dough. Students were careful and diligent in this task, and their outcome demonstrated the level of detail they achieved! As part of this study, we’re also discussing the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Code of Hammurabi, as well as the important role of scribes in ancient society.
In seventh grade, students began a research project on Wednesday. They broke into three teams to uncover the history of the British colonies in the Americas. One group is covering the New England colonies, another is looking into the Middle colonies, and the final group is examining the Southern colonies. Through this research, they’re practicing communication and collaboration, as well as learning how the colonies varied based on the reasons they were founded and their geography.
In eighth grade, students have been discussing their research into the reasons various European countries colonized in the Americas. From here, they’ll learn in greater detail about the early British colonies, including Jamestown and Plymouth, to understand the variety of reasons and ways they were settled.
