Here's What We've Been Up To in Room 205!

This week in 5th grade we went camping (well sort of!). We completed an Inference Project where students "participated" in a camping trip and the various shenanigans that took place along the way. There was a stolen backpack, a doomed hike, campfire stories, and much more! The activity I used was from the Teachers Pay Teachers store called: Teaching With a Mountain View. You can find the activity I used here: Inference Project.

In history this week we turned our class into a courtroom with the Honorable Judge Esterhuizen presiding! The students participated in mock trials of Civil War era figures including: John Brown, Harriet Tubman, Eli Whitney, Cyrus McCormick, and Frederick Douglass. These kids had such a great time researching their arguments and challenging themselves to see things from another point of view. Many students really had to stretch their imaginations to imagine what it would have been like to have to defend someone whom they felt was guilty or to have to prosecute someone whom they thought was innocent! The trials turned out really well! I even had a parent come to me and say that their student came home talking about how much she enjoys arguing! 😛

Researching their case!

Casework!

I will add some pictures and video of our trials in action once I can get them from my phone!