Finding Information Through Artifacts

Today, following a discussion on different ways historians find out information about the past, each table group was given a bag containing the pieces of an artifact (a smashed painted pot from the Dollar Store) and a roll of duct tape.  The group's task was to re-construct the artifact, using the duct tape on the inside of the pot so as not to cover any of the markings on the exterior of the pot that might give clues about the people who made the object.

Once the object was assembled, the group had to answer two questions.  The first question was what do the materials and workmanship tell you about the people who made the object or the place where they lived?  The second question was what do the markings, paintings or carvings on the pot tell you about the people who made the object or the place where they lived?

The following are a few photos from the activity.

Each group started with a pile of pieces.

The group then worked together to re-construct the object.

One of the re-constructed pots.

Group shot of the re-constructed pots.

This was a great team building activity, it was great for the kinaesthetic learners, and it was a good activating activity for the beginning of our unit on Canada's First Peoples.

Watercolour Fall Leaves

Our first art project is complete and hanging in the hall outside the classroom.  The students used watercolours to create colourful fall leaves.  A few student samples have been included with this post. Please be sure to drop by to see all of the pieces created by the students!

Personal Best Tests (re-post)

Basic facts are calculations that we should all be able to do very quickly in our heads.  To help with learning and instilling these facts in our memories, 5G will be doing weekly Personal Best Tests (PB's) in multiplication and division to the 12 times table.  For the tests, the students are given 132 basic facts.  They are given ten minutes to do as many of them as they can with the greatest accuracy.  They achieve a personal best if they do the same number of questions in less time than previously or if they get more questions correct.  Their goal is to get better each time, thus, setting a new personal best!

In the first term, the questions are listed in their number families in order.  In second term, the questions are listed in their number families in mixed order.  And, in third term, all of the questions are mixed.

I encourage the students to work on their basic facts at home or in the car on the way to school, whenever they can fit it in, to increase their speed and accuracy with basic facts.