Naper Settlement

Well today we enjoyed a soggy walk through the Naper Settlement. We went back into time, to the late 1800's and learned about the way people lived. My group's first stop was the Martin Mitchell Mansion, built in 1883. Mr. Mitchell made his money in the brick and limestone business. He made his fortune re-building the city after the Chicago Fire. He had one of the first indoor bathrooms in Illinois. We then went to the Murray House which was built in 1842, and it represented a middle class American home. We learned that everybody in the house took one shower a week and that they all used the same water. (Ew!) They took showers in order from oldest to youngest. We also stopped by a replica of Fort Payne, the Century Memorial Chapel , the Paw Paw Post Office, and ended our tour with the Copenhagen Schoolhouse. My group especially liked the school house where if students misbehaved they had to wear a sign of shame and stand with their nose touching the chalkboard. Parents would then know if their children misbehaved when they came home with chalk on their nose! We were a tad wet, but we enjoyed our day.

Happy Memorial Day!

We are done with our political cartoon/editorial unit! Editorials were due today and the cartoons are due on Tuesday. Students may make an extra cartoon for extra credit if they would like. Next week students will be working on some creative writing, and they will be learning about fables.

Important Days:
Monday-No School, Memorial Day
Tuesday-Political Cartoons due
Friday- Naperville Settlement Field Trip

Have a wonderful weekend!

Finishing Harriet Tubman

Next week we will finish writing our editorials. The final draft will be due on Friday, and we will begin to look at and analyze political cartoons.

We will finish up Harriet Tubman on Monday and take a test on the book on Friday. Students will create a map of the Underground Railroad and will help create their own test questions.

Important Days:
Thursday and Friday- School Musical: "The Music Man Jr."
Friday- Harriet Tubman Test, Final draft of Editorial

Enjoy your weekend!!

The Last Grammar Unit of the Year!

We just finished our last grammar unit of the year! Next week we will start a unit on commentary. Students will be reading editorials and political cartoons. Students are encouraged to bring in any articles that they find interesting.

Next week we will finish Harriet Tubman. We will continue to discuss the Civil War and how it relates to our novel.

Important Days:
Sunday- Mother's Day
Monday-Spring Concert
Tuesday- Progress Reports are Available
Wednesday- Chicago Field Trip

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Finishing our unit on Prepositions

This week we will finish our unit on prepositional phrases. We will review all week and have a test on prepositions on Friday.

In Reading we will continue to read Harriet Tubman. We will be discussing the tensions leading up to the Civil War and how that affected fugitive slaves.

Important Days:
Friday- LA Unit 7 Test