Perspective

Today we read the book Encounter by Jane Yolen. It told the story of Christopher Columbus' arrival in San Salvador from the perspective of a young Taino boy. Recount the details of the story that showed a very different opinion of exploration than other views we have examined. Formulate your response into a well-written paragraph.

Vocabulary words

Our vocabulary test scores went down a bit this last week. Please study your words this week and be ready for our Friday quiz! You must know how to spell the word, the definition, and how to use it properly in a sentence. This week's list: 1. blunder 2. cancel 3. continuous 4. distribute 5. document 6. fragile 7. myth 8. reject 9. scuffle 10. solitary 11. temporary 12. ecosystem

The 3 Gs of Exploration

We have been discussing explorers in our Social Studies unit. Yesterday we discussed that many explorers set off on their adventures motivated by either Gold, God, or Glory. Think about those reasons. Name a fourth reason why explorers may have been motivated to find new lands and explore the unknown.

It's A Small World

Ever notice how things keep getting smaller and smaller? The world's smallest telephone is less than 2 inches long. The smallest camera is even smaller. How do you feel about things getting smaller? Small stuff is easier to carry, right? But it's easier to lose, too. Do you think there's a way to make teeny tiny cars? Could there be a way to shrink people so they could drive aroudn in these cars? Smallness is kind of a big topic, isn't it? Use your imagination and write about the good and bad sides of things getting smaller.

Countries around the World

Today we wrote "Where Am I?" Riddles for various United States. Your homework tonight is to find the name of a country outside of the US, name three cities within it, and for extra credit locate the country by latitude and longitude. (to the closest degree, no minutes necessary!) You may post this information on the blog, or you can bring it to school. Don't forget your puzzle of the week, and to study for your vocabulary test!