Planting a Tree at the New Elementary

The Third Graders and I planted a tree this spring on the new Storm Lake Elementary ground.  We planted right next to my classroom window on the Southwest grassy area, so that we can watch it grow every year.  The students wrote a note on a piece of paper which was to be some kind of good wish for our country.  Then before we put the tree in the ground we threw the papers in the hole.  Each child got to throw some dirt in the hole with an orange plastic container.  After it was covered up, we then pushed down the dirt around it and placed mulch on top. The janitors put straps on the stakes to hold it in place in the ground and from wind damage. They will water it this summer.  The tree is a White Burr Oak.  It is growing nicely with lots of green leaves on it.  It was a fun experience enjoyed by all of the students.

Pioneers in their Westward Movement

My two third grade Social Studies' classes from Storm Lake Elementary decided to make a Pioneer center for Teacher-Parent-Student Conferences on March 29th,31st, and April 1st.  They decided to do a body drawing of a mom, dad, girl, and boy of the era.  The classes designed and colored by using books from our Pioneer Unit to depict the costumes of the characters.  We added a stick horse to the young strapping boy, a pillow-case doll to the girl, and a bucket to the mom.  Two boys in our classes, made small Conestogas with articles (table, chairs, and clothes)for inside the wagon to be prepared for the long journey west.  The students wrote stories about questions that asked for information on the Pioneers' trips West.  Each student researched a different question on a graphic organizer and then edited to publish into a class book about Pioneers Going Westward.  The teacher added a green and white rope with a picture of  her making it in South Dakota this past fall on a prairie farm. We also decided to add some good literature from this time in history, including the one-room school house speller and reader, plus a slate board.

The two classes are also learning about the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution.  They each wrote two pledges for their rights within our new elementary school and the reason why they should be inalienable rights. Then lastly, we wrote a class constitution for our two classes for rules and unto signed their signature with a feather pen.  They thought this was very hard but how it must have been back in those days for our forefathers.

 

A student wrote a story about "Lonely Zero" it is about Multiplication.

"Special Zero"

    Lonely Zero was sad because everywhere he looked he saw numbers being multiplied by other numbers and making bigger numbers for their product.  But... whenever Zero was multiplied by other numbers, it still equaled him, no bigger.  He was worthless!  The next day was the first day of summer.  All of the numbers were playing in the sun except Zero who was too sad to play with friends.  So, the next day at noon, he decided to go to the King Hundred of Numbers.  Zero said, " I want to be a big number, one that can help the number universe solve problems with numbers."  King Hundred answered Zero, "You are very special already, if "0" didn't exist I would be worthless also, but see I have two zeros.  I am very proud to be 100.  You are a part of me, without you I am nothing!"  Then  Zero felt much better about himself, when he stands next to "1" he makes "10" and when he adds himself again it makes "100", and he can even do many more numbers, like "1,000,000,000,  a mighty big number." Zero decided to have a happy day and played the rest of the afternoon with all the numbers at the park. For he now knew, that he was very important digit for them to survive in the number sense world.
  
   Author's note:  When I was younger I thought; why do we need zero? It's worthless. But then I heard this song called Zero my Hero and it showed that without zero, we would only be able to count to nine and trust me that is not very fun.  So remember anything times zero is zero but, Zero is a hero.

Prairie Dog in the West

Laura Ingall's First Classroom

One room school house in SD.

Laura Ingall's first home in DeSmet , SD.

Mrs. McKenna riding in a Conestoga.

 

Shanty to live in on the Prairie.

 

Laura Ingall's First Classroom

Mrs. McKenna driving the Persion horses.

 

Waterfalls in SD

 

Hay bundles for the fireplace.

 

Replica of Ingalls home in SD.

Prairie Homestead

Pictures from Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Oregon Trail.

Pioneer PWIM Discussion

My Third Grade Classroom at Storm Lake Elementary is studying about the Pioneers moving West. We are learning what hardships they had to face while crossing the United States in their Conestoga or Prairie Schooner.  Some of those hardships were rivers, mountains, storms, wild animals, insects, sicknesses, starvation, and Native Americans.  They decided to go West for many reasons. They were able to start farming new land and set up a homestead.  The search for gold in California. They were risk takers who wanted to start a new life after leaving the colonies. There will be more information to come as the students learn about the Pioneers of the Old West.