Rivers, Lakes and Streams

Hi All,

This week we've been working on an activity based on the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889, where thousands of settlers lined up to stake their claim on a piece of free land. In the Calvert Land Rush of 2009 dozens of 6th graders staked their claim on waterfront property on the stream table in Room 110 and watched as the meandering river either eroded their homestead away or deposited more land in their claim, the best of all possible deals. Students quickly learned the power of water and its ability to build & destroy. One of the highlights was watching students cheer as "Industrialist Bob" built dams that changed the course of the river, always to the detriment of the best laid plans (nothing brings good cheer like watching your neighbors farm get flooded).

In addition, we took our first vocabulary quiz of the year, and most of us did quite well. I'll be sending grade reports home at the end of next week. We will also have our first chapter test in about a week and a half. I'm aiming for Wednesday, September 30. In the meantime, students can keep working on their flashcards and review their notes.