5th Grade Learns about Kristallnacht and More

5th Grade Learns about Kristallnacht and More

Mrs. Glanz and Mrs. Packer

Friday, April 5, 2019

This week in Social Studies, students learned about Kristallnacht, what by some is referred to as the beginning of the Holocaust. They learned of the event first through a storybook told through the eyes of a cat who lived on a typical street in Berlin in 1938. Afterwards, students wrote or drew some thoughts and feelings about this horrific pogrom. We have compiled these reflections into a booklet which we will send home next week. Moving on from Kristallnacht, many students said they would flee Germany. With our Pack a Suitcase assignment and subsequent role playing activity, they learned how difficult that was and how many countries closed their doors to Jews fleeing Europe. In particular, they learned of the plight of the 900 or so Jews aboard the St. Louis in the spring of 1939. Finally, we started Hana's Suitcase, a story which tells of an actual Czech girl during these times, as well as the efforts of a Japanese teacher who attempted to uncover Hana's story for her students. 

In Science, students built on their knowledge of plants as they began their study of biomes. They are each working on a biome project they will finish next week. Math this week focused on fraction operations, specifically adding and subtracting with unlike denominators as well as multiplication. Students will review this chapter on Monday and take an assessment on Tuesday.

Finally, this was Growth Ed week. We learned what puberty is and what are some of the changes boys and girls will experience physically and emotionally. In the girls' class today, we spent a lot of time talking about body image and pressures related to it from the outside world. When the teachers have had a chance to compile a list, we will send out student questions to parents to give you an idea of what they are thinking about. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Anne and Sharon