Profiles
Monica Klein
This year, my 6th grade social studies classes participated in two unique projects. One of them was tracing what my 100-year-old grandmother has seen in her lifetime. Only five weeks into the school year, my students researched five categories: sports, inventions, music, communication and fashion. Our librarian, Mrs. Phillips, assisted us in identifying the sites to go to and chose appropriate music for the era that each group was researching.
We turned the library into a Centurion Museum. My parents and aunt were special guests. My students, Mrs. Phillips and I worked hard on this endeavor and it paid off.
Watch the video:
Another, end-of-the-year project was called “Zeus Retires.” Zeus was retiring from being leader of the Greek gods and was NOT naming his successor. While studying the Greek gods, my students “became” one of the gods and debated on who deserved to be the next ruler of Mt. Olympus. My 73-year old father played Zeus. It was a terrific day, with a winner emerging from each class period.
(Monica Klein teaches in the Bethpage school district and is a member of the Bethpage Congress of Teachers.)
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