Seth Paine Elementary School
Fifth Grade Taft Trip
February 23 - 25, 2009

Getting Ready for Taft

The 5th grade begin to prepare for Taft long before they actually pack their gear and climb on the bus.

On Monday February 9, the students began to practice orienteering skills in the grassy field behind the school.  Wayne Wagner, (Ms. Wagner's father), together with his friends Eryle Hilton and Jeff Huebner, set up an orienteering course in the back field and have been teaching the  5th graders compass skills.    For pictures of the 5th graders practicing these skills click here. 

The Fifth Grade has also  been busy researching animals, spending time with the laptops, and taking notes from books and internet sites. The students will take on the role of their animal as an omnivore, herbivore, or carnivore for an activity they will participate in at Taft.

The Fifth Grade has also been studying weather. Within the weather unit, they studied water as a solid, liquid, and gas, weather instruments, dynamic weather events, clouds, and the greenhouse effect.  Each day at Taft, the students take turns predicting, reporting and recording the weather.

Along with all the educational preparation, the students have also participated in several fund raisers. In the fall, Mrs. Dobner, a community volunteer with Junior Achievement, visited the 5th grade classrooms, and taught the students all about businesses - how they  are organized, different production methods, and how to advertise.  As a culminating activity, the Fifth grade students set up and run a school supply store during all Wednesday lunch periods. The 5th graders, with the help of parent volunteers  also sell Frozen Fruit pops at lunch on Fridays. The profits from these sales are put in the Lorado Taft fund to offset the cost of the trip. Many thanks to Mrs. Spears for heading up the fund raising activities.  

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Web Sponsor: Cameron. Shapiro
Webmaster: Diana Christ
Author: Diana Christ
Created: March 24, 2008
Updated: February 19, 2009