STAB 2016

Today we talked about the earliest humans: the hunter-gatherers who originated in Africa and slowly migrated to the other continents. Thanks to  Katherine  for her sketch of a hunter-gatherer! The students imagined what life was like for a person living 20,000 years ago. They concluded that hunter-gatherers' lives were dangerous and probably repetitive (perhaps boring, but also perhaps adventurous). Several students correctly determined that most early humans died at a young age. Here are a couple of great descriptions of Stone Age life: Mia : I think most people probably collected fruits or went hunting for work.  Mary Holland  and  Gracie Lou :  It was a survival of the fittest kind of time, when most people fended for themselves. Despite the challenges, people living during the Stone Age came up with some truly amazing innovations. One of their most important innovations was learning how to control fire . Stone Age people also created the world's firs...

Today during class, Mrs. Mathieson and the I.T. team helped us with computer access and passwords. Then we discussed the difference between fossils and artifacts , and the students posed some excellent questions. Lindsay really stirred the pot when she asked whether all seashells are considered to be fossils. Teddy : No, most seashells are not yet fossils, because they have not been encased in sediment over a long period of time. Howard : Yes! Seashells are part of something that used to be alive, so they are definitely fossils. Teddy and Howard both had their supporters, so I did a bit of research myself. Here's one scientific response to Lindsay's question: In order to become an actual fossil, a seashell has to undergo a process of being buried, with its original material being replaced by minerals over a period of many years.   Most seashells that can be found on the beach have not been buried for many years, so they are not fossils. Also today, we examined a stone tool an...

We had a great first day of History class. We focused on the importance of asking questions. I told the students that I think the process of asking questions helps people grow as readers, writers, and thinkers. Asking questions nurtures a person’s curiosity and creativity. I even think that asking a clever, provocative, or inspiring question can be more important than answering the question! This is particularly true since many of the questions we will ask and discuss this year do not have a single “right” answer. The students responded by asking some terrific initial questions about Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting, Lady with an Ermine . Leo : Is there a connection between the woman and the animal? Why did Leonardo decide to paint a picture of this particular woman and animal? Noelle : Why is her hair tied underneath her chin? Lots of You : What kind of animal is that, and why did Leonardo include the animal in the painting?  (A great answer by  Phineas : The animal sym...

WELCOME TO 6TH GRADE HISTORY!  I am  very excited  for the first day of school.  I think we are going to have an excellent year. -------- This blog is called  Leonardo's Notebook .  It will serve as one tool in our discussion of history. I love photographs, artwork, and maps, and I think the blog will be an especially helpful place to highlight those items. I will also post course material on the blog, including the Wednesday evening history videos. Most importantly, the blog will feature  your  questions and  your  ideas. In the same way that Leonardo da Vinci wrote down his thoughts and questions so that he could reflect on them later, we will use the blog as a way of thinking more deeply about your questions. The sun is rising on a new year!