During the week of December 18, I will be holding my annual White Elephant Event in TAG. Do you know the story behind White Elephant Gifts? “White elephant” is an expression used to describe a possession that someone has that they cannot get rid of, something that is not useful or of value to them. The term derives from the story that the kings of Siam were accustomed to make a present of a white elephant to common people who were obnoxious. No one could refuse a gift from the king. The cost of maintaining the elephant would then ruin the person financially because it was so expensive to feed and take care of an elephant.
Our modern day “white elephant” gift is much more pleasant. Each TAG class will have a white elephant gift exchange. Each TAG student should bring a wrapped present to TAG class during the week on December 21st. The gift should be something that they have at home that is no longer being used, something that is of no value to them anymore. The “thing” should be in good condition. Funny gifts are always welcome. Please don’t go out and buy anything new.
4TH GRADE NEWS
We had a fabulous week in "TAG Town." We discussed the differences between employees and entrepreneurs. The class consensus was that they all wanted to be entrepreneurs, but that maybe they'd have to be employees first in order to get some money to back their entrepreneurial ideas! They received their job assignments this week, along with their first paycheck. There was a lot of discussion about taxes and other deductions! If you feel comfortable, tell your child how much YOU pay in taxes every year (federal and state). In the coming weeks, students will have the opportunity to pay for housing, transportation, and groceries. Students should have brought home and shown you the work from our first unit, Space Exploration, along with a Progress Skills Checklist. Congratulations to our class friend, Shoumik, who did SO well in the School Spelling Bee.
5TH GRADE NEWS:
Epidemiologists-in-training this week rotated through stations to learn about DNA, Blood, Vaccinations and Epidemiology. Students "genetically engineered" a dog using strands of DNA, learned about blood typing, and debated whether or not vaccinations should be required by the government. One of the questions that we continually focus on in this unit is, "What rights does the government have when it comes to our personal decisions?" Students were asked to find out what blood type they are - so, if you know, please tell them.