A good time was had by all at our 5th grade Renaissance Fair on Thursday, November 1, 2007. It was a great success - thanks to our many supportive parents! We had been studying European explorers and colonization of the New World - a unit that aligns with Colorado 5th grade standards. Since the Renaissance Age was roughly the same era in history and is included in the Core Knowledge Sequence at the 5th grade level, the event day was a fun way to expose the class to this unit which coincided nicely with the explorers unit we were just completing.

Students attended their usual Literacy and Math flexible ability groups that day, but most of the rest of the day was all integrated across the curriculum. Even our 5th grade Art and Music classes that day focused on the Renaissance. The fair started with outdoor games and activities that were popular then. Even our Head Master couldn’t resist getting involved, as he organized and ran an archery station along with some other dads. Back in the classroom, the students played a name game to familiarize themselves with key people in history from the Renaissance and Reformation. Then small groups wrote and performed skits for the class. They were very creative to come up with characters and plots based upon whatever costumes were worn by members of their group! A Renaissance story was read aloud by a parent, and the “Boar’s Head Feast” was not only fun and delicious but a very effective way to teach the students about the social class system observed at that time. Without the efforts of a number of parents and cooperation of other staff, this event would not have been such a success. It is parents like ours that help make Caprock Academy so special!

Mrs. Meier, 5th Grade Teacher

                          

After all the hard work, time for a little fun!