Wisconsin School for the Deaf - The Wisconsin Times Vol. 134 No. 2 Winter 2012-2013 | Page 3

Elementary School News

By Lori Lindau

Hello from Dame School
During the second quarter, the Fifth grade class of Daisy
(Tao Yi), Bay (Madison), Marissanna (Faith), and Mr. James
(Darius) learned about Colonial times. They created these pen
names to authentically identify with their colonial character.
The young pioneers learned that life was quite different in the
1600s! The most glaring difference for the students was having
no technology. Back in those days, students used ‘hornbooks’
that look like paddles. They were the rst primer of early
America. As resources for their activities, students used the
books Colonial America Cooperative Learning Activities
by Mary Strohl and Susan Schneck and IF YOU LIVED in
Colonial Times by Ann McGovern.

LEFT: Marissanna and Bay blowing on
candle wick dipped in wax.

Students learned what life was like in school, at
work, using tools, and interacting with people.
They were not prepared for how strict Miss
Bertha, our otherwise, lovely Ms. Alyson Urdahl
would be. There were some complaints at the
beginning, but by the second day, students really
understood the goal and pretended to be back
in the 1600s. There was no idle time. They had
to work and work and work. They used reading
and math to learn how to make applesauce. Since
there was no electricity, students learned to make
candles. They cheated a bit using electricity
instead of a camp re outdoors to make their
candles, but their imaginations were active!

ABOVE: Miss Bertha’s Colonial Class.
Front Row: Mr. James (Darius); Middle
Row: Bay (Madison), and Daisy (Tao Yi);
Back Row: Marissanna (Faith), and Miss
Bertha (Ms. Urdahl).

Back then, q ե