Wisconsin School for the Deaf - The Wisconsin Times Vol. 135 No. 1 Fall 2013 | Page 4
Old World Wisconsin
While studying the history of our great state, the
fourth and fth graders learned about life in the olden
days during their visit to Old World Wisconsin. Their
farm raises historic breeds of animals that Wisconsinites relied upon for their wool, milk, eggs, meat
and strength. Students imagined working on the farm
with the sheep, cows, oxen, goats, pigs, chickens and
horses. Petting the powerful and beautiful oxen was a
unique experience.
When the tour guide described bathing back in the
day, students quickly decided they would not have
enjoyed those olden days. Our young Wisconsinites
reportedly said they were grossed out to learn that
people had to take turns bathing in a narrow tub with
everyone using the same water as the person before
The upper
elementary
department
takes a stroll
back in time
to Old World
Wisconsin!
them. It was considered a waste of energy to heat full
pots of water over a wooden stove to ll the tub again
and again.
The fourth and fth grade classes were grateful to Paola
Lopez for interpreting. She showed off her unique talent
of signing while standing on a moving tram!
Homecoming & Spirit Week in
Elementary
Top to Bottom, - Left to Right:
Bears Day: Christopher Rawlings,
ASL Specialist, uses a bear
puppet to teach about bears to the
fascinated preschoolers - Lena,
Owen and Sophia.
States Day: Bobby Paul clearly
describes what Hawaii looks like.
Authors Day: Pre-schoolers,
Riley and Lena have no trouble
describing their favorite author, Dr
Suess!
Cartoons Day: Katie Laurent
shares humor from her favorite
Deaf Cartoonists Matt and Kay
Daigle of That Deaf Guy.
Firebirds Day: ASL Club students
lead the Firebird Promise dance.
Fall 2013 - 4
Spirit Week began with a door-decorating contest. Classroom doors were covered with bold
colored paper, photos, Firebirds, footballs, volleyballs, bowling balls and inspiring messages
to our athletes. Each morning, students gathered in the round room to enjoy class presentations. The categories for the week were Bears
Day, States Day, Authors Day, Cartoons Day
and Firebirds Day. Each student signed their
part of the presentation along with a colorful
Power Point including pictures and descriptions
to add another visual element for the audience.
On Friday afternoon, we gathered in the gym
for a pep assembly. Therese Pohl-Markowitz
showed everyone a cheer she learned when she
traveled to WSD as a high school student from
the Michigan School for the Deaf in the 1970’s.
Students were up out of their seats stomping
and clapping doing the old (now new) VICTORY cheer. Therese led the students in exciting
relay competitions between the high school
classes. Everyone laughed out loud watching
high school students slipping and sliding across
the gym oor wearing over-sized clown bow
ties and pants that were so big they had to hold
them up to keep from falling down, all while
carrying a lacy, white parasol.
Congratulations to Ms. Aleksinski’s Kindergarten class, which won the Homecoming
door-decorating contest for the elementary
department. They earned a pizza party!