JOURNEY ELEMENTARY
5K STORE - MAKIN’ CHANGE
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ennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, $1.00, and $5.00 bills can add up to varying sums of money, but how many people know how to count back change when purchasing items, or being a cashier? The students in Mrs. Kirton’s fifth grade class were recently given the opportunity to show their understanding of this skill. “Throughout January, we had generous parent donations for our store.” exclaimed Mrs. Kirton enthusiastically. “My students, and their parents, understand the importance of children knowing how to count back change as a life skill, and learning it might as well happen earlier, rather than later in life.”
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fter learning to “count up” as a way of solving subtraction problems in the new Investigation Math Series, adopted by the Harrisburg School District in 2013, students transferred their skills to money.
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he class was divided into “buyers” and “sellers”. Each buyer was given a $10.00 bill and instructed to shop the counters of the store. Earlier in the day, students had divided tables into areas of food, drink, sports, girl and boy items, and one designated for miscellaneous. Upon selecting an item, the buyer would take their find, and money to their partner cashier. The cashier had to then count back change from the
LIBERTY HAPPENINGS
table long cash register, covered with various coins. Once all buyers had successfully been given change for their purchase, buyers put the change back on the tables and the $10.00 bills were given to the cashiers, who now became the new shoppers.
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his back and forth process allowed each student to “shop” ten times and be a cashier ten times. The purchases included pop, candy, lip gloss, coloring books, school supplies, room decorations, novelty items, boxed science experiments, gum, etc… One student said, “ I love doing stuff like this and it really isn’t that hard. Why do so many people working at cash registers have a hard time with it?” Mrs. DeAndrea, a parent who came to observe said, “…what a great idea to set up a real marketplace. Mrs. Kirton took an opportunity to take practical real life situations and turned them into a wonderful learning experience for her 5th graders! All the kids seem to be having fun while learning.”
LIBERTY ELEMENTARY
LESLEY MCCONNELL AND BRETT STOFFERAHN
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he school year is winding down; we are now nearing the 4th quarter. “We get to wear shorts!” scream the students. “Oh, bring us warm weather, first!” mutter the teachers. We have had a long streak of cold weather, oh how we await warmer temperatures. As we await the change in temps… the school days go on.
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o what’s happening at Liberty, you ask? We just finished conferences and all went well. From a 5th grade point of view, students made Prezi presentations as they led their conferences. Oh the technology! Students are excited, and parents are nervous, as the main conversation was directed toward “Am I ready for middle school?” Of course they are, but redirecting what still needs to be taught and learned in order to be “ready” is always proactive!
a weekly “news program” full of information and entertainment created by the 5th graders for Liberty students. Students come up with stories, write scripts, interview, record, film, edit, and create a fun 15 minute program to be viewed by all grades on the last day of each week.
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astly, Liberty is gearing up for Dr. Seuss week. Oh what fun! Each day Mar. 3-7, students will honor Dr. Seuss by dressing up to the theme of one of his books. These are the following dress up days: Mon. for Green Eggs and Ham, wear green; Tuesday for Fox in Socks, wear crazy socks; Wednesday for Wacky Wednesday, wear mix matched clothing; Thursday for The Lorax, wear a “thneed” (something you need like a scarf); and Friday for The Cat in the Hat, wear a crazy hat! Oh what fun it is to be at Liberty! Bring on the warmer weather…over and out!
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s far as technology is concerned, the 5th graders are still working diligently on Tiger Tube. For those of you who don’t know, Tiger Tube is
LIBERTY ELEMENTARY TALENT SHOW AALIYAH STERKEL
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his year Liberty Elementary held a talent show for grades kindergarten through fifth. The students that were in the talent show went through an audition process in order to participate. The students’ talents could range anywhere from singing to doing a dance performance. I interviewed my second grade sister, Kyriana I’atala, on what the process was like. “I was a little nervous but very excited. Waiting to see if I made it felt like it took forever, but when they posted the list I was so excited that I made it in!” Having a talent show for elementary students can be very beneficial. Participating in a talent show can encourage children to conquer stage fright fears, help them with self confidence, motivate them to become more self reliant, and assist them in striving to do their very best in everything they set their mind to. The talent show was held February 27, 2014, at 7:00 pm in the Liberty gymnasium in Harrisburg.
THE TIGER TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 23