Sales Pitches, Founders Research, U.S. History & Collaborative Mural Project (Session 5, Week 5)

Hello Families!

In this week’s studio newsletter, we’ll be covering Writer’s Workshop, Quest, Civics, and Art.

Writer’s Workshop

This week in Writer’s Workshop, learners continued developing and refining their sales pitches. Once drafts were complete, they received feedback focused on grammar, spelling, and punctuation before recording their final pitches. After milestone approval, learners who finished early designed flyers for the upcoming business fair, including important details such as date, time, location, and visuals. Once approved, some learners went into town to distribute flyers and ask local businesses for permission to display them. Along the way, a few shops were especially welcoming and even offered small treats such as lollipops and candy, making the experience both productive and enjoyable.

Quest

In Quest, learners researched business founders, gathering key information such as birthplace, age, current status (living or deceased), notable quotes, education, and other interesting facts. After completing their research, learners continued working on products for the business fair. Those who were up to date with their work had the opportunity to design posters for their business tables or engage with educational games connected to the unit, including Oregon Trail, a resource-management simulation game that challenges players to survive a historical journey using strategic decision-making.

Civics

In Civics, learners began exploring the Declaration of Independence. They learned about Thomas Jefferson’s role in writing the document, including the fact that he was initially reluctant to take on the task before being encouraged by figures such as John Adams. Learners were also surprised to discover that the final document included approximately eighty-six edits and revisions after Jefferson’s original draft, highlighting the collaborative nature of its creation.

Art

In Art, learners continued developing their Makerspace mural project. After voting on design options, the studio selected a final concept featuring a large tree with handprints and the phrase: “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” Learners traced their hands on construction paper to help plan the scale and composition of the mural, preparing for the next stage of bringing the design to life on the wall.

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