First quarter has been a busy and exciting place to be in Mrs. Larson’s sixth grade Social Studies class. They started the year with an Economics unit where students learned the process of buying a home based on a budget and a set criteria. They also learned about real life math situations. In the attached pictures, students participated in a mock restaurant evening at “Larson’s Pizzeria” where they were taught how to use mental math to leave tips to their waitress. In yet another activity, students participated in a“Toy Production” simulation. Students were asked to simulate a toy company by making a toy out of Mrs. Larson’s store of junk. Each item cost money towards the production of the toy. They were instructed to “sell” their toy for $6 and try to make as much profit as possible.
The second unit of the year is “Beginnings of Civilizations” where students learn how we went from Hunter-Gatherers to Farmers to change how we live forever. Students participated in the game called “Hunters and Gatherers” to encounter the conflicts that arose during this time and also what kinds of food they were willing to eat just to survive. The winner of the game is the “last man standing.” Mrs. Larson reports, “we will soon be debating which discovery of this ancient era was the most important to our lives today: fire, a writing system, farming, or laws. We will then begin to explore the mysterious civilization of Ancient Egypt.”