Dear Fourth and Fifth Grade Families,

Thank you for attending the Thanksgiving Performance and Luncheon on Friday before the break. It was lovely that so many Garden School families came to see how all the grade students gave their Thanksgiving Addresses and sang together on stage. What a beautiful end of the week and beginning of Thanksgiving Break!

The week before break, the class began a new block on Local Geography. Before the class had a look at Georgia as a whole, the students concentrated on the geography of Cobb County. The first task of the class was to draw a map of Cobb County, with straight borderlines in the west and the meandering Chattahoochee River forming the natural county line in the east. The students first used their rulers to draw a grid for the map. Using the grid for orientation on the paper, the students added the county borders and the major water bodies, as well as Kennesaw Mountain, the highest peak in Cobb County and metro Atlanta. We also talked about the Creek and Cherokee peoples, who inhabited and cared for the land in this area long before people arrived from Europe and other continents. One piece of Creek and Cherokee culture we discussed was The Three Sisters. This important agricultural, social, and spiritual concept includes a story about corn, beans, and squash, which grow well when planted together.

Next, the class will explore more aspects of Cobb County’s geography and its development.

Announcements and Reminders:

The winter weather is coming and it is much cooler in the forest! Please dress your student(s) in layers. Winter coats and rain gear are required every day.
We need Greenery for the Winter Spiral. Please consider asking for extra clipping from tree lots or donating trimmings from pruned evergreens in your yard. Greenery can be left alongside the fence in the field area. Thank you!

Upcoming Events:

12/02 Prospective Family Open House: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
12/07 Grades 1st - 5th Winter Spiral
12/08 Kindergarten Winter Spiral
12/20 Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day
12/21 Teacher In-Service (No School)
12/22 - 01/03 Winter Break (No School)
01/04 First day of Spring Semester

Warm regards,

Gaby