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Iceland Units

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In 4-5 we do something called units. Units is where we learn about different subjects, usually in science or history. Once a year the whole Lower School does a unit together and it is called Global Focus. We pick one culture to learn and this year it is Iceland.

In 4-5 we have workshops about Iceland. One of the workshops is turf houses. We all get 23 popsicle sticks and a bag of dirt and a glue stick with some other stuff to make the house. Then we glue the popsicle sticks to make a house then we add the dirt. Then you are done!!! But there is one more step…….
To make the character for your house and then you finished your turf house!!!!!
Turf houses were used long ago and some still have them today. Most people in Iceland live in regular houses though.

Another workshop was about volcanoes and plate tectonics. We learned about different layers to earth and plates and at the end we studied different volcanoes. We voted on which volcano was the best volcano of all volcanoes for our class. So far, Mt Vesuvius, White Island, and Mauna Loa have won.

The third unit was learning about climate change in Iceland. At first, we learned about glaciers and then we learn about the different temperatures in Portland, ME and in Reykjavík. The last unit was about sheep and the sweaters they were in Iceland and we gotta design them. Our designs are in the hall! We are having fun.
Paloma and Hailey.





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