INDEPENDENT STUDY DAY – 2014
Grades 4 – 5
WHAT IS INDEPENDENT STUDY DAY?
“Independent Study Day” is a special day set aside as a “at-home learning day”, created to encourage families to
plan and work on special projects, or to travel to interesting places, or to share a new experience.
2014-15 Independent Study Day is Friday, September 26, 2014
CLASSROOM REQUIREMENTS
1. HAVE FUN!
2. After participating in the family activity, your child will share his or her experience in class. The projects and
reports generated from the family activity should be something for which your child plays a major part. It does
not need to be “professional-looking.”
QUESTIONS
Please contact your child’s homeroom teacher to ask any questions or clarify the requirements.
PROJECT IDEAS
The project ideas listed are previous ideas used by Wildwood families. Your own Independent Study Day project
could be something very different, but one that your child will find interesting.
We would like to encourage you to make each of these days a “family experience.” Not only will your children
benefit from the actual hands-on experience, but they will be able to share with their class what they did with their
family on Independent Study Day. Several of the projects are designed for families with children in different
grades. Please keep in mind that while the entire family may share in the experience, projects are to be
completed by each individual student and should be grade appropriate. If you choose to work on a project
assigned to a different grade level, please email your teacher for approval and provide details about your project.
You may also email any ideas or suggestions you might have for a project. We encourage you to take a lot of
photographs. Pictures can be emailed to teachers or downloaded directly from your camera, usb, or disk.
1. I Have A Dream
View Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” speech at: http://www.history.com/videos/martin-luther-king-jr-ihave-a-dream#martin-luther-king-jr-i-have-a-dream. Write a paragraph describing your own thoughts as to
whether or not Dr. King’s dream has come true in America today.
2. Generations of Fun!
Take a photo of yourself and as many generations of your family as you can. Identify how many generations
you have photographed and how they are related to you.
3. Thanksgiving Interactive Virtual Tour of Plimoth: You are the Historian
For this assignment you need to visit the website listed below, follow the links to “You are the Historian,” and
print out your own Thanksgiving exhibit panel to turn in to your teacher.
http://www.plimoth.org/learn/thanksgiving-interactive-you-are-historian
What really happened at the First Thanksgiving? Become a history detective and find out! In this fun, awardwinning activity, kids take on the role of “history detectives” to investigate what really happened at the famous
1621 celebration. (Hint: It was a lot more than just a feast!) Along the way, they’ll read a letter written by an
eyewitness to the event, learn about Wampanoag traditions of giving thanks, and visit Pilgrim Mary Allerton’s
home. As a final activity, kids can design and print their own Thanksgiving exhibit panel.
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INDEPENDENT STUDY DAY – GRADES 4-5
4. Visit Tallulah Gorge State Park
For this assignment, you will bring a photo of yourself at the falls, or the gorge, to class and give an oral
presentation on your visit to the park. You may use any visual aids that you obtain at the park, including
maps, brochures, photos, etc.
5. Calling All Paleontologists
Visit any museum that contains dinosaur fossils. (Fernbank, Elachee Nature Center, The Tellus Science
Museum, etc.) Take a photo of yourself with a dinosaur fossil and write a creative short story of how you
discovered this dinosaur!
6. Become a Nature Photographer
Create a scrapbook of 20 different photographs of items found in nature. For each photo in your book, identify
the subject, date photographed, and location.
7. Attend a Native American Powwow
Request a photo of yourself with a Native American who is wearing traditional regalia. Ask them to tell you the
history of the regalia they are wearing. You will show the photo to the class, and present an explanation of a
traditional Native American Powwow, along with an explanation of the regalia worn in the photo. The link
below is just one source for public Indian events held in Georgia. There are several powwows throughout the
year that welcome the public. http://www.lostworlds.org/georgia_indian_events.html
8. Buried Treasure
Make a treasure box out of anything you have handy: coffee can, tin box, plastic container (not the good
Tupperware). Place a special item in your treasure box and find a good place in your yard to bury it (not too
deep). Starting from an exact location (front door, mailbox, etc.) and using a compass to determine the exact
cardinal and intermediate directions, create a map that will lead someone to where your treasure is buried.
Try to take your treasure hunter all around the property using specific landmarks as turning points. Be sure to
note how many paces (exact number of steps) to each of the landmarks you identify on your map. Now, give
the map to a sibling or parent (give them the compass also) and see if they can find your treasure. Bring your
map to school and you can challenge your friends to find the treasure when they come to your house.
9. Georgia State Parks
By visiting www.gastateparks.org, choose 5 state parks that you would like to visit. Write the park name and
closest city. Give the relative location of each park within the state. List the park amenities; camping, cabins,
hiking, boating etc. Finally, explain what interested you about each of the parks you chose. You might even
point out to your parents how easy it is to make a camping reservation online.
10. Family Treasures
Your family does not need to be rich to own treasures. A family treasure is anything that a member of the
family wishes to save because it is in some way important to them. A treasure might be an heirloom that has
been passed on to each new generation – great-grandmother’s jewelry, a portrait of grandfather, or maybe his
pocket watch. A treasure can also be a memento, something of purely personal value that captures an old or
fond memory – letters, photographs, clothes, or handicrafts. It could even be a family recipe or secret remedy.
Go on a family treasure hunt. Ask your parents about their treasures and the stories that may go with them.
Ask about other family objects and if they might become treasures. Make a list of your favorite family
treasures. Try to give as much information about each object as you know, including the original and all other
owners, interesting facts and stories. Include pictures if possible.
Pen and Ink
Before the invention of pencils, fountain pens, ball-point pens and other types of modern writing devices,
schoolchildren used rather crude pens made from feather quills. Students would also have to make their own
ink from a variety of ingredients depending on what was available and what color they wanted. Using the quill
pen and ink that you will make, you will write a paragraph about this project. Make sure you include what kind
of berries you used and where your feather came from.
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INDEPENDENT STUDY DAY – GRADES 4-5
Ink
½ cup ripe berries (blueberries, cherries, blackberries or raspberries)
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. vinegar
Utensils: measuring cup and spoons, strainer, bowl, wooden spoon, small jar with tight fitting lid (a baby food
jar works great)
Fill the strainer with the berries and hold it over a bowl. Using the rounded back of a wooden spoon, crush the
berries so that the juice strains into the bowl. You can throw the pulp away. Add the salt and vinegar to the
berry juice and stir well. If the ink is too thick, add a tablespoon of water but don’t add too much or the ink will
become pale. Store the ink in the small jar and keep the lid closed tight when not in use. (Without special
ingredients, the ink may turn to jelly after a while but do not try eating it.)
Quill Pen
A quill is the hollow stalk of a bird’s feather and the finest quills for writing came from the wing feathers of
geese. If you can’t find a goose feather, the large wing feather of a crow, turkey, or swan will also make good
pen.
PARENT ALERT – an exacto or pen knife is needed to cut the quill. A parent will cut the fat end of the quill at
a slant, curving the cut slightly. Make sure the quill point is open and smooth so the ink will flow to the point. If
necessary you can clean the inside using the end of a paper clip. Keeping a paper towel at hand, dip the quill
into the ink you made and start writing. It will take a little practice, but you’ll get the hang of it.
11. Learning Georgia History Through Historical Markers
The Georgia Historical Society has administered Georgia’s statewide marker program since 1998, erecting
over 160 historical markers across Georgia on a wide variety of subjects. Roadside historical markers capture
Georgia history in a format easily understood by travelers and residents alike. These easily identifiable
markers give readers a unique insight into the stories of our shared past. If traveling and you spot any of
these markers, stop and read about the location, event or person. Have your picture taken next to the marker
and in front the area discussed. Bring the pictures to class (or email to your teacher) and be prepared to talk
about your Georgia history experience.
12. Photo Field Trip
Visit any museum of your choice (Tellus, Fernbank, The High, etc.) and have pictures taken of you with as
many of the exhibits as possible. You must be in the picture and not the one taking the picture. Assemble the
pictures into a collage. Make sure you give your project a title and be ready to show-off your day!
13. Donation Time
Spend some time cleaning out closets and dressers and game rooms. Pack up all the items you can do
without and find a good charity and donate the items. Take before and after pictures of what gets cleaned and
also of what gets donated so we can all see your hard work.
14. Be a Chef
Help cook part of your dinner. Bring the recipe to class and a picture of what you helped cook.
15. Fall Is My Favorite Season
Draw a fall picture and write a story to go with it.
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