April 1, 2002

Dear Seventh Grade Parents:

We are happy to announce that the seventh grade class has been awarded a partial grant from the Gilder Foundation with the balance subsidized by our Parents’ Association. The students are participating in a cross-curriculum project entitled,”The Faces of Slavery.”

This course of study has been the subject of much controversy and concern in American History. It is a very sensitive subject and one that requires a sensitive approach. Students of history should keep both an open mind and an open heart when viewing events of the past. The seventh grade classes will look at the morality of slavery, specifically the enslavement of Black Africans in American History, and understand how this issue became an integral part of American life.

Through the process of a WebQuest, created by the classroom teachers and the librarian, students will become actively involved in the study of slavery as it contributed to the Civil War. The cross-curriculum components involve Technology (use of the SMARTBoard, PowerPoint and Inspiration software), Art, Music, Language Arts, and Social Studies. These activities will culminate with the completion of the WebQuest, and a video presentation highlighting major slavery issues. The students will then present a social studies lesson on the” Faces of Slavery” to the fifth grade.

We are looking forward to the experience.

Sincerely,

Maryann Byrnes

Social Studies Teacher

Cc: Melanie Maione - Principal