Greetings Parents,

 

I've challenged your child to build a Viking Ship out of whatever resources they have available. My only request is that it does not exceed 18 inches. It does NOT need to be 18 inches; it can be 9 inches. Other than that, I want to challenge their creativity and resourcefulness. We will present our Viking Ship Armada Museum Monday Afternoon on December 4th.  

 

In Social Studies we are transitioning from Native American Cultures before Columbus to Interactions between Europeans and Native Americans. Vikings are an outlier to our curriculum, but I find it worth mentioning as Archaeology demonstrates that Columbus isn't the first European to interact with the indigenous of North America. While these sites are located in Canada and not the United States, I wanted to highlight the ships that managed to cross the Atlantic 500 years before Columbus. 

 

Please don't feel pressure to spend money. Please don't put expensive Legos at risk. In the past I've seen students make things out of toothpicks, cardboard, origami paper, pretzels and candy, and even vegetables; yes, a lacquered eggplant became a replica of a Viking ship. All that to say, I want the students to utilize their creative skills to create a product relevant to class discussions. 

 

Best Regards,

 

Mr. McGinnis