GO PAPYRUS

Most people, on a fairly regular or even daily basis, wonder how paper is made. The answer - trees. But what even more people wonder about is how paper was invented and how the ancients made it. Instead of answering that question, let my students tell you.

The videos go in order of class period - 2nd, 4th, 5th and 9th - think about which class was the most creative and enthusiastic about ancient paper making. If nothing else, you'll have this catchy little jingle in your head for a while. 

GO PAPYRUS.

Shang Dynasty - Over the Shoulder - volume 3 clip

The first Dynasty of ancient China - explained Over the Shoulder style.

Ancient Chinese Dynasties Headquarters

Get to know them

Today (12/17/13) you will be hearing from an expert historian of the ancient Chinese civilization - specifically the Shang Dynasty. Click the link below for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from such a person. Read the questions, read the letter, go back into the text for strength in answering each question. Cite specific text as often as possible. Enjoy.

Today (12/18/13) you will learn by reading information about the Zhou Dynasty - Family, Warriors, Gods. By explaining questions you will get a better sense of life during this long time period in ancient China.

Today (1/7/14) you will learn about the third (and by far shortest) Chinese dynasty - Qin. Let's uncover the truth behind this small period of Chinese history - why did it begin and end so rapidly? Was anything of importance accomplished withing this time? These questions and more will be answered using the resources below.

Today (1/10/14) you will learn about the final Chinese Dynasty that we study in 6th grade (there are several more, but we do not study them). Could the new rulers of China turn the nation around after a 19 year period of violence and distrust from the Qin Dynasty? 

Resources:
Access Shang Dynasty Letter and Questions here.
Get your Zhou Dynasty guided notes and read this information to learn and answer the questions.
Qin Dynasty note guide here. Information/reading accessed here.
Han Dynasty note guide here. Invention Task #2 document here. Inventions website link here.

QR Code Hunting

Today you're going to India to hunt. But rather than sword, spear, bow or anything else, you're armed today with only an iPad. Use the QR Codes hung around the room to discover various aspects of Indian/Hindu culture and society - then answer the questions linked below. Good luck. Happy Hunting.

QR Hunt Questions here. Make a copy and save into your SS folder.

Over the Shoulder volume 2

Ancient Egypt Unit Test review - Over the Shoulder. Note: video says test is on Friday; it was that year. Our test is on Thursday of this week (December 5th).

Ancient Egypt Flashcard Challenge

YET means I'MPOSSIBLE

If you believe that anything can be done, the word "Impossible" quickly turns to "I'm Possible." What things are you not capable of yet? Don't be afraid to share - there are many things I wish I could do, or even just be better at. The powerful word YET reassures us that no matter the task, goal or challenge, if we try our hardest and believe it can be done, it will be done. Share your thoughts here.

#I'MPOSSIBLE.

#63Forever Bumper Sticker to be part of Q2 Rally

The more you get, the better your chances of winning. I'm talking about Red (or blue) tickets for our quarterly rallies. Figuring we could use a little "spice-up" for this quarter's celebration, I have designed, ordered and received (although they remain in an undisclosed location) NEW #63Forever BUMPER STICKERS. 

Finish this quarter strong, earn more tickets, and you may very well be one of the few taking home your own Bumper Sticker. 

#63Forever

Learn Free - Ancient Egypt

As we approach Egypt's end, after exploring many, many topics, the surface has still only been scratched. Today is one of your rare opportunities to completely explore on your own. Find what interests, or maybe even relates to you. When we are personally invested in our learning, it becomes even more valuable. Some suggestions/ideas will be provided; however, if you wish to learn something else, feel free.

Add your newly-gained knowledge (period 2 period 4 period 5 period 9) for everyone in class to see. You are expected to contribute twice.




Links:
Various Topics (44 topics to be exact)
PBS interactive trip to Giza
British Museum
Mummy Maker
Mummifying Food
Festival Slideshow of Opet
Tomb Adventure

The Curse of King Tut

Life of the Boy King video
The King's Curse video
Curse of King Tut's tomb facts
Websites: UnMuseum Smithsonian Journeys
New evidence of death and the mummy burning article
Discovery Channel video string

Was the Curse Real? Share your thought's here.

Check Quiz: ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt Quiz

Ancient Egypt Mini-book Cycles

Today you will be embarking on a small group cycle activity where each group will be given a mini-book about various Ancient Egyptian topics. 

Within your group, the member with the earliest birthday in the year will make a copy of this document and share it with the other group members. 

The documentation of your knowledge is very important. Work together to learn. 

Solo Mission 2: Egyptian Culture

Gods, Afterlife, Mummification, Family, Marriage, Children, Style. Add those things up and you get a very interesting and fun Solo Mission. Good luck to all.

Click here for Mission Notes.

The Pyramids of Egypt: Should they have been built?

Eternity. Built to last forever, the Egyptian Pyramids have left a permanent mark on the surface of earth. Large, elaborate, remarkable - no doubt some of the most intriguing man-made structures, the Pyramids leave people jaw-dropped everyday they are seen or studied.

No matter how splendid, the Pyramids also cause debate. Was the price of construction worth the destruction they caused? Is the eternal quality of the Pyramids worth the shortened lives of those who built them?

As you embark on your independent study of the Pyramids, our focus question is this: should the pyramids have been built?

Grab your independent study guide here. You have multiple days to research and study this topic. There is no rush, no deadline - you may use the articles/videos provided as well as find your own.

Add yourself to this document and share your beliefs about the Pyramids.

Solo Mission #1: Ancient Egypt

Because you rocked the Mission

Solo Mission #1: Ancient Egypt. 

Today you only have each other to rely on. Your teacher is not on the mission. Success or failure depends solely on your ability to problem solve, work together and be a team. 

Categories: cooperation, efficiency, volume, participation and time. Each category is worth 10 points (Time is different, explained in class). A perfect Mission would receive 44 points. 

Today's Solo Mission is a History League event - can you outdo the other classes? Can you come together as a class to master the topics of ancient Egypt within the Mission? 10, 9, 8, 7 ... time is ticking. Hope you're ready. 

Access Mission notes here.

Comparing Social Classes in Egypt

The Nobleman and the Farmer

All civilizations have different social classes - some have wider gaps between rich and poor than others, but all have classes. Ancient Mesopotamia is the first time and place we see society broken into classes of people (most often based on wealth). Egypt is no different.

Your task today is to cooperatively (working together) compare and contrast the social classes of FARMER and NOBLEMAN in ancient Egypt. Here's the catch - you and your partner may not verbally communicate. You may not even sit near each other. All communication must be done on your chromebooks. Click each of the classes above to get the info doc.

Access your comparison chart here - one of you must make a copy and share with your partner. This needs to be put in your SS folder. 

Good luck.

Egypt location assignment

Egypt Location Assignment

Your assignment today is to demonstrate mastery of the location and geography of ancient Egypt. To do this, you must access several different resources. Linked below, this assignment will provide you with direction, but also allow you to explore and discover information freely and on your own. 

Get your assignment here - make copy and save in SS folder.

Common Quiz and Location Challenge

"One stone makes us both Angry"

Today's post will, if I may use the eloquent phrase "to kill two birds with one stone," be used for two important tasks.

1 - Take and complete a quiz common to all sixth-grade social studies classes. This could be our way of proving mastery of unit 1. Click here for Common Quiz. Make copy, put in Unit 1 Folder.

2 - Attempt to accurately provide a description of Egypt's location by correctly filling in blanks with important adjectives. Click here for Fill-In challenge. Make copy, put in SS folder.

Unit 1 Test

Access your unit 1 test here. Good luck. 

Win the Test

It's never easy, but its' worth it

Study guide questions (blank) - click here. 
Study guide questions (with answers) - click here. 

Like the picture to the left says, success doesn't just stumble up to your door, knock and come into your life. To be successful, you need to track it down, tackle it and own it. To be successful tomorrow - you need to "go to it." 

Prepare yourself to win tomorrow. 

What the Ancients Did For Us

With YouTube now accessible from your chromebook (hopefully), let's utilize it. Videos are a great way to learn - by including visuals along with information. 

The first video to watch on YouTube is called "What the Ancients Did For Us: The Mesopotamians." Access the video here. 

Allow this to enhance your understanding of ancient Mesopotamia. 

Fair or Cruel? The Code of King Hammurabi

Ruler of Ancient Mesopotamia

Today's task is intended to educate each of you about the most famous King of Mesopotamia: Hammurabi. The task is also designed to simulate a real-world scenario where you are expected to learn it on your own. Do the research. Make a claim. Explain your beliefs. Cite resources.

With freedom comes responsibility. The only person motivating yourself to accomplish today's task is you. I will guide and suggest, but you do the driving. 

No great works of art are done in fifteen minutes. Expect your first, or even second finished tasks to be rejected - this is part of creating a solid piece of writing. Of anything, really. 

Good luck. May the odds ever be in your . . . Ok, no Hunger Games reference needed. Good luck. 

Receive your task here. 
Suggested resources here. 

Unit 1 test prep: Over the Shoulder volume 1

As we prepare for our first unit test, allow me to help review the most important concepts and information with you. Over the Shoulder is designed as a tool to be used to ready ourselves for success when asked to demonstrate our understanding. 

Enjoy. 

"HEALS" book link

Many of you know this summer my life was changed forever - a change which happened because of a terrible event, but a change for which I'm forever grateful. As each day of a seventy-nine day journey concluded, my siblings as I would "journal" about our Dad's health and progress so our friends and family could read and stay up to date on his condition - following a near fatal motorcycle crash. 

It was also our way of talking to him at a time when we really couldn't. This book is for him, but other have shown interest in buying a copy as well. Click here for info about getting one. 

This story has a happy ending. Many people experience similar tragedy and are left with a bad ending, a hole in their heart where a someone they love used to be. 

Thanks for reading this book, caring for someone you may not even know and for loving everyone around you. We never know what lay just ahead.

Mesopotamian Daily Life

Mesopotamia was a complex society - which is why we consider it a 'civilization.' Before this time, humans lived a barbaric, simple life of survival and completing simple tasks. With the continued advancement of farming, people were able to spend more and more time on things other than surviving.

Let today be the day you become familiar with they way in which human beings lived in the civilization we call MESOPOTAMIA.

Get your red, I mean round robin note guide here.
If you're in need of checking your answers or comparing them, you may use this answer document. 

Ancient Mesopotamia Preview

Mesopotamia is given credit for being the first civilization - a complex society with laws, religion, government, arts, writing. 

Watch this video to complete this basic "3,2,1" note guide - access note guide here.

As usual, make a copy and save it in your SS folder.

We believe farming was . . .

Farming has surely left a mark on human history. The question is whether the good outweighs the bad. Strengths and limitations accompany most things that happen in life. Your task today is to write a response to the prompt here and defend your response. 

Write in a way that would squash any thoughts of disagreeing with you. This is worth 20 points.

Follow these steps to begin and end the assignment:
    - Make a copy of the prompt link (above) and place in it your social studies folder
    - Only one group member needs to do this
    - List names on top of prompt document
    - Complete writing prompt and defend you and your group member's response
    - Don't save, share or do anything else - google takes care of the rest

Do we like Farming . . . ?

Roughly 10,000 years ago, the world experienced a great shift. I say great to mean large and significant, not necessarily great meaning 'good.'

With your partners, read and discuss the changes which took place during the Farming Revolution - click here for document. Following the document, view the Prezi above. Again, discuss your thoughts. 

Charts: p2 chart, p4 chart, p5 chart, p9 chart

When you have read, viewed and discussed, complete this chart together to organize your thoughts regarding whether or not this great shift was a strength (good) or limitation (bad). Access chart here - make a copy and share with partners. You may then all edit at the same time.

Good luck to your group.

Save/Download our New Logo

Click to enlarge

Student-created logo for this year. Click on the picture to make it large, then save and set as profile picture, background, etc. 

#63Forever.

Sometimes you just have to SHOW OFF

How can YOUR knowledge stand out?

Sometimes it's OK to show off. Today is one of those days. Be confident and proud of your learning. The more you can demonstrate what you've learned, the more you'll excel. 

Click here to access our Paleolithic and Neolithic Age comparison quiz (make a copy, drag into SS folder).

Ötzi the Iceman

This is a little too real actually. . . 

Around 4,000-5,000 years ago, a man whose name we do not know, set off on a journey. Where he was going and what he was doing, we also do not know. What we know is he died. His body was buried in several feet of snow and ice. Left for thousands of years. His body never saw the light of sun; because he was completely buried, his body mummified and became preserved. Everyday belongings such as axe, knife, pouch and shoes were also found perfectly in-tact. Only for a short time, possibly a day or two, the snow melted enough to reveal the body, and it was found. . . !

Begin your WebQuest through the eyes of a detective. Try to figure out how and why Ötzi the Iceman was killed. While doing so, you may unlock other secrets about the distant human past. Good luck. 

Begin by reading the Ötzi Letter here.

Access the Lino page for Ötzi here.

Make a copy of the WebQuest here. 
_________________________________________
Canvas Free Write - when you have completed your WebQuest, open your social studies "canvas" and answer this prompt: What interests me most about Ötzi the Iceman is . . . 

'Paperless'

Watch as 6th grade social studies students say "goodbye" to paper. 

KS Logo Contest 2013-14

Here are this year's 19 KnowStrength logo contest entries - view them and decide which are deserving of your votes. You each get two votes. You can vote for two different logos or give one logo both of you votes. When you have decided, write the logo number and your name on a slip of paper and place it in the pumpkin. 

Today is Constitution Day - September 17

Preamble - Click to Enlarge

Today is Constitution Day. Our constitution gives you freedom, it guarantees you can grow up to be whoever you want to be. America is the model of countries all around the world - over 230 years old, our nation is looked to for guidance, protection and safety by thousands of people every day. 

The first paragraph of the Constitution is called the Preamble - can you figure out what it says by looking at the picture to the left? Click on it to make it bigger. 

Happy Constitution Day

What's happening in Syria?

Once you have done some research and learning on your own, share your findings, opinions and any other information on this google doc. 

Watch how easy learning is when we do it together. #63Forever

BIG CHANGES: Paleo -> Neo

BrainPop - "Agricultural Revolution" - watch above. 

Neolithic Age Note Guide - click here. 

Big Changes - Neolithic Age - click here. 

Paleo -> Neo Comparison Chart - (make a copy of this into your own SS folder)
period 2 click here.                           period 5 click here.
period 4 click here.                           period 9 click here. 
Comparison of Stone Ages Reading - click here. (Read this to complete chart)

1. After watching the Agricultural Revolution BrainPop, identify two PROS and two CONS of the Ag. Rev. into your "Canvas."

2. Begin filling in your chart comparing the Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages of prehistory. Use your note guides, your knowledge and other resources to accomplish this. 

Paleolithic Age

Mr. Klumper's Stone Age Ancestor

Known also as the "Old Stone Age" - the Paleolithic Age of history reveals many interesting, startling and unbelievable events of the past. Join together as we journey thousands of years ago to explore the beginnings of human history.

To access our Lino page for the Paleolithic Age - click here.
Share your thoughts about the Paleolithic Age by clicking here and writing 1 paragraph (include 1 PRO and 1 CON). 

Shout It Out! Welcome this year's new Team 6.3

On the right hand side of the page, select the class with the best "WELCOME TO KNOWSTRENGTH" shout to receive your vote - winning class will be rewarded by Mr. Klumper. Happy Voting!

#KnowStrenghtForever

Ridin' Back to School

Welcome back to school. Now I feel like going to Kmart to shop - these kids got me fired up. I also want to ride the bus . . . which would be weird for a teacher to do. Maybe I'll drive one instead. I bet they sell them on eBay. 

Ok, well I have my afternoon planned looking into these many options. Enjoy your weekends everyone. 

Calling all KnowStrengthers

New and old students alike, welcome to KnowStrength.com - maybe this is your first time ever visiting the site, maybe it's your tenth time today. Either way, I want to thank you for visiting your social studies website. This is not Mr. Klumper's site, it's our site. If you were on 6.3 two years ago, last year or you've just joined, I use the phrase "6.3 Forever" seriously. 

For those new to team 6.3 social studies, I chose the website name KnowStrength for two reasons - Knowledge gives you Strength, and to succeed in this class you must have Strong Knowledge. No amount of material goods, or gadgets or muscle is equivalent to Knowledge - people who constantly desire to learn are the most successful people - maybe not right away (as in Abraham Lincoln, Elvis Presley or Albert Einstein to name a few), but eventually you'll succeed if you work hard to learn and grow as a person. 

I would like to encourage you to scroll down, going into KnowStrength's history to see all the really cool things 6.3 students have done and accomplished. My sleeves are full of fun, exciting and unique ideas for this year's team of students lucky to have been placed on our team.

To former 6.3 students, I remind you of the obligation you have to look after this year's students, help them out whenever possible. You've been in their shoes before and know it can be nerve-wracking to start a new year in a new school. Good luck to you each of you this year, I hope to see many of you often. 

To new students on 6.3, I can't wait to get to know you and together make this the best school year of our lives. 

#63Forever

Summer Post #2

Wayne Klumper

The circumstances of my second summer post are not what I hoped for. Life changes, sometimes you see the changes coming, sometimes they sock you without warning. On Tuesday, June 25th, 2013, I got punched in the face by life.

As I shingled on Tuesday, surrounded by friends, my boss stoically called me off the roof - usually a joking person, immediately my radar indicated something could be wrong. 

As I approached my brother (who also shingles with me), I saw in his glossy red eyes that something was in fact wrong - he was talking to our sister on the phone. She was telling him that our dad, the loving, cheerful, humble, selfless man you see in the picture, had been in a very serious accident on his motor cycle. The day turned from wondering "what fun should I do with the rest of the afternoon?" to "is my father going to survive?" Punch number one.

You feel like you should rush in that situation, hurry up and do something, anything to take control, but really there was no need to rush. There was nothing I could do. In a haze of fear and uncertainty, I went home to change clothes and get cleaned up while my dad was rushed to the ER in Sioux Falls. 

My family convened in the waiting room of the ER and again, sat and waited. We waited for bad news. . . in that setting I feel it's part human nature to prepare yourself for the worst. In my head cycled images of what happened, what he looked like, what the future will be like now. After a few minutes we were shown to a private room where we could wait for the emergency surgeon to explain to us the situation. So we waited some more. Private rooms in the emergency room are usually reserved for families of people in bad shape - punch number two. 

An hour passed and the doctor entered. Doctors are serious - they do people no good by telling people anything but the truth. The truth was that our dad was hurt bad, and in serious danger. I can't remember his exact words because I was pretty much in shock, but when he made reference to being prepared to lose him, we lost it. It's the most scared I've ever been in my life. Punch number three. 

From the emergency room, a patient in critical condition is taken to the ICU. It took them quite a while to get him situated and hooked up to a lot of machines - which I've developed a huge respect for; they are very important. Usually I am a person that hates blood, or anything dealing with injuries, but when I stepped foot into my dad's room for the first time, my family and I had no choice but to put our game face on. He was in a coma (and still is), but he could sense our strength - we had to be strong for him. Under the surface I was spinning, churning, fighting to hold a tidal wave of emotion from bursting out. 

Officially my father is a TBI patient (traumatic brain injury), but he's also got several broken and dislocated bones, burns and cuts. The fractures are in his shoulder, ribs, head and face - he's in rough shape physically, but the main concern is his brain, the mental side. Bruising has caused swelling in his brain which can bring serious danger, so we've been monitoring that very closely each day. At this point it appears he's avoided brain surgery, but I won't rest easy until we've made it through a couple more days. 

I have been inside this same waiting room for 81 hours, leaving only to visit my dad in his room, to get a short workout and to run an errand. Otherwise we've been right here, ready to back my dad up with anything he needs. Every doctor has told us that the danger zone is 72-96 hours after an accident like he experienced, so we're getting closer. With each scan and test, and each probe and monitor, my strong, strong dad keeps passing. He's a fighter, a courageous, tough, determined man. Punch number four, but this time, the punch was thrown by my dad. Fighting back.

The reason I write is to inform you all of the accident, but also to plead and beg you to stop. Just stop what you're doing - put down the controller, sit down for a second, stay up a few minutes longer at night, and just pray. Pray that he'll get better. Pray that the unbelievable people in charge of my dad's health keep making good decisions and use steady hands. Pray that nothing like this happens to your loved ones. In three days, thousands of prayers have been said for my dad. He's a tough guy, but he wouldn't be able to get through this without all the help from other people - family, friends, people he's met once and even total strangers. 

I stressed a lot to you how important I feel it is to tell people how you feel about them and how much they mean to you. I'll tell you honestly that Sunday night, before I drove off from my parents' house, I looked both of them in the eye and told them I loved them. Thank God my dad will hear me say it again, but if the circumstances were different, and I did not have the chance to talk to him again, I'd feel assured that the last thing he heard his son say was "I love you big, dad." 

I will keep you updated in a short time - hopefully with encouraging news. This is not a sprint, it's a marathon. I laced 'em up tight for this one, going for a long run with my dad to bring him back. 

Watch out, more punches coming - Wayne is ready to fight for his life. 

Summer Post #1

I know what you're thinking - "mr k has forgotten about us."

Insert the buzzer sound from game shows that means WRONG!

I thought I'd fill you in with a couple things going on thus far during our summer break. Oh, and by the way - I have not forgotten about a single one of you. Never will. When I say 63Forever, I mean forever. 

You see a small collage to the left, those are some pictures I've taken this summer. I'll explain them to you - what I was doing/thinking at the time.

Top left - my second oldest niece, Isabel, and I. She is going to be a 2nd grader at Brandon elementary. Her older sister is going into 5th grade. Every time I see them I try talking them into moving to PH for middle school. Anyway, that picture was just taken during a short family vacation we took to Okoboji, Iowa. She and I were trying to pretend like we didn't want to be there - but truth is, I'd give anything to be back - hanging out with my family and being able to relax, laugh and (unfortunately) eat too much good food!

Top middle - that's a monkey statue at Arnold's Park in Okoboji (it's an amusement park). I stuck the KnowStrength sticker on him when no security guards were looking. Hey, might as well let the KS spread reach more new places right? I did not go on any roller coasters. I also did not go to jail.

Top right - after eating at a restaurant in Sioux Falls, I saw in one of the 'claw' type games a 1Direction pillow. I could think of nothing better to rest my head on at night than this, so I spent eight dollars of hard earned money trying to get it. Eight dollars and three minutes later, I left convinced the machine is impossible to win anything - it was the weakest claw I'd ever seen. . . long story short - no pillow.

Bottom right - B n G Milky Way. It's an awesome place to get ice cream, so swarms of people go every night. But if they didn't, I think I single handedly could keep this place in business. I have made many trips to get treats for myself, sister, brother in law, nieces, neighbors, pets, random people, imaginary friends, etc. 

Bottom middle - one of my friends from college is getting married in the fall and asked several guys to join him for a weekend in the Black Hills. This picture was taken before we started a death-defying journey up a huge mountain. We made it. It was fun. My back hurt so bad the next three days I could barely walk. Worth it.

Bottom left - it's small, but this picture is very important to me. I actually took it just yesterday (June 16 - Father's Day) at the nursing home where two of my grandparents live. My dad was reading the card he wrote to my grandpa. I'm sure you all know that I have a bit of a sentimental, softer side to me when it comes to things ending (like the end of the school year). Knowing that my grandpa's time with us may in fact be ending sooner than we would like, I try to soak in every moment I get to be around him. Seeing my dad spend Father's Day with his father a great memory. I won't forget it. 

I hope that you're all having a fun, exciting and very importantly, safe summer. Whatever you do, each and every day, please never forget that it's in style to do the right thing, to be nice to other people, to lead by example - and it's never going out of style. I already can't wait to see you all next fall. I'm excited for new students on team 6.3, as I'm excited for you all to experience new teachers in your life. But of course, no once can be replaced on our team - each year has a special place in my heart. 

#63Forever. 

They're not actually in Lunch Detention

"Lunch Detention" is all the videos we shot during the second-to-last week of school when tables of students came down to my room to eat, converse, film, and as you'll see, have a great time together. 

Most students chose to answer the question "what was your favorite memory from the year?" but some also chose to share their advice for next year's students while others shared one last message for their teachers. 

Each of my students is unique and special in their own way - I've never been more proud to be a teacher. 2013-14 has got some large shoes to fill. . . 

#63Forever

It's A Choice

Assuming about 180 days of school, 9 periods per day, 25 students per period coming into the room, and subsequently exiting the room, the number of times this slogan was passed over this school year is quite high. It's no surprise that it looks like this today - tattered, beaten up and fading away. Nonetheless, whether you even noticed it by the end of the year or not, this slogan was a good reminder that everything we do revolves around choices - the good and bad, the ups and downs, all come to us by way of choices.

No one can make your choices but YOU - no teacher, parent, coach or friend can make you do anything. That seems at times intimidating, the fact that we're responsible for ourselves. We talked early in the year about how powerful we are as people. We decide and determine our choices and the consequences that come along with them. 

This summer, continue to make wise choices - choices that you can be proud of whethere someone is there to see it or not. Be the person that stands up for good, stands up for love and fairness. Those are things that are always in style. 

#63Forever

End of Year Vid pt2

What didn't make it into the End of Year Video? Well, here's some of it. After nine months of footage being sifted through, there are many funny/goofy moments yet to share. Hope you enjoy, and remember, no matter the passage of time, we are #63Forever.

Who are YOU?

Originally the intent was to include these photos in the End of Year Video, but they didn't quite make it. So, I've found them a new home - their own separate video. If I had to make a sign right now, it'd say this, "I Am. . . not happy school is over."

And I'd be frowning. . . not crying, just frowning. Ok, well maybe I'd be. . . well, nevermind any of that.

#63Forever

#63Forever

One pride I take is always living my life in a way that tells people how I feel about them - by how I treat them, take interest and help them feel important. No greater hope is within me than for this to be true to each one of you students. This video was difficult to make - each minute spent putting it together was an unwanted reminder our end was approaching. 

And here we are - the evening after the last day. Bitter-sweet doesn't do justice how I feel at this moment in time. I am so grateful for our year together and excited to send you into new chapters; a special place has been etched into my heart for this year's team 6.3.

One more time. . . #63Forever. 

Apparently you blink and nine months pass

The students I call mine; being able to say that makes me so proud. 

Most Typical Student

Ever wondered what the most typical student would look like. . . Would she (would it be a she?) have blonde or brown hair? How about eye color? Height, ancestry, likes/dislikes? Well this video will describe the most typical (common) characteristics amond this year's team 6.3. 

Although it may seem cool to be typical while watching the video - I believe we're all mean to stand out, be unique and forge our own path. 

Enjoy 6.3's Most Typical Student

Our Stars

Enjoy the images from Thursday, April 25th during the Team 6.3 WaxMuseum - as an overwhelming success, these 109 students joined forces to create an unforgettable evening. With certainty I say this night will always have a special spot in my heart. 

#63Forever

The Grand Total - $2,030.79

During our WaxMuseum we made $2,030.79 - a separate check for five dollars was written to Feeding South Dakota which will be combined with the one you see at left. 

In 90 minutes, the students of 6.3 put on a show - dazzling onlookers with their knowledge of person, confidence speaking and stunning costumes. 

Hopefully a Feeding SD representative can attend our end of year rally to be given the checks!

Memory Wall

A lot happens at the WaxMuseum - some great, some weird, some things are funny, interesting or distracting, but nonetheless, everything is memorable. The black wall I put up for the Dress Rehearsal was scheduled to be ripped down, getting us and the room back to normal, but an idea struck me during a drive to school - why not make a memory wall?

Now the black wall has transformed into a memory wall where students have written some of their favorite, most memorable moments. Enjoy.