In the Classroom -- A revolutionary approach

Mary A. Castillo

At the clanging of the bell, fifth-grade students at Top Of The World

elementary are taken back to the days when the 13 American colonies were

seethed by revolution.

Anna Crane, a normally mild-mannered social studies teacher, becomes

Queen Crane, a tax-hungry tyrant. Her students become the tax-weary

colonists who have been actively boycotting her reign since they began

studying the American Revolution one week ago.

One might take pause when it costs a fifth-grader five “good behavior”

tickets to sit at his or her desk, one ticket for supplies such as paper

and crayons, or 10 tickets to turn on the air conditioning. And if you

run out of tickets, you’ll find out like Matt Khachadoorian that a box of

crayons will (temporarily) cost you your shoe.

But all of this is part of an immersion study program headed by Crane

and supported by the District’s Project-Based Instruction Committee.

“Project-based learning gives students a firsthand experience of what

it felt like for the people during the revolution who were taxed without

representation,” Crane said.

On the first day of the projects students were shocked into action

when Crane told them that everything that had once been free would now

have a tax. After an impromptu “protest” at recess, the students banded

together to write a letter pleading with Principal Ron LaMotte to

intervene on their behalf.

“We have the most powerful person on our side,” boasted patriot Kyle

Jenkins.

In spite of her imperious role, Crane was clearly impressed with her

patriotic students. They started boycotting the tax laws by bringing

their own supplies and chairs to class. They also created a Bill of

Rights petition that has so far been signed by 112 students, parents and

yes, in the interests of upholding the First Amendment, by the

journalists of the Coastline Pilot.

Taking a moment away from working on her propaganda poster, patriot

Mariah Jones said, “We have a right to sit at our desks. It’s the PTA’s

stuff, not Mrs. Crane’s.”

One of the three loyalists quickly stood up to dissent.

“The rebels are against the government because they’re protesting

taxes,” Brianna Hite said. “Taxes go to the parks, soldiers and the

teachers.”

Something everyone agrees on, particularly parents, is that the

program has given students an unforgettable experience.

* MARY A. CASTILLO is a news assistant for the Coastline Pilot. She

can be reached at 494-4321 or [email protected].