Book Report Day

On Thursday (Dec. 15) we will spend our Literature period reading / working on our book reports.  Every student needs to have their book for this day, I will also be recording their choice of project.  Book reports are due on Friday, February 24!  This is one week after LEST so I have encouraged the students to have their book read over Christmas break so they can spend January working on their project.  Time will go by fast as we prepare for LEST!

Crazy Snow Days...

Well we had a crazy end of the week on Thursday and Friday. I don't know about you but the start of Thursday looked like nothing but turned out to be horrible by 1:00pm. Friday started horrible but by 11:00 we had nothing. Of course we live in Aloha and we are not high in elevation, so many of you were probably in a more serious situation. So those two days off were great, but really mess up the schedule. So here is a quick update on what I have coming up in my classes.
Before I go on, I want to say that if we have another day off, I will be holding a "Snow Day" picture contest. Take your best picture of you, your yard, or something funny that happened on the day and we will have a short vote on the best picture of the day.
Every year, I love to read a book to my class. It is called "The Best Christmas Pagent Ever." It is a great book about the Christmas story. It brings the story into a little more context for the kids. I plan on reading this through with my 6th graders. We will get back to Moses and the Israelite Nation.
For Science, we have now finished up the Moon and will be moving on to the rest of the Solar System. We have a video on Asteroids and a quiz on Craters and Meteorites. The quiz should be on Wednesday or Thursday.
In my Course 3 Math, we are still working through a big packet on Parallel Lines and how to name them. We will continue to work through the lesson and I will let the class know when the packet is due shortly.  We will have Math club on Tuesday but not on Friday.
For History, 6th graders should be ready for the test they should have had on Thursday. I am sure their cheat sheet should be filled in and they are really ready to go.
We have a couple of special things coming up. Presents for the sponsored family should be in on Monday. We have chapel with carols on Wednesday as well as a Friday before the break. Friday chapel is at 2:00. Kids will be ready to be picked up by 2:50. We also have the breakfast on Friday. Please see the email sent out previously to know what your family needs to bring for that.
The 6th and 7th graders plan to watch "The Nativity Story" on that Friday and a permission slip will come home soon as it is a PG movie.
As always please feel free to give me a quick email if you feel like communication is not up to par. I want the kids to become more self-reliant, but I don't want parents to feel left out.
Blessings on your week.
Mr. Bauer

Holy Exploding Flour Batman

It's not every night that you get to go home and say, "I had a blast teaching today." Probably even less when you teach Middle Schoolers, but today, I get to say that at home tonight. It was a blast to teach today. 

In Science we did an experiment to recreate craters on the Moon. We dropped several marbles into flour from a distance of 1 meter. The outcome was almost explosive. The kids and I had a great time seeing what would happen and we were not disappointed. We will finish the experiment tomorrow and there is no homework tonight. 

In Christian Studies we went over the quiz. Tomorrow we start looking at the wandering Israelites. There was no homework with this class tonight. 

For the majority of the morning, the 8th graders were with Mr. Munster. They were painting backdrops for our coming Christmas performance. Since they were with him, I only have 5 students in Math. So we looked over the last assignment, and graded it, then we played a math game. There is no homework with this class tonight. 

In History, we continue to look at the geography of the Middle East. Today we focused on Canaan. Students need to complete page 56 in their book before tomorrow. 

Blessings

Mr. Bauer

Book Orders Due Friday, Dec. 2

In order to make sure students have the books they want to read over the holidays, I will need to place the order Friday night or Saturday morning.  If you have any problems or questions feel free to contact me!

 

Note Taking Skills

All students have been introduced to a new, or semi-new, system of taking notes.  Cornell Notes have been around for many years and has recently made a come back.  Many high schools are encouraging / expecting incoming students to be able to use this system.  While we are learning about another unit in grammar or reading a short story the students are using this system to keep notes.  Since this is new I will be grading their work based on 'are they doing the note taking', especially in Literature class.  Because this is done in class under my direction you will see little homework coming home.  In Grammar, students will be able to use their notes on a test as a way for them to see the value in this note-taking system.  It is my hope that as students become familiar with this system they will begin using it in other classes.  There are many good websites that explain this system of note-taking if you want to know more about it.

Book Reports!!

We are jumping in to our second trimester book report.  Students are already on the look out for that next great read.  Students are to have decided on their book and project by Wednesday, Dec.7. During the last week before break we will once again have a a "book report day" where students will get to spend their entire Literature period reading their book.  I want to encourage everyone to read over the Christmas Break.  The final book projects are to be in by Friday, February 24 (just days after LEST).  

Don't Wait, Read Now!!

Applied Skills

Before we begin a new set of Applied Skills classes I want to thank all of the volunteers who taught classes for first trimester.  

Thank you to Mrs. Plucknett for sharing her skills in "The Game of Life".  She shared with her class basic skills needed in everyday life at home.  They learned how to use basic tools and life skills along with some hands-on babysitting practice.  The highlight was the week taking care of their potato babies.         

We are thankful for the gifts Mr. Schiemann shared with his group, "The Geek Squad".  This group was hard at work tearing apart computers and learning about all the technology on campus. This group will be kept busy all year helping teachers with their smart boards, laptops, and sound systems.  It is great to have so many gentlemen ready to help us.

         

     

On Friday afternoons there were great smells drifting in the air around St. Peter's Church. St. Peter's graciously allowed Chef Marni and her assistants to teach a group about various culinary techniques and dishes.  This group of students were always willing to dive in and try their hand at cooking.  The pay-off, enjoying their creations. 

                                                      

For LEST Mr. Collins is working with a 6 students as they prepare to participate in the LEGO Robotics competition.  They have been hard at work designing and testing their robots.  It has been fun watching them work under deadlines and through problems with programs.  They will continue to work through the second trimester.

                   

  

This year we have a very dedicated group of students who are working hard to put together our yearbook.  With the help of Mrs. Hill they have learned how to take pictures, lay out pages, and many other skills needed to put together a yearbook.  We are all anxiously waiting to see their final product later this year.

         

  

Thank you for a great Trimester!

This Friday we start a whole new set of Applied Skills.  Your student has their selection sheet with the details.  We welcome Mr. Carter and Mr. Kok to our list of volunteers this term.

11/29

Good Afternoon Families,
Today was a good day. The kids are full of energy and excited about the coming events here at school. We are already starting to see Christmas program plans come together.
Homework update:
Christian Studies: today we took our quiz on Moses and the Plaques. I will be grading them shortly and hope to have them in Gradelink by Friday. No homework tonight. We will continue to see what happens to the Hebrews as they wander the desert.
Course 3 Math: we continue to work on lines and slope, students should be working on 4.1 packet due Thursday. Remember we do have Math club on Tuesday and Friday.
Science: we looked at how people have used the moon in our schedule. We looked at the calendar and the difference between a solar and lunar calendar. We read from the text and answered 5 questions. Those questions are due tomorrow.
History: we went over our answers to the geography page on Egypt and the Middle East. No homework for tomorrow.

Each class has sponsored a family for Christmas. Please see what each teacher has put out regarding those families. We would love to bless them this Holiday season.
Thanks
Mr. Bauer

Also, many papers went home today. My recycling box is also full. If you would like to come by and see what is in the recycling, it doesn't go out until Friday.

Mr. Bauer Homework

Good Afternoon FHLCS families,
I hope your Turkey Day was a good one. I had a blast. Just ask the kids about my sweater.
Today we had several assignments and wanted to give you a heads up.
For Christian Studies: students should be ready for the quiz on Moses and the plaques (quiz is tomorrow)
For Course 3 Math: we started learning about lines and if they are constant in proportionality. Their assignment is 4.1 packet due Thursday.
For all 3 Science classes we started to prove why we have different phases of the Moon. All classes have a response sheet due tomorrow.
For History: 6th grade started to look at the Geography of Egypt and the Middle East. Pages 50-52 are due tomorrow.
Have a blessed evening.
Mr. Bauer

Updated Grades

Good Morning Families,

All grades for Mr. Bauer are up to date. If your child has something missing, please have it in by tomorrow. Thank You
Blessings
Mr. Bauer

1st Quarter Ending Soon

It is so surprising that the 1st trimester ends this time next week. Please remember that there is no school on Wednesday before Thanksgiving, on Thanksgiving, or on Friday. The second term will start on Monday, November 28th.
As the term is about to end, we anticipate many late, missing, or corrected work to come in. Please note that Mrs. Moeller would like work in by this Friday. Mr. Bauer would like work in by Friday as well. Mr. P will allow students to turn in work up until Tuesday the 22nd. Students should always do their best, but we recognize that each child might have a mess up once in a while. We allow for corrections, late or missing work for those times that we mess up. Please take advantage of all the opportunities that the teacher allow students to take.
Have a Blessed Thanksgiving Break
Mr. Bauer

November Book Orders

Book orders have been sent out and are available in the Language Arts room.  There is a special flyer for Christmas books / gifts as well.  All orders are due online or to Mrs. Moeller by 

Tuesday, Nov. 15.

This is a great time to order stocking stuffers and gifts for children of all ages.

Update for Mr. Bauer

Good Morning FHLCS Middle School Families,
I wanted to fill you all in on a couple of things. I am writing on the MS page because many of these updates reach more than 1 class.
Conference week was a crazy and fulfilling week. It was so nice to see many of you and have a good chance to talk with your student. I loved praying for the kids I got to and continue to hold all of our students in prayer to the Lord. It was nice to see your students want to grow and the goals that many of them had. It is funny that they see the areas they need to grow are many times the areas that we as teachers recognize as well.
I also saw some areas that I need to be better in as well. First of all communication. I am not good at this mass communication. I will continue to make an effort to post to this blog. I also know I am not good at telling the parents when up-coming events are. As a staff of teachers we have decided to use the Google Calendar app to post "big" due dates. This includes projects, tests, and some quizzes. Ultimately we want students to keep track of any assignments and due dates, but we will come along side anyone who is struggling with this.
The other area that I want to improve on is helping my struggling and not struggling students in math. Starting this Tuesday, I am willing to have my students stay after on Tuesday and Friday for additional help. I will walk kids back to St. Peters on those days at 4 pm. Parents can pick them up there. I will have a letter for those students in the coming days to go home.
Please help me as I learn to grow. You can give encouragement and some constructive criticism when needed.
In Science, we are all finishing up our study of Seasons in the next couple of days. We will continue the coming weeks by learning more about the Moon.
I hope to see many of you at the Harvest Party on Friday.

Crazy Friday

Well it looks like the day before the conference break will be an interesting one. Last week we postponed the Run for the Hills because of weather. Our students will be running this Friday. The 6th will run from 10:00-10:45. The 7th and 8th will run from 12:00-12:45. We also have the Picture Book Picnic with our buddies. The whole campus participates in this as well. Everyone reads from 11:00-11:20, eats lunch from 11:20-11:40, and has recess from 11:40-12:00. This is an exciting day with their buddies. Students will need a sack lunch for the day. They are also encouraged to bring a blanket/beach towel, favorite childhood book, and maybe even a pillow.

Science Update

In science we have been looking at the tilt and orbit of the Earth and how that affects temperature and seasons. In this next section we look at the length of days and why we have more daylight in summer than in winter. For my 7th and 8th grade, they should have their day length worksheet and graph done by tomorrow. My 6th grade will have that in the next couple of day, for tonight they need to finish their response sheet.

Book Report Day!

Thursday, Oct. 20 all students will have another opportunity to work on their book reports.  Students are to bring their book to read or the project they are working on.  They will have the entire Literature period to work on it.  Students are also to sign up for a day to do their oral reports.  If they do not sign up a day will be assigned to them.  All book reports are due no later than Friday, Nov. 18.

Middle School Choir in Chapel!!!

Tomorrow, October 19th, the Middle School Choir will be singing a song in chapel!  You are welcome to come and hear our first opportunity to sing this year!

Picture Book Picnic

This Friday we will gather with our buddies to share a favorite story and enjoy a picnic lunch.  Each student is to bring 2 to 3 of their favorite books to share with their buddies.  If the weather is nice we will be outside so bring a blanket to sit on and a cold lunch to eat.  If the weather is rainy we will be inside.  Be sure to bring a cold lunch as there is NO hot lunch on Friday.  We will be celebrating from 11:00 - 12:00 this Friday, Oct. 21.

Be sure to bring: cold lunch & drink

                             blanket 

                             2-3 picture books

LEST Sign-Ups

Could it be that time of year already?!?  Last week, the middle school students signed up for their interest in different LEST events.

LEST stands for Lutheran Elementary School Tournament.  It takes place every February at Concordia University in Portland.  Our school, along with about 20 other Lutheran schools from all over (Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada ... we have even had Canada and Nebraska recently!), come together to celebrate the many gifts God has blessed us with.  We do this through a grand competition in the areas of athletics, academics, and the arts.  The events include basketball, swimming, spelling, knowledge bowl, science, math, chess, art, drama, choir, handbells, music, and a logo competition to design next year's LEST logo.  This is a 3 day tournament (February 16-18, 2017).  We take that Thursday and Friday off of school so that everyone can participate.  Our goal is that every student in 5th-8th grade gets to compete in some way at LEST.

Last week, the middle schoolers had an opportunity to express their interest in different events through a Google Form.  They have until the end of October to change or update what they said.  Through the month of November, the teachers will use the results of this survey to help pick our different teams that will compete at LEST.

It is an amazing event and a highlight of the year.  As teams start to formulate, more information will be provided.

MAP Testing

On Tuesday we will have our first round of MAP testing. The students will take 3 tests. They are Language, Math, and Reading. Students will be testing in their homerooms. These tests are done on their Chrome books. We may even take some time on Monday to set up for the tests (sign-in, register). Students should get a good night's sleep on the weekend and make sure they bring their Chrome book with a full charge.  Students should bring a water bottle, snack, and book to their tests so that they will make as little of a distraction as possible.

Book Order Time 

Now is a great time to start stocking up on great books for the holidays.  Scholastic Book Club has given the students a certificate for a free book.  They just need to spend $10 to get a $5 book free.  If your child is interested or needs another certificate they simply need to come and pick one up.  Book Order flyers were sent home on Monday.  If your child misplaced theirs or you want to see one for yourself you are welcome to stop by the 7th grade classroom to pick one up.  Bonus points are given for every dollar spent, I use these points to purchase books (recommended by students)  for the classroom.

Book Orders are due Friday,Oct. 14!  

Special Guest Speaker

Yesterday, the middle school had a special guest speaker come and talk with them.  Pastor Joshua Gale is a missionary in Peru.  He came to let our students know what life is like in Peru and what his ministry entails.  It was a great experience for the middle schoolers as they got to see how different life can be around the world.

Thank you Pastor Knepper from Zion-Hillsboro for arranging Pastor Gale to come speak to us!

Worship Team

Praise the Lord, Oh My Soul!

Our Middle School Worship Team leading our worship during Grandparents / Grand Friends Day.

Many of our Middle School students are having a great time learning new songs and leading our students in worship.  These talented students play the piano, guitar, drums and design the slides that enhance our worship during chapel each week.  We praise God for their gifts and for Mr. Bauer who encourages and leads them.  If you haven't had a chance to hear them yet, you are welcome to come for Chapel on Wednesday mornings held at St. Peter's Lutheran Church across the parking lot from school.

Hello FHLCS Middle School Families,
Mr. Bauer here.
Every year my family and friends get together and we have organic apple cider. We use only 2 ingredients-apples and pears. It tastes delicious and is a very fun activity. This year my family will be doing this on Saturday. Some of my past students have brought me apples to aid in the process. If your family has an apple tree and would like to send in a box of apples tomorrow, we will add it to our mix. The more apples you mix, the better the taste.
The real reason I wanted to write is because I always bring some in the next day to share. On Monday, I would like to let each child have 1 cup of cider. If you are uncomfortable or your child might have an allergy, will you please give me a quick email. I wont feel hurt or be mad.
I just love to share.
Most students are working on a Poster Project in Science class. They will be the "teacher" on Friday as they present their poster. I will save these until Grandparents' Day so they can see them as well.
Have a great day,
Mr. Bauer

Subject Update: Digital Literacy

A new class for our middle school this year is Digital Literacy.  The purpose of this course is helping the middle schoolers better understand the capabilities of the technology they have and how to use it responsibly.  We only have digital literacy once per week so each class is just getting started on the topics we will be discussing this year.

We started each class discussing digital citizenship and how to be safe and respectful online.  Just like how all of us had to be taught to say "please" and "thank you" and to look both ways when we cross the street, there are a set of rules in the digital online world to treat people respectfully and stay safe from harm.

Our next topic is discussing email etiquette and how to treat people respectfully through this form of communication that has become such an important part of everyday life.

Mr. P Parent Office Hours

In order to keep the lines of communication as open as possible this year, Mr. P will be holding Parent Office Hours in his classroom every Friday afternoon from 2:30-3:00 (this excludes days our Friday schedule changes, such as Grandparents Day).  This will start tomorrow, September 16th.  If you have something to talk about, a question you want answered, or just want to say hi, feel free to pop in!

Books BOOKS Books Books

All book orders are due by Thursday evening.  

To order online use the code:  NDHGR

Be sure to select my name so you are sure to get the books.

If you have any questions please email me.

Back to School NEON DANCE!

To celebrate the start of the new school year, we are having a middle school dance.  This will take place Friday, September 16th from 8:00-10:00 pm in the cafeteria.  The theme for the dance is NEON!  Hope everyone can make it!

Book Orders

Welcome to the World of Reading

Reading is one of the best ways to go on an adventure.  Through reading you can go to any country, real or imaginary, and do almost anything.  This year you will have the opportunity to purchase books from Scholastic Book Club every month.  You will receive book club flyers at the beginning of each month.  Once you have made your selection go to clubs.scholastic.com and enter the site with your e-mail address and password from last year.  If you are new to online orders simply follow the prompts.  The classroom code is: NDHGR.  

Every month the orders will be due on the 15th of the month.  If you miss that date you can still order your book selections, they will simply come the following month.

If you prefer to send in the order form with cash or check (made out to: Scholastic Book Clubs) please have it to me by the end of the school day on the 15th.  If your order is a gift then send me an e-mail explaining how I can get the books to you privately.

Your first order is due Thursday, Sept. 15

Enjoy the Adventure of Reading!

Science Experiment

I hope you are all having a great long weekend. I gave you all some homework to finish our experiment. There have been many question and a lack of understanding of what I want. So we will post pone the due date and all work on it on Tuesday. Have a great time off.

Back to School: Things to Know

It was great to see so many of you at the Back to School Picnic last night.  We are excited to see everyone tomorrow morning for our first day of school.  There was a lot of information at the Picnic last night.  We wanted to review some of it for you and give you a few more things to be watching for this first week of school.

First, this blog will be the place to check what is going on in your child's classroom.  There was information handed out last night on how to access this and receive email alerts when new posts are made.  If you would like the email alerts, make sure you enroll on the side of the main page AND on the page of your child's grade.  For returning parents that received email alerts last year, you will need to unsubscribe to last year's grade and subscribe to the new grade.  When you receive your first email alert from the previous grade, there will be an "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email.

Friday, September 9th, the middle school will be taking an all day field trip.  We need parent volunteers and drivers to go!  Look for the permission slip to come home in the first couple days of school.  Also, if you would like to go, you need to get your information into the office to be cleared to drive and volunteer.  Even returning families need to complete this as it is a yearly process we go through.

Our Applied Skills classes take place Friday afternoons all year long starting Friday, September 16th.  We are looking for volunteers to teach courses in anything from woodworking to cooking to a foreign language.  If you are interested, or know of someone who might be interested, let Mrs. Moeller know.  The commitment would be about 8 or 9 Fridays (classes reset at the end of each trimester).

One of the ways we keep the kids informed of major assignments and projects coming up is through Google Calendar.  There was a sign-up sheet last night for parents if they want to be included in those Google Calendar reminders.  If you were not there, or did not get a chance to sign up, email Mr. P so he can get you set up.  If you were included on the Google Calendar last year, you should still be included this year.

The most asked question we had from students last night was, "When are we getting our Chromebooks?"  The answer to this question is some time during the first week of school.  When the Chromebooks come home, they will be accompanied by our school's Chromebook Acceptable Use Policy.  Make sure you read through this with your child so you know what is expected.  There will be a page that will need to be signed and returned.

You can check your child's grades online!  This is done through a website called Gradelink.  Information about how to access grades online will be coming home in the Family Folder on Friday.  If you are a returning family and used Gradelink last year, your login information should be the same.

That should be it for now.  Again, it was great to see you all last night, and we will eagerly be awaiting everyone's arrival bright and early tomorrow morning!  God bless your day.

Mr. Plucknett - plucknettt@fhlcs.org
Mrs. Moeller - moellerb@fhlcs.org
Mr. Bauer - bauerb@fhlcs.org

What To Expect Next Week...

How is it that we've made it to the last week of school already? It feels like it's still April (except for the 100* weather out there right now...).
Here are some of the things you can expect next week. Any questions you may have can be directed in an email to your child's homeroom teacher.
Enjoy this last week!!

What You Can Expect Next Week:

• Chromebook & Charger Collection for 6/7 - Monday
• Last Day of Normal Classes - Monday
• Clean Up Day - Tuesday
• Field Trips - Wednesday
• Last Day - Thursday
• Early Dismissal @ 11:30
• Graduation @ 7:00

Last Book Orders Due Friday May 27

One of the greatest things a kid can do to ensure a successful beginning to a new school year is to keep reading over the summer. Keep your kids in books by ordering now from Scholastic! Book orders went home today, but if one didn't make it home, you can peruse them online at www.scholastic.com. You can place the order online, as well.
Thanks for all of your orders this year - they helped us get a lot of free books to add to the class library!

Creative Writing!

We began our creative writing unit in Language Arts last Friday with a couple of days of Creative Writing Warm-ups. If your child hasn't told you about those yet, ask! They are a lot of fun!
Today, I introduced the story topics for each class. 6th grade will be writing Fairy Tales. We listened and responded to popular fairy tales today and will begin our brainstorming tomorrow. 7th grade will be writing Adventures, and 8th grade will be writing Mysteries. Both 7th & 8th began their brainstorming today. The kids are coming up with some really great ideas! I can't wait to read them!

Where Are Mr. P & Mrs. Schulze?

Over the next several weeks, Mr. Plucknett and Mrs. Schulze have a few opportunities to engage in some professional development. These activities will add tools to our teacher toolboxes that will help us in the classroom as we work with your children. We are excited about these opportunities! It does mean that we will be out of the classroom a bit as we hone our skills, but we will be leaving the classes in the very capable hands of Mrs. McCann and our faithful subs. So, if someone comes home and says, "Mr. Plucknett and Mrs. Schulze were gone today!" be assured, your kids are well taken care of, and Mr. P and Mrs. Schulze are working to make school an even better place for your kids.

Scholastic Book Orders - Due April 18

Scholastic Book Orders have gone home. If you are interested in ordering for your child, please order online or return the form by Monday, April 18. 6th grade should order through Mrs. McCann, while 7th and 8th grade should order through Mrs. Schulze. Thanks for ordering, and happy reading!!!

Joseph Musical Update

Preparations for our Spring Musical are well underway.  Everyone is working hard as we start to put together scenes and learn our songs.  It is getting really exciting as we see things take shape!  We have such a talented group of middle schoolers!

Each student has a script so they can follow along with their part and learn what they need to know.  With limited time to work as a group, some things may need to be reinforced at home like learning lines.  Starting the week of April 18th, everyone should be off script.  This means lines and songs memorized.  The sooner we get to that point, the easier it is to practice and rehearse.

I am so excited to see how this all comes together!!!

Some Auction News...

We are less than a month away from our annual auction! It's coming up quickly! Here is some quick information:

• The Class Project Reveal will be next Friday, April 8, beginning at 3:00 in the library. Come enjoy some ice cream and see all the wonderful projects your kids have been working on!
• From now until April 23, there are a variety of errands that need to be run and small tasks that can be completed at home. If you're looking for ways to complete your PAL hours, this is a great opportunity! Contact the auction committee at auction@fhlcs.org to help out in this way.
• Another way to earn some PAL hours is to work at the auction. They are in need of people to do all kinds of jobs at the auction. If you're interested, email auction@fhlcs.org.
• If you haven't bought your tickets yet, there are still some available! If you don't want to go alone, but you're not sure who to invite to go with you, email Mrs. Schulze at schulzek@fhlcs.org or the committee at auction@fhlcs.org and we'll set up a class table for you and other parents from your child's class.

Thank you for your support of our auction! We have a great time every year. It's a truly enjoyable way to raise money to support your children's education!

DC Trip Update: Day 5

On Day 5, we said goodbye to Washington DC and moved on to Philadelphia.  In our one day of touring around this historic city, we saw many places that are very significant historically.

We met our Philadelphia tour guide, who was dressed in traditional 18th century clothing.

We stopped by Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were made.

We stopped by a print shop as it would have looked in Benjamin Franklin's time.

We got a surprise stop at a museum where we saw some 18th century clothing and their way of life.

We had a quick stop at Betsy Ross's house, the original maker of the American flag.

We went to the Constitution Center and had fun with the hall of statues honoring every member of the Constitutional Convention.

We saw the Liberty Bell and posed for a picture.

We stopped at Benjamin Franklin's grave and did the traditional "flipping of coin" to leave with Ben.

Our last stop was the Philadelphia Museum of Art, better known as the "Rocky Steps."

Even the parents ran up the steps like the Italian Stallion.

Next, we head off to New York City!!!