HISTORY'S HISTORIES
You are history. We are the future.
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  • Unit Lessons
    • Early Humans >
      • Early Humans Ardipithecus and Australopithecus >
        • Early Humans Activity
      • Early Humans Homo Habilis
      • Early Humans Homo Erectus
      • Early Humans Homo Neanderthalensis
      • Early Humans Homo Sapien
      • Early Human Videos
    • Mesopotamia >
      • Mesopotamia Geography >
        • Mesopotamia Geography Activity
      • Mesopotamia Early Pioneers >
        • Mesopotamia Early Pioneers Activity
        • Mesopotamia Early Pioneers Self-Test
      • Mesopotamia 5 Traits of Civilization >
        • Mesopotamia 5 Traits Activity
      • Mesopotamia Sumerian City-States >
        • Mesopotamia Sumerian City-States Activity
      • Mesopotamia Cuneiform >
        • Mesopotamia Cuneiform Activity
      • Mesopotamia The Epic of Gilgamesh >
        • Mesopotamia Epic of Gilgamesh Activity
      • Mesopotamia Daily Life in Sumer
      • Mesopotamia Religion >
        • Mesopotamia Religion Activity
      • Mesopotamia Daily Life in Babylon >
        • Mesopotamia Babylon Activity
      • Mesopotamia Daily Life in Assyria
      • Mesopotamia Videos
    • China >
      • China Geography >
        • China Geography Activity
      • China Early Dynasties
      • China Three Philosophies
      • China Qin Dynasty >
        • China Qin Dynasty Activity
      • China Han Dynasty >
        • China Han Dynasty Activity
      • China Silk Road >
        • China Silk Road Activity
      • China Project >
        • Silk Road Instructions >
          • Silk Road Caravans
          • Your Silk Road Adventure
        • Silk Road Links >
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          • Silk Road Religions
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        • Silk Road Souvenirs
        • Silk Road Trade Routes & Transportation >
          • Silk Road Overland Route >
            • Silk Road Transportation: Overland Route
            • Silk Road Transportation: Maritime Route
          • Silk Road: Maritime Route
        • 2021 Silk Road Travels
      • China Videos
    • India >
      • India Geography >
        • India Geography Activity
      • India 5 Traits of Civilization >
        • India 5 Traits of Civilization Activity
      • India Indus Valley Civilization >
        • India Indus Valley Civilization Activity
      • India Aryan Civilization >
        • India Aryan Civilization Activity
      • India Buddhism >
        • India Buddhism Activity
      • India Mauryan Empire >
        • India Mauryan Empire Activity
      • India Gupta Empire >
        • India Gupta Empire Activity
      • India Videos
    • Greece >
      • Greece Geography >
        • Greece Geography Activity
      • Greece The Minoans >
        • Greece The Minoans Activity
      • Greece The Age of Heroes >
        • Greece The Age of Heroes Activity
      • Greece The Rise of the City-State: Athens >
        • Greece The Rise of Athens Activity >
          • The Trial of Socrates
      • Greece The Rise of the City-State: Sparta >
        • Greece The Rise of Sparta Activity
      • Greece The Persian Wars >
        • Greece Persian Wars Activity
      • Greece Videos
    • Egypt >
      • Egypt Geography & the Gift of the Nile >
        • Egypt Geography Activity
      • Egypt The Double Crown and the Three Kingdoms >
        • Egypt the Double Crown and the Three Kingdoms Activity
      • Egypt Hieroglyphs and the Rosetta Stone >
        • Egypt Hieroglyphics Activity
      • Egypt Religion, Gods, and Goddesses >
        • Egyptian Gods & Goddesses Activity
      • Egypt Burial Practices >
        • Egypt Burial Practices & the Afterlife Activity
      • Egypt Tombs >
        • Egypt Tombs Activity
      • Egypt Temples >
        • Egypt Temples Activity
      • Egypt Life on the Nile: Jobs >
        • Egypt Life on the Nile Activity
      • Egypt Project: Gift of the Nile Tour >
        • Egypt Project Links >
          • Egypt Project Cities
          • Egypt Project Temples & Tourist Sites
          • Egypt Project People
          • Egypt Project Souvenirs
      • Egypt Videos
    • Rome >
      • Rome Geography >
        • Rome Geography Activity
      • Rome Early Settlers >
        • Rome Early Settlers Activity
      • Rome The Roman Republic >
        • Roman Republic Activity
      • Rome From Republic to Empire >
        • Roman Empire Activity
      • Rome Life in Ancient Rome >
        • Rome Daily Life Activity
      • Rome Early Christianity >
        • Rome Early Christianity Activity
      • Rome The Byzantine Empire >
        • Byzantine Empire Activity
      • Rome Barbarians Inside the Gates
      • Rome The Legacy of Rome >
        • Rome's Legacy Activity
      • Rome Videos
    • The Americas >
      • The Maya >
        • Maya Geography >
          • Maya Geography Activity
        • Maya Master Builders >
          • Maya Master Builders Activity
        • Maya Writing >
          • Maya Writing Activity
        • Maya Religion >
          • Maya Religion Activity
        • Maya Daily Life >
          • Maya Daily Life Activity
        • Maya Society >
          • Maya Society Activity
        • Maya Government >
          • Maya Government Activity
        • Maya Achievements and Inventions >
          • Maya Achievements and Inventions Activity
        • Maya The Collapse of Maya Civilization >
          • Maya The Collapse of Maya Civilization Activity
      • The Inca >
        • Inca Geography >
          • Inca Geography Activity
        • Inca Early Settlers >
          • Inca Early Settlers Activity
        • Inca The Sapa Inca >
          • Inca Sapa Inca Activity
        • Inca Government >
          • Inca Government Activity
        • Inca Daily Life >
          • Inca Daily Life Activity
        • Inca Religion >
          • Inca Religion Activity
        • Inca Science, Innovation & Technology >
          • Inca Science, Innovation & Technology Activity
      • The Americas Videos
      • The Americas Student Tutorials
  • Important Stuff
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  • ...with liberty and justice for all Decider

A Welcome for Parents!

PictureMe, in the Olympic Mountains. Aerodynamic.
As you know, a school only works effectively if it is a partnership between teachers and parents. I think that you will find that The Peck School is a community of robust partnerships. I hope this web site, a work in progress, serves as a window into what we do every day in class. Fifth grade is such a crucial year for students. It’s a year filled with challenges, changes, and incredible growth - physical, emotional, and intellectual growth. As you explore this site, I hope you get a good sense of me as a teacher and of my ambitions and expectations for your children. 

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In 5th Grade History, students focus on ancient civilizations. The civilizations covered can vary from one year to the next, and this site contains more information than we will be able to explore this year.  For the adventurous student, I encourage them to spend some time investigating civilizations that we may not get to study in class. Each lesson in every unit has something to teach us about the past, as well as about ourselves. 
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All units are interdisciplinary and each lesson addresses one or more of the seven themes of history. Skills that students develop over the course of the year include performing strong, focused research, developing active reading skills, and writing well-organized, well-supported paragraphs. Additionally, students are expected to lead class discussions, teach an occasional lesson, design and perform presentations, participate in online and classroom debates, and give constructive peer critiques.

For more information about 5th Grade History, feel free to explore this site. If you'd like to contact me, please email me. Any time. I love to hear from parents, and I strongly encourage you to be as involved in your child's 5th Grade experience as you can. 

Bill


bmetcalfe@peckschool.org


About Bill

PictureReady for 5th grade. Hair-o-dynamic!
After teaching at Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences for 14 years, I begin my second year at The Peck School. I feel incredibly privileged to work in a dynamic and supportive community of parents, kids, and colleagues, and I consider myself especially lucky to work with the 5th Grade team to create a challenging, supportive Peck experience for all of our students. While I ask students to work really hard I am, quite honestly, always amazed by things they do and the quality of their achievements.

Education:
University of Virginia, Ph.D., Political Philosophy

University of Virginia, M.A., International Political Economy

University of Georgia, B.A., Political Science, English, Drama

Interests:
After completing my graduate work at UVA, I worked for a decade in the outdoor industry and love, love, love being active outside - hiking, paddling, surfing, skiing, or simply watching the clouds overhead. These days, cycling is how I enjoy most of my outside time. An activity that allows me to exercise while sitting down, what could be better?

I enjoy writing songs on guitar and playing a bit of banjo and mandolin. I keep a couple of guitars and a ukulele in the classroom and I love to hear our students play.

PictureSarasota High School's Big Top
I have also been privileged to lead student trips to Turkey and to Spain. In Turkey, my students and I explored Istanbul and hiked the Lycian Way along the Mediterranean coast before heading to Antalya. In Spain, we hiked the Camino de Santiago and spent time in Barcelona, Granada, Sevilla, and Malaga. There's a saying that "travel is the enemy of bigotry," and I've valued the chance to deepen my empathy for others and my understanding of different peoples and their cultures through a ceaseless wandering. It has also been just a whole lot of fun. 

Goals: Oh my goodness, there are too many goals to list them all, but they all boil down to simply being better - a better teacher, a better coach, a better musician, a better writer, a better athlete, a better person. Oh, and to have a more full head of hair.

Odd Fact:  I grew up in a circus town, Sarasota, Florida. Because it was once the winter home of the Ringling Bros, Barnum, and Bailey Circus, the big top frames a large part of the culture of the town. In fact, my middle school history teacher was a member of the flying Wallendas troupe of tight rope walkers. While other high schools take pride in the prowess of their debate team or football squad, mine was and is quite rightfully proud of their circus. In fact, a three ring circus big top is a permanent structure on my high school campus.

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