Students learn in costume, take remote field trips

WASHOUGAL — Fifth-grade students at Hathaway Elementary School are bringing lessons to life through Zoom by dressing up in costume each Friday. “We are trying to make learning more engaging and personally relevant to the students in fifth grade by incorporating activities intended to bring their learning alive,” said teacher Sara Elmore. Students end each week with a themed learning celebration. They’re encouraged to make props or dress representing topics they’re learning about or change their Zoom backgrounds on Friday to fit the theme. The classes have explored several different themes, including space, pirates, patriotism, and a zoo/circus theme was inspired by a literature story called “The One and Only Ivan.” Hathaway Music Specials teacher, Becky Miller, is also tying weekly themes into her music class with the students. They also had a remote field trip tied to world history topics about privateering, trade routes, spice and slave trade and their ships. “We Zoomed with Keith B. Raisch, a retired Coast Guard captain of 30 years, and the students were taught about navigating with a sexton, sailing terms, and pirate folklore,” Elmore said. “We want these themes to make the week more exciting and interesting for the kids,” said teacher Sydney Croucher.