Pearl Harbor interview

Adventures to Pearl Harbor:
This was our second time to explore Pearl Harbor. The first time was on Pearl Harbor Day (see previous blog 12/07/08). The reason for our trip was a fact finding mission.

I have to go back a bit to explain the reason for the project.....so here is the background:
Thorin has been a GATE (gifted and talented) student for 2 years, but our Hawaiian school does not offer a specific class so they have to differentiate the work. What this means is that the teacher has more work to teach a wider range of learning levels. It is very challenging to stay on top of the highest and lowest level students.
Thorin was assigned "Charlotte's Web" the same week Sorenna brought it home too.
I mentioned that to the teacher and she assured me that the levels would be challenging for the top students. Turns out, it wasn't. The few top learners and 2 GATE kids got separate assignments after 3 weeks of skating through the other assignment.
So, Thorin was to pick a subject she is interested in and do a laundry list of items to complete the assignment. She chose Pearl Harbor.
Her contract had 5 "must do" things and 5 "choice" things to pick from to assure an A.
The things she did on the MUST do list were:
*Read a novel "Boy at War" and do a test on it to include a book report and illustrated book report cover
*Do a timeline of events leading to the bombing
*Pick 1 Japanese and 1 American leader at Pearl Harbor and write reports on what their roles were
*Do a web quest about Pearl Harbor (another test)
*Draw a detailed map highlighting area of Pearl Harbor or do a diorama (she did both)

The things she did on the CHOICES list were:
*Create a work of art depicting the scene at Pearl Harbor
*Visit U.S.S Arizona and create scrapbook of trip (PowerPoint)
*Make a PowerPoint presentation about everything learned and present to the class.

BONUS: We scored an interview with a survivor and Thorin got the questions ready and I took photos and videotaped it.

She was such a gracious interviewer. She told him thank you for the chance and was ready with her questions and even stumped him a couple times.
She told him "it's OK if you don't know that" and once she asked for his opinion on something related to the attack and he told her he didn't have one.....she said it was fine, she just wanted to see if he had one.
He told her stories, showed her recently-found photos and was very impressed with her.
My favorite question was one he asked her.
He was very shocked she was in 3rd grade and was only 8 years old doing such an advanced project. After she had discussed all the things she had learned and all her research, he asked her when did she have a chance to be a normal kid and play outside and she said "Saturdays and Sundays and sometimes on Fridays because she didn't have homework that day."
It was funny because it was true.
Our days are really short during the week and we have church and FRG events. I also have school 2 nights a week, so things are fast on those days.
But we capitalize on every weekend!
I am looking forward to seeing her give her presentation.


Photos of Pearl Harbor after the attack!