During the course of their investigation into the root causes of migration, Fifth Graders encountered the concept of "forced migration." Over the past two months, students took a deep dive into the causes, realities, and legacies of slavery in the United States. Fifth Graders discovered that many of the people portrayed on United States currency owned or directly benefited from the institution of slavery.

Students were tasked with researching a person who should be the new face of our money - a person who used their power to make our country more equitable, rather maintain or benefit from human bondage. Students presented their choices and created pictures of what the new currency would look like. Friends from other classrooms were able to visit this exhibit and hear the arguments for these changes.

This investigation helped students sharpen their persuasive writing skills, improve their presentation skills, highlighted their artistic talents, and challenged assumptions that many students had about the historic figures pictured on currency. We are excited to see how this exploration evolves throughout the remainder of the school year and beyond.