~What did we learn this week? We learned about President Franklin Roosevelt and how he never got to see the Allies Victory, he died a few months before V.E. Day. We learned about how American never really knew that he was in a wheelchair. We found out a lot about his Vice President who became President after his death, Harry. S. Truman. Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the war. It caused hundred of thousand of deaths, but in the long run it saved millions of Japanese and American lives. What a tough decision to make. He also introduced the Truman Doctrine, which said the USA would help most countries who were against Communism. This doctrine was very successful in places like Korea, but was a failure in places like Vietnam and Afghanistan.
~We also learned about Prohibition, and how at one time all alcohol, wine, and beer were illegal in the United States and how it led to bootlegging and gangsters who became rich from illegal liquor and beer. Al Capone was one notorious gangster who became rich and infamous from selling illegal alcohol.
~We learned about satire and fables and morals. Many APES cannot wait to read Animal Farm when they get to middle school.
~In reading, Max's father was released from prison, and kidnapped Max. Is the name Killer Kane appropriate? He seems to really care for Max. Were Grim and Gram lying to Max all along? We'll find out more when we get back on Monday!
~We finished Loser, by Jerry Spinelli! What a great book! What will you do when you run into a Donald Zinkoff in middle school? Will you laugh at him? Will you welcome him?
