The sixth-grade social studies classes at Elise Middle School recently completed a unit on "Life in Medieval Times."

A significant portion included a study of castles that integrated subject areas across the curriculum. Students composed acrostic poems and engaged in reading their compositions to their classmates. Students also utilized print and Internet sources in order to locate information on how to build model castles.

The unit culminated in all sixth-graders building extremely detailed and aesthetically pleasing models of castles composed of a wide array of materials. Students then composed imaginative writings about what it would be like to live in the castles that they had built.

Crystal Vaughn, sixth-grade social studies teacher, is extremely proud of her classes' effort.

"I cannot believe the creativity of the sixth-graders," she says.

The castles are on display in the media center and Vaughn and Malcolm Dale, media coordinator, welcome visitors to drop in to take a look at them.