Write a commentThird grade students at Minetto Elementary School culminated four weeks of research and activities on Asia recently, with a festival celebrating the continent's various countries and cultures.
The Asian Festival was a collaboration of third grade classrooms, the art and music departments, and school library.
During the four-week curriculum, students learned about government, economy, celebration, tradition/culture, education, and geography of Asian countries. Students were then able to teach other third-grade students about the Asian country they studied at the Festival.
Minetto Elementary School Third grade teachers Mrs. Manion, Ms. Hadley and Mrs. Herbert studied Japan's culture. Ms. Janice and Ms. Oldmixon's classrooms studied India's culture. Ms. Noel, Mrs. Miller, Ms. McFarland, and Mrs. Campbell's classes studied China's culture.
School Librarian Mrs. LeRoy worked with students on blogging about experiences in our country, while Minetto Music Teacher Susan Olinsky taught traditional songs from each country, sung in their language and English.
Finally, Minetto Art Teacher Ms. Mason worked with students on a variety of projects including Japanese cherry blossom scrolls, Pokeman characters, and bento boxes with sushi; Indian elephant masks, diwali lights, henna, and elephant watercolors; and Chinese red envelopes, characters, vases and paper.
Ms. Mason also integrated technology into her classes by creating the Great Wall of China using the computer game Minecraft.
According to Ms. Campbell, who coordinated the Asian Festival, students were excited to show their families, teachers and principals what they had learned.
