“One of the biggest celebrations in Poland is the Harvest Festival.” “Haiti is in the Caribbean, it shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic.”“Portugal bull fighting is different than Spanish bull fighting.”
These were just some of the many insights shared at Katonah Elementary School’s third grade Country Crest Celebration! The event was the culmination of the students’ exploration of communities around the world, a third-grade social studies unit.
The celebration opened with a trio of songs, including “We are the Children of the World,” directed by music teacher Luis Vazquez, which set a welcoming and inclusive tone for the expo.
The students had been working on their projects for weeks. Teachers Patricia Forde, Susan Hirsch, Patricia Patwell and Lisa Wolken guided students in researching aspects of their country's culture, including geography, language, food, traditions and leisure activities. The students took it from there. Each created a meaningful crest and wrote an essay about their learnings.
The experts were excited to share their knowledge with family members!