Other village students likely would admit the same thing, especially after the elementary’s first-ever Ethnic Day classes taught them a little about each corner of the globe.

Wednesday, March 01, 2000

Other village students likely would admit the same thing, especially after the elementary’s first-ever Ethnic Day classes taught them a little about each corner of the globe.

Two classes of about 30 students from Burlington and South Point elementaries gathered Tuesday for the day of food, fun and learning.

"For England, we did cookies and hot tea," South Point developmentally handicapped class teacher Bill Christian said.

"They were oohing at it," he said. "Most have never had hot tea."

Children rarely experience different cultures, other than America’s, so the class helps them understand the world, Christian said.

To experience a taste of Italy? A slice of pizza, and of course a video on the country.

Students helped make a homemade passport complete with name and picture. Teachers wrote country names inside the passport’s squares after each lesson.

A Swedish foreign exchange student visited in the afternoon to reveal secrets of that culture.

And teacher Vickie James brought Mexico into the classroom with the Mayan paper masks and a taco snack.

A pop quiz over who wanted hot sauce brought hands up all over the room.

"I like fire sauce," said Jeremy Gardner, a Burlington fifth-grader.

"I love hot sauce," Kirk said.

"I used to drink it," he added, trying to outdo his buddy.

Teachers had planned to gather the soon-to-be world travelers at South Point for the district’s spell-off, then came up with the Ethnic Day activities, Mrs. James said.

"I think it’s important for children to know there are differences in the world but that we’re all alike in one way or another," she said.

"We’re all more alike than different."

The school day’s regular lessons weren’t left out of class, either, Mrs. James added.

Coloring Aztec masks, tasting different foods or watches videos brings the students geography and social studies lessons they can see, hear and touch, she said.

The young learners boost their language skills by learning Spanish numbers. And adding Spanish numbers, like "dos" plus "dos" equals "cuatro," brings math into the lessons.

"In the afternoon, we will learn how to use chopsticks and learn how to write the Japanese character for ‘tree,’" Mrs. James said.

"Now we just wish we had more time to visit more countries."