Third graders tour Europe in the classroom

January 11, 2011

Pretty soon, it won’t be uncommon to see the third graders at Mayfield Elementary School playing a game of cricket or English football (think soccer in America) in the gym. You might also spot the same students carrying a “country backpack,” packed with items from various countries around Europe like money, chocolate wrappers and flags.

It’s all part of an integrated cross-curricular unit on Europe that about 60 students are studying. That means each student picked a country and learns about its history, sports, art, and music.

The unit incorporates elements of different subjects as the students make globes, sing foreign language songs and play international sports. The class focused on countries in Eastern Europe (such as Poland, Estonia and Romania) but students are also studying France, England and Germany.

Third grade teacher Samantha Phillips wrote the curriculum after Cornell University’s European Studies Department awarded her a $1,500 grant last year. A portion of the money went towards the unit, while she used about $500 to travel to a geography conference in her native England.

The unit culminates with a Taste of Europe event at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21 in the cafeteria where the students will each make a dish from their chosen country.

“The children are very excited. They’ve been researching their countries and will then present their food,” she said. “I’m also working on a technology component where students will create a blog by researching their countries.”

But that’s not where Phillips’ vision ends.

She hopes to establish an “e-twinning” relationship with an elementary school in a European country, where Mayfield Elementary and that school collaborate using the Internet or possibly video conference software like Skype.

“Cornell would like us to develop that relationship,” she said. “We’re learning about world communities and culture. The children are enthusiastic about making connections between their cultural research and the authentic artifacts they’ve gathered. “

Mayfield Superintendent Paul G. Williamsen said that offering opportunities to explore other cultures helps student achievement.

“We need to prepare students to succeed in the global workplace,” he said. “If we can teach them about other countries and cultures at an early age, it will hopefully cultivate an understanding and appreciation that lasts a lifetime.”