Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 5, 1995 TAG: 9503060035
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
\ Brian Wolfe could have passed for a Buddhist monk as he talked about Thailand. He wore a monk's robe and demonstrated how monks bow and assume a meditative pose. He has learned that Thailand has thousands of monks.
Across the room, Justin London showed off baked bananas, a favorite food in Kenya. He also displayed Kenyan drums and masks.
Amber McDearmon explained how old rules of bartering still linger in Korea, where farmers still can trade eggs for other goods.
In recent months, these and other fourth-and fifth-graders at the Highland Park Learning Center magnet school have researched the location, geography, economy and traditions of 30 countries. They have dug up obscure as well as well-known facts about the countries.
It was a project that culminated in Friday's Social Studies Multi-Cultural Fair, a relatively uncommon program.
Many schools, including Highland Park, have science fairs to showcase pupils' science skills. But few have fairs that allow children to demonstrate their research skill and their ability to organize exhibits on geographical and cultural issues.
Crystal Camina, a fourth-grade teacher at Highland Park, said the fair is only a part of the pupils' project on geography and multicultural research.
Through a grant provided by Virginia Western Community College, speakers representing different cultures also have visited the school.
Camina said the pupils worked primarily at school researching their country, but many went to the public library.
The school's cafeteria was filled with exhibits Friday as parents and teachers viewed them.
Many children wore clothes and decorative attire from the countries and displayed native art, decorations and food. The room was decorated festively, with colorful maps and flags.
The children seemed eager to tell the stories of their newly discovered countries.
Tara Hutcheson, a fifth-grader, said her group discovered that elephants are used extensively for transportation in India. There are few stores for buying clothes, she said, so most residents have to make their own.
Daniel Small, a fourth-grader, said his group learned that Germany was one of the first countries to provide public education.
The children researching Australia discovered that it has 22,800 miles of coastline, said Noah Hicks, a fifth-grader.
Not to mention that the country is home to the crocodile.
by CNB