Elementary Culture
The Elementary class abounds with cultural activities.
Many of our students are well traveled, and “Show and Tell” time often leads to new avenues of inquiry. A classmate may bring in some precious stones, and the children spend time trying to match them to illustrations and names in a Rocks and Minerals guidebook, for example. A trip to Germany leads to a show and tell of a Dirndl and Lederhosen, and the children are full of questions. Someone returns from Australia and Tasmania, and brings a video to show the class. Another student’s uncle participated in a trip to the North Pole by dogsled last year; he brought in maps and photographs. A student born in China brought in a map showing where they were born, and explained how they ended up in Canada.
Of course the Elementary class is included in many of the same experiences listed in the Casa section, and some of the art activities listed above could be included in culture. Every other year, in the week before Easter, I spend one full day with the Elementary class making “Pysanky” – Ukrainian Easter Eggs. This technique involves lighted candles, melted beeswax, indelible dyes and raw eggs, and each egg takes about 2 hours to complete. This makes for an exhausting, but extremely rewarding day.
Mrs. Barbara uses the Ontario Curriculum as a guide to introduce different topics such as Simple Machines, or Pioneers. Field trips build on topics of discussion and serve to broaden the students’ horizons. We make good use of the proximity of so many interesting destinations: the Royal Botanical Gardens, Crawford Lake, Westfield Heritage Village, the Burlington Art Centre, to name a few. Reading and research projects are encouraged.
For the past few years the students have attended an amazing musical performance offered during a lunch hour by McMaster University at no charge! Last year they went to experience Japanese Taiko Drumming, and this year they attended The Orchid Ensemble, a Vancouver based group that uses traditional Chinese instruments. In both cases, the students, the only children amongst university students and adults, were mesmerized.
The Elementary class visits the Sisters next door on special occasions, but they participate almost daily in the SAM (Seniors’ Activation Maintenance) programme, located in the same building.
