Current and perspective students and their families, as well as teachers and faculty from John E. Ford K-8, returned to school on the evening of March 26 to experience culture, food and fun facts about all the regions of the United States during America the Beautiful night.
To prepare for the event, students in each grade level researched different regions of the country, including information about each region’s culture, history and food.
Students decorated hallways, classrooms and outside walkways with posters, flags, banners and American-themed sets. Different types of food for each region, such as sweet tea and boiled peanuts (South), grape juice and raisins (Pacific), and New England clam chowder, were stationed in each area for visitors to sample. As people visited each region, they had their ‘America the Beautiful’ tour logs stamped, a tangible reminder of what they learned.
In past years, John E. Ford K-8 has hosted events for students to learn about international culture, but after having discussions with teachers and staff, the event coordinators felt that the students would benefit from an in-depth look at the United States.
"We chose for students to study regions of the United States because it allowed them to learn about geography, history and culture," said teacher Dora Pistro. "We have discovered that in preparing for events like this, our students explore cultures and experience much of what we are researching and learning. They really take ownership of what they present and learn."
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