CINCINNATI, Ohio—For the sixth-graders at Cardinal Pacelli School, learning about other countries has become an adventure in technology as well as geography.
After spending a semester digging into the history, culture, and economy of their country of choice, Kathleen Clifton's students create colorful slides for a multimedia presentation shown at the school's Country Fair. The annual event is a well-loved tradition at this upper middle-class Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The sixth-graders host their parents and their second-grade writing "buddies" for a smorgasbord of traditional foods and attire from countries around the globe. Among the dishes the students prepare are apple strudel, corned beef, papaya and pineapple pancakes, baklava, Romanian sausage, Welsh rarebit, kangaroo jerky, fortune cookies, and chocolate coffee beans.
The Internet serves as a key source for the students as they plunge into research on countries both near (Canada, Mexico) and far (Australia, Bolivia, Ireland, Germany, India). Clifton insists that students correctly reference the Web sites they visit in search of national flags and scenic photos that capture the essence of the place. They use the Web to locate maps and pinpoint geographical features. They investigate important cities and resources, and make charts about famous people and points of interest. Finally, they write a two-page report discussing the government, economy, industry, education, arts, sports, and music of the country.
Meanwhile, the students scour closets at home, rummage through thrift store racks, and hit up neighbors and relatives for garments traditional to their nation. Posing in leather lederhosen and ruffled polka skirts, they use the school's digital camera to shoot photos of each other for the slideshow.
