A.C. Whelan first graders celebrate culture and diversity

By Melissa Moore-Randall

As part of the grade one social studies curriculum, first graders at the A.C. Whelan School learned to identify characteristics of their family and others’ families by conducting investigations about unity and diversity. The students participated in a grade one project that explored the cultures and traditions of each other. At home, the students completed three informational reports about their family’s culture and traditions. The students then created, posted in class and presented their culture and traditions project to the other students in their classroom. The students had the opportunity to share about themselves but also learn information about their classmates. Students shared information about where they are from, what languages they speak and what foods, entertainment, music, dance, holidays and traditions are important to their family. Then, the first grade worked together to create a presentation in the auditorium where each student’s country and traditions were represented. Every student had the opportunity to speak about themselves and were invited to wear clothes that represented their cultures. In addition, they learned two songs, “Hello to All the Children of the World” and “Together,” which the students sang to their families on stage. Twenty-four countries were represented. The 24 countries were the United States of America, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Albania, Russia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru, India, El Salvador, Italy, Nepal, Portugal, Vietnam, Cape Verde, Nicaragua, Haiti, North Macedonia, Mexico, Algeria, Dominican Republic, Morocco and Brazil. The students paraded at the end of the show with their posters for families to see.