Taste of Family History: Grade 4 Hosts Heritage Food and Art Show
Families, food, and art were just a few ingredients that made up the Grade 4 Heritage Food and Art Show as students and teachers Emily Schimelman 2002 and Stephanie Riedel hosted the culminating event of the classes’ Immigration Unit.
The cross-curricular showcase incorporated language arts, history/social studies, and visual arts into a morning of feasting and learning. As parents and families walked through the cafeteria, the front tables were filled with a variety of cultural foods and deserts that included butter chicken from Pakiston, mandazi from Tanzania, pita bread with labneh from Jordan, palacinci from Croatia, pao de quejio from Brazil, apple fritters, cannolis, churros, and more. As guests enjoyed the delicious food, the students were tasked with one job: try as many foods as possible.
Prior to the feast, each student shared a personal narrative reflection on their family roots noting what countries make up their heritage and what new and interesting facts they learned about immigration while studying in class. In art class with teacher Sue Bennett 1973, the students designed personal profile paintings using the outline of their silhouette on a canvas. Using paint and markers, the students filled the drawings with images, symbols, and other visualizations related to their family heritage.
“The Immigration Unit is quite an impactful unit of study as it leads to important questions and discussions,” said Mrs. Schimelman. “Hosting a cultural food festival allows students the opportunity to share their family heritage with their fellow classmates and reminds us how important it is to celebrate what makes each person and family unique and to teach this viewpoint to our students.”
Hamden Hall Country Day School
1108 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
About Us
Hamden Hall Country Day School, located less than two miles from Yale University, is one of the best private schools in Connecticut to enroll elementary, middle, and high school students. Our nurturing and inclusive community provides a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.
