Comstock Park — China has many fun foods, said fourth-grader Annebelle Vester, which is one of the reasons she chose the country for her Christmas Around the World research project.
“They have this candy, it’s a gummy, that you peel and eat the center,” Annebelle said. “It comes in different flavors like mango, peach and orange.”
Students in Kayla Fricke’s fourth-grade class spent a couple of weeks researching different countries and their Christmas traditions. Fricke said the project helps students strengthen their research skills while also introducing informative writing.
“I presented the project in a fun format for the students to follow so they could share information about their countries and traditions,” Fricke said.
As part of the assignment, students drew the flag of their chosen country.
“I like how (China’s flag) is easy to identify,” Annebelle said. “It has five stars, with one big star and four smaller ones around it.”
Students also learned about holiday traditions, foods and the unique ways each country celebrates Christmas.
Auden Keur selected France for his project because it “sounded like a cool country.”
“They have a lot of fun foods,” Auden said. “For the holidays, they have wine, cheese, bread and butter.”
He noted that this was very different from his own family’s traditional Christmas dinner, which usually includes turkey.
Arya Tyler chose to research Germany because she has a special connection to the country: a friend who lives there.
“One thing I learned is that kids leave out their shoes for sweets and treats,” she said.
The project wrapped up with a hands-on activity tied to a popular American tradition: making ornaments. Students cut shapes out of dough that Fricke baked, and then the students decorated the ornaments to give as gifts to their parents.
“I decided to make a rainbow candy cane,” said Annebelle as she carefully painted the colors. “I like rainbows, especially after it rains (because) the rainbow is fading on either end. I think they are really pretty.”
Read more from Comstock Park:
•Earning, learning & giving: Inside Mill Creek’s new school store
•Bus tracking app keeps families in the loop
