Shorecrest Fifth Graders Embark on a Global Odyssey

Shorecrest fifth graders learned about cultures and traditions around the world last week when they participated in World Cultures Day on campus, followed by a field experience at SPIFFs, St. Petersburg’s International Folk Festival, at Albert Whitted Park. 

The excitement began right on their own campus during World Cultures Day. Fifth graders welcomed six Shorecrest parents who shared presentations about their cultures and countries. From the moment the presentations began, the students were spellbound as they delved into diverse cultures from Bulgaria, Jamaica, Turkey, Russia, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

During the presentations fifth graders learned about making tea with a traditional Russian samovar and got to explore matryoshka, the famous nesting dolls. Jamaica captivated the students with its vibrant geography, legendary personalities, and mouthwatering traditional dishes. The contrast between Norwegian life and sunny Florida lifestyles was an eye-opener. Who knew that snow could be so much fun? The students learned that Turkey is also celebrating its centennial, just like Shorecrest! Each student received a traditional Turkish bracelet meant to ward off bad luck. Students were shocked to learn how expensive and precious rose oil is in Bulgarian, and that it is the oldest country in Europe. Finally while learning about the United Kingdom, students were amazed to find out that all boys in the past were required to learn sword fighting and archery to be ready to defend the monarchy.

The adventure didn't end there. The following day, fifth graders traversed the globe in one day by attending St. Petersburg’s International Folk Festival. Students visited booths from over 20 countries, and learned about vibrant customs and scrumptious traditional foods. At each booth students learned what the most popular sport is in each country and how to say “teamwork” in that country’s most common language. They had the opportunity to add each country’s stamp to their SPIFFS passport. Fifth graders also attended a taekwondo demonstration and a Polynesian fire dancing demonstration. 

Thank you so much to our guest speakers and the coordinators of SPIFFS! These cultural experiences breathed life into the fifth grade social studies world geography curriculum, proving that learning can be a thrilling adventure!

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