Class project means the world to Augusta Prep fourth-graders
People who wanted to be Indian for a day could stick a jeweled bindi to their foreheads.
People who wanted to experience Paraguay could enjoy homemade empanadas.
Eager for a taste of Scotland? Eat some shortbread.
The world was on display Wednesday when fourth-graders from Augusta Preparatory Day School presented the school's annual World's Fair - an event that featured food, costumes, maps, photos, dioramas and trinkets from Bangladesh to Argentina.
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Pupils spent at least six months researching and working on their projects.
Augusta Prep fourth- grader Shannon Fleming (left) gives her friend Missy Sams a taste of Korean food from her booth on South Korea at the school's World Fair.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Robert Davis became interested in Switzerland through souvenirs his father brought back.
"It's pretty small, but there are over 7 million people, and I find that pretty amazing," Robert said. "Also, it's a neutral county. If there's a war, they won't be on anyone's side and I find that pretty interesting."
Robert said he would like to travel there and visit Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich.
"Geneva is situated on a big, pretty lake, Lausanne is a sort of a medieval city and Zurich is really big, the largest city in Switzerland," Robert said.
Language-arts and social-studies teacher Cindy Walker coordinated the event.
"It teaches them all kinds of skills: planning, researching, note taking, time management and computer skills," she said.
Pupils use computer programs such as Excel, PowerPoint and TimeLiner to present their research. They also have to present their projects in front of their classmates. At the World's Fair, the pupils, many in costumes, acted as travel guides, taking visitors on an imaginary tour of their country and showing off its attractions.
Melina Sprankle may have brought the best source of information for her project on Paraguay - her mother Zuni, who is from that country and who was the reason Melina chose it for her project.
On display she had a gourd fashioned into a cup that is used to drink an herbal tea called mate, a machete with a carved wooden handle and hand-fashioned leather coasters. She also served empanadas filled with chicken, herbs, olives, boiled eggs and raisins, and a dessert made with rice and milk with caramelized sugar on top.
The most fascinating thing Melina said she learned was about the bottle dance.
"It's very popular, and by the third grade, you at least have to know how to balance one wine bottle on your head. Some experienced dancers can balance up to 12," she said.
Eric Abbott chose Bangladesh, and he used a stuffed animal representing the country's Bengal tigers as one of the elements of his display.
"It's the size of Illinois, a very tiny country," said Eric, who was inspired to study the country because it is where his pediatrician and some family friends are from. "They are not very educated there. The literacy rate is less than 40 percent and they typically don't educate girls. It wouldn't be a good place to be a girl."