Every Friday morning, my third grade class takes a trip to a different part of the world. We talk about the geography of lands, the cities atop mountains, the varying cuisines, how every country has its own form of dumplings, the adaptations its people had to make, the hardships they had to endure, and how beautiful the world really is. We discuss how we are all so very different and how we are all really the same. They line up for their “customs” stamp in their passport, and they mostly say the same reason when I ask them why they are traveling, and that is “to be with my friends.”

Let’s take a trip!

The Around The World Presentation started off each Friday morning with a guessing game. With just a few hints, I asked my students to guess which country around the world we were visiting. After a few guesses, we located the new country on the world map and the class had to line up with their passports to go through “customs.” Each student’s passport got “stamped” and they were let into this new world! I took them on a journey exploring the food, languages, clothes, customs and traditions, and the landscape. They were free to ask questions and explore other areas of interest within our new country.

Together, we nurtured a genuine curiosity for the world and all global citizens all while truly fostering positive and engaging conversation. We visited thirty-two countries, were able to taste the cuisine of five countries, and learned how to say hello and goodbye in twenty-one languages.