A Heritage Celebration at Sea Cliff Elementary

First graders at Sea Cliff Elementary participated in a “Heritage Celebration” as part of the social studies curriculum. This in-depth study enabled first graders school-wide to research their own family heritage including their individual family lineage, origins, hometowns, foods, and diverse cultures.

Students eagerly asked their parents or family members about their ancestors and where they were from whether in the United States or Internationally including New York, Russia, Greece, England, Germany, China, and Italy to name only a few! Then they made collages filled with photos of relatives (past and present) and the special memories or mementos in their lives. But, that wasn’t all, for the Heritage Celebration” culmination; parents and grandparents were invited to share in personal story books, tables of delicious foods from all over the world representing the various backgrounds of each child, and even a display of creative “grandapples” (creative apple doll) from a previous interdisciplinary “Apple Study” which their grandparents  participated in! 

Social Studies Director Chris Zublionis said, “This is a wonderful example of social studies in action. He clarified by saying, “Students truly learn best with these types of units of study where they can have hands-on experiences, personalize and identify with the subject matter, and make it their own.”   

Many thanks to the students, relatives and the first graders in Ms. Bathie, Mrs. Roberts, and Mrs. Miller’s classes who orchestrated this educational and enjoyable
“Heritage Celebration.”

Article and photos by Shelly Newman