As part of our unit of inquiry “How We Express Ourselves,” the children engaged in multiple learning experiences. They visited the library to develop their research skills and interviewed teachers from diverse cultural backgrounds to enhance their communication skills. In Line of Inquiry 1, they explored special days celebrated around the world. In Line of Inquiry 2, they zoomed in on birthdays, learning about unique traditions from various countries.

The children discovered that birthday customs vary around the world—like eating longevity noodles in China, pineapple cake in Hawaii, and “koeksisters” in South Africa. They gathered all their findings and turned them into a special class-made book titled Birthdays Around the World.