We had two special guests. The first man played the accordion while the 7th and pre-k kids did a little Italian dance. The second lady was from the historical society and she sang a few Italian songs for the kids.
After opening ceremonies, the classes rotated to different stations to "visit" different parts of Italy. From Milan, Turin, Tuscany, Assisi, Venice, Sienna, Pisa, Amalfi Coast to Rome...the students saw it all, including an elusive Ferrari! They rode in gondolas, climbed the Sacred Stairs on their knees, ate authentic cusine, learned about Michelangelo's painting techniques, ate lemon desserts, experienced a Milan fashion show, saw the Shroud of Turin, visited St. Francis of Assisi, took selfies with the Pope, raced boats in Venice, road horses through the street of Sienna, drank "wine" in Tuscany and learned how to pick and stomp grapes, visited the Coliseum and fought the gladiators and rock climbed (in a bouncy house), saw the statues at Trevi Fountain, went to a wax museum with famous Italians and the leaning tower of Pisa...and so much more!
It was a great day and one they will always remember. What makes this so special is it is completely organized and ran by parent volunteers. Most of the food and materials are donated and everyone's time is donated to make the props, floats, decorations, etc.
I was working in the marketplace making sure all the kids with allergies got what they should and should not have, but I did have a little time to walk around and see a few things and I have some of my friend's pictures too.
Opening ceremonies int he gym. The leaning tower of Pisa is in the background.
I video taped them walking into the gym but grabbed a quick picture of the kids holding the Holland flag
Italy flag
Pope
Dancers
Tuscany wine tasting
Jack and his friends toasting their wine (grape juice)
In Venice, the classes were split, while one was on the gondola ride, the rest were decorating masks
The Pope in the pope mobile. The security guard is moving the rope for the Pope to pass.
The Pope waved all day long and was cracking me up. The 7th and 8th grade students were part of the plays, fashion show, wax museum and helped out at each station.
Gondola ride
Getting off the boat
Fountain of Trevi
Anna, Amelia, Elizabetha nd Delaney
Jack's class at the marketplace
ferarri
8th grade students before the day. They all had different parts.
Some of the 7th grade students on the coliseum
8th grade girls
Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel
The pictures get a little out of order from here as they were taken by other people
opening ceremonies
The Pope
Marketplace
They served pasta with sauce, olives, bread and olive oil and vinegar, pizzelle, gelato, salami and cheese.
Pope with his body guard
Sistine Chapel play
Elizabeth in Tuscany drinking her wine
Girls in front of the gondola
Girls class leaning how to make wine in Tuscany
Girls class on gondola
Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel
Girls class watching the play
fighting the gladiators in the coliseum. Kate and Emma were the winners of the first grade
The leaning tower of Pisa. A dad made this tower with chicken wire and paper.
Girls class at the marketplace
collages done by a friend
The bottom part of this collage shows the fashion show in Milan
Showing the hard work of the dad that completed the tower.
Picture sent to me by a friend
decorations
life size replica of the Shroud
more and better pictures of opening ceremonies
fashion show
wine in Tuscany
The kids got their passports stamped and each year they are collected and reused the following year. When the kids graduate, they are given back to them to keep. So far the Scudder kids have now been to Switzerland, the Philippians and Italy. The school has been doing this for 15 years. Next year, they are going to Native America.
The end of the day was closing ceremonies and an opera singing contest. Each class voted on one singer to sing in the contest. This was very interesting and comical. The kids sang anything from the ABCs, to "On top of Spaghetti" to "Let it go" from Frozen. There were three prizes awarded by four judges. A 6th grade boy won it this year.
Putting some very tired kids to bed tonight, I asked each one what was their favorite part of the day.
Jack: the food
Anna: the fashion show
Elizabeth: the wine
Kate: the bouncy house (rock climbing)
If that ^ doesn't show their personalities to a tee, I'm not sure what does!
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