Karns City fifth-graders ‘tour Washington, D.C.,’ via class projects
Karns City fifth-graders teleported their classmates from Chicora to Washington, D.C., with their presentations about the nation’s capital Monday, March 31.
The presentations the students at Karns City Area Elementary School gave were part of their research projects on monuments, museums and landmarks in Washington, DC. The fifth-grade students spent all day Monday showing off their work to the other grades.
Mary Twentier, a fifth-grade teacher at Karns City Area Elementary, said the “Tour of Washington, D.C.” project helps further engage students beyond the textbook readings and other traditional methods of learning in class.
Fifth-grade students at Karns City study the Revolutionary War, the history of colonies and the forming of the United States, culminating with the project. Groups of students can chose from 30 Washington landmarks, monuments and memorials.
“I always like doing different things with Washington, D.C., because we’re so fortunate our capital is as close as it is,” Twentier said. “I don’t think everybody realizes that. It’s only four hours from us, and a lot of things there are free for tourists to see and learn from.”
Students could choose from places such as the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, as well as Arlington National Cemetery. Other places of interest students chose included the International Spy Museum and the capital’s cherry blossoms.
These presentations are the type of learning activity that Twentier said sticks with students.
“I think these projects mean so much more to them than reading a textbook or watching a video, it’s definitely something that they’ll remember. It will stick with them,” Twentier said. “They enjoy seeing their classmates teaching the information to them.
