June 20, 2008 - The fourth grade participated in a day of activities sponsored by the Spanish Dept. For the last ten weeks in Spanish class, fourth graders learned about what the Americas were like before the arrival of Columbus and the Spanish conquistadores that followed him. This unit concluded with a day of fun activities.

The day began  with the students becoming amateur archaeologists by examining 'artifacts' brought in by their fellow students. One of the questions many of the children asked this year was how information about the ancient civilizations that we studied was gathered. This exercise put the job of gathering information into the hands of the students, giving them an inside look at the exciting profession of archaeology.

Next on the agenda, students attempted to play a modified version of the ancient Aztec ball game, Tlachtli, in which students will attempt to get the ball across the goal line without the use of hands or feet. Following the ball game, everyone broke up into groups and worked on painting some murals based on pre-Columbian themes.

Finally, the day will concluded with a feast of grand proportions. Students had the opportunity to sample foods eaten in Meso-America both before and after the arrival of the Spaniards. Our timeline of foods included something for everyone. Some of the more adventurous eaters sampled the roasted deer meat, steamed grasshoppers (flavored with lime, chile, and salt), or cow tongue tacos. Rest assured, however, that not all the choices in our preColumbian "Hometown Buffet" were be unfamiliar to students. We also served steak, chicken, pork, tamales, and a wide variety of side dishes and beverages. It also must be said that the lion's share of food was provided by the generous Gonzalez family and their Vallarta markets. I simply don't have enough thanks for them.