Sixth Grade Field Trip to Chinatown
At the end of May, the sixth graders at Aaron School had the opportunity to take a field trip to Chinatown! In Social Studies, the sixth graders have been learning about ancient civilizations. Can you think of a better way to learn about ancient China than visiting New York’s own Chinatown?
The middle schoolers took the subway from Grand Central Station to Canal Street for their trip. The group walked together to the first stop on the field trip, which was the Museum of Chinese in America. There, the group met the tour guide and had a chance to hear about all of the things they were going to get to do in the museum. The tour guide explained how immigrants bring different things with them when they go to a new country such as customs, recipes, traditions, beliefs, etc. The group had a chance to learn about different ingredients found in Chinese food, which they loved! The sixth graders at Aaron School love Chinese food and had fun learning about it. They had a chance to smell different ingredients and spices, and learn how to prepare different meals.
The next stop on the tour was a room dedicated to Chinese language and writing. The students learned about how Chinese characters are formed and how adding one small line to a character can change the meaning. The group then practiced writing Chinese characters! Next, the students learned about the Lunar New Year festival and the importance of the dragon in China. They watched videos from Chinese festivals and listened to Chinese opera, as well as examined a dragon costume worn during festivals. The students really enjoyed the museum and learning about the different customs and traditions that originated in China and are an important part of Chinese culture!
After touring the museum, the group embarked on a walking tour of Chinatown. The students ate lunch at a Chinese restaurant called Oriental Garden. They picked out their own meals for lunch and enjoyed some delicious Chinese food while discussing their favorite parts of the museum. The food was incredible! The group had a fantastic time! Everyone was sad to leave Chinatown to head back to midtown when it was time to return to school. The middle schoolers enjoyed themselves and made some wonderful memories on this trip!
