Field Trip #30: Kids Eurofest

The Kids Eurofestival is an amazing collection of family, kid and teacher friendly activities that span the whole of the European Union for a month. Coming this October 15th it will start again and you will want to be up to date on how you can take your classes to see French cinema, Slovenian puppets, Estonian animation workshops and Bulgarian folk dances. There are many more examples as we gear up for another great year.

The activities take place at European Embassies around town and some events will even come to your school. So sign up to get all the latest news and also so that you will not miss a beat as this great festival descends on DC for an entire month!

Contact Info:
The best thing to do is to register at this site to get all the latest email updates as the festival gears up: www.kidseurofestival.org

Field Trip #29: Turkish Festival

Coming October 3rd will be the annual Turkish Festival for DC. This will be taking place on a Sunday so the same rules apply when it comes to getting your students out for the main event but as always don't forget that you can offer this as extra credit, take a small group with you or use it for research to help bring things back to your classroom.

This festival has been around for years but you will not want to miss this years as they gear up to make the worlds largest Kabob! They are going for a Guinness World Record. Be a part of history. So check it all out and enjoy. (The photo of Turkish coffee was taken from the festival website).

Festival Info:
www.turkishfestival.org/

Field Trip #28: St. Sophia's Greek Orthodox Festival

Here is another festival to check out during the school year. This one is a little on the crowded side and also you can be hit or miss with entertainment so you might want to check it out before trying to get your students to come to this festival. It usually takes place twice a year (once in September and again in May) and it is on a weekend with hours on a Friday. So just like the Russian Bazaar you might need to ask students to partake of this as extra credit.

But also don't think you have to come here only for the festival. You can also schedule a tour and have students visit the cathedral outside of the festival. We have done it before and you will want to prep your students on the same things for the Russian Bazaar like orthodoxy and icons but you will also want to go more in-depth with understanding what Byzantine means, the history of Greece and Constantinople as it relates to the rise of Eastern Orthodoxy in history. It is a beautiful building inside so I highly recommend planning a tour of the sanctuary.

The education wing of this cathedral also offers Greek classes so if you are interested in getting your students to learn some Greek I would contact them to find a teacher or to see if you can schedule a very rudimentary beginning class so the students can say some greetings etc. The important thing is to figure out how you can tap into all the amazing resources available at this Greek cultural institution!

Contact Info:

Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral
36th St & Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC 20007

(202) 333-4730

www.saintsophiawashington.org

Field Trip # 27: Russian Bazaar

Ok this is a great place to come to in early October so mark your calendars. The St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Cathedral has a Russian Bazaar each year in early October that highlights some great things about their own cathedral and Russian culture.

First thing is that you can go on a spectacular tour of the cathedral. It is truly amazing inside and there are so many interesting icons that I could see a great lesson in learning about how to visually represent stories and parables. Not to mention that this is a great place for students to learn more about the Orthodox branches of Christianity and to ask why they evolved so differently from the western Christianity that is more prevalent here in DC.

We went on the tour and it is very quick since the footprint of the building is quite small (also since in Orthodox tradition there are restrictions on getting to the altar area). But the tour was fascinating because our leader talked about all the icons, murals, traditions, significance of the architecture and also explained how worship took place. Before bringing a group of students I would definitely go over icons, orthodoxy, basic tenets of Christianity and definitely John the Baptist. There are many icons related to Russian priests and prophets also so that is something you should have students explore while they are here and follow up on afterward at school.

The festival itself takes place mainly on the landing outside of the main entrance. It is not a huge area so space is limited but students would be able to look at Russian crafts, taste piroghi and pilmeni as well as sample Russian chocolates. If you can't bring students here since it is on a weekend then send them to the Bazaar for extra credit!

Contact Info:
Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
4001 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20011
(202) 726-3000
Russian Bazaar first week of October
www.stjohndc.org

Field Trip #26: Caribbean Festival

The great thing about teaching in DC is that there are always a ton of international festivals and activities that you can do throughout the year. In the interest in planning ahead I am going to take the next few days to look into festivals that will be taking place during the school year so that we can take advantage of them all.

So where does this idea come from? Today was the annual Caribbean Festival parade on Georgia Avenue and it was a blast. It really shows how festivals can really bring international cultures to life and also connect you to a wider community. This festival is great but unfortunately it only happens in the summer so it is hard to harness all of the energy that takes place here. But if you teach in a school that has a summer session or if you want to keep in contact with your students as you prepare to go to the Caribbean Festival over the summer this would be a good one to come to.

The Caribbean Festival lasts a weekend and the parade is on Saturday morning and the party takes place at the Benjamin Banneker Rec center across the street from Howard University. It took place this year on June 26th and 27th and you can bet on it happening next year around the third week of June...just after school lets out.

But in the meantime if you want to show your students Caribbean flair throughout the year head to the Crown Bakery on Georgia Avenue (Field Trip #3) in one of my earliest posts or even Tropicana Jamaican carry out on Florida really close to Georgia Avenue.

Field Trip #25: Asian Pacific America

You cannot do anything in this town in one day as most tourists and bureaucrats will attest to this and the same goes for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. So head down for another day to take on the other featured culture this year which is Asian Pacific Americans. This section of the festival is not about a specific culture but more importantly about culture change, cultural perseverance and resilience of Asian Americans in the DC area. You can partake of great concerts, dance troupes and martial arts presentations at the Asian Fusions tent and then get some great cooking tips if you head over to the Tea House. I stopped by to see a Pakistani couple talking about how to cook with limited ingredients while living in the United States.

If all these presentations have got you hungry then just head to the Food and Drink tent and partake of the fusion cuisine. Take photos learn a lot and bring it back to your students in the fall. Don't forget to visit the marketplace for cultural items and great music too!



Contact Info:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival
National Mall between 14th and 10th streets
www.festival.si.edu

June 24-28 and July 1-5
11-5:30pm

Field Trip #24: Mexico at the Folklife Festival

Every summer the Smithsonian Institution puts on the Folklife Festival to highlight a specific region of the world. The only bad thing is that it takes place in the summer which means two things 1) Its hot and 2) school is out! But still go as a teacher and learn new things as well check out the marketplace where you can buy some cool cultural swag for your classroom (like a picture poster of Welsh opposite words! Always needed item to all classes!)


But to be more specific you have to check out the Mexican tents at this year's festival. There are traditional cooking demonstrations, craft displays like this one of making guitars and also tents which highlight the shamanistic activities of several indigenous cultures of Mexico.

For me the two highlights of the Mexican section are the chinampa which is a display of the traditional floating gardens of Pre-Columbian Aztec culture as well as the Palo Volantin in which four dancers scale a pole and tie a rope to their ankles and hang down while the ropes lengthen as the top spins. It is a spectacular sight to see men in flight as part of this traditional ceremony. So come on down to the National Mall and take a ton of photos to take back to your classes this year. The festival closes on July 5th!

Contact Info:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival
National Mall between 14th and 10th streets
www.festival.si.edu

June 24-28 and July 1-5
11-5:30pm

Field Trip # 23: Textiles Around the World

When you are trying to plan a trip to another part of the world I am sure that the Textile Museum does not come to mind. But the great thing about this place is that it can encompass all cultures because everyone had a textile tradition to some extent. The trick is planning a trip when there is a permanent exhibit related to the country or region that you are studying.


There is also another general reason to go to the Textile Museum and that is because of their planned trips for classes. Here is a description from their field trip brochure of a trip that I think ties in beautifully with the spirit of this blog:

Explore the World Through Textiles Grades 5 – 12
Students discover the numerous and sometimes surprising
ways that textiles are used in everyday life by exploring
fashion from Japan, textiles from India and other objects
from around the world. Participants learn how the maker’s
choices of fiber, structure, pattern, and color reflect the
diversity of cultures.

What a great trip! Make sure that you reserve your trip four weeks prior to your date and also visit the museum ahead of time. There are preview tours that they offer for teachers free of charge.

Contact Info:
The Textile Museum
2320 S Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008-4088
To schedule a school tour, please call (202) 667-0441, ext 65
www.textilemuseum.org
info@textilemuseum.org

Field Trip # 22: Alliance Francaise de Washington

The Alliance Francaise offers many unique activities to teach students about French culture and the French language. There are many different classes and cultural activities happening here but one thing that sometimes gets overlooked is the fact that it is a destination in and of itself for field trips. A colleague of mine took a group of students here and she was very pleased.

The Alliance presented a video presentation about France and also a Powerpoint that highlighted all the activities at the Alliance. Students also had the opportunity to ask many questions about France and learning the language. At the end of the visit there is a small snack.

The only drawback is that the visit does cost $10 a head so you may want to call and see if you can forgo the snack for a cheaper visit. This is not as hands-on of a field trip that I would like but it does expose students to the French world here in DC!

Based on its location you can also try to get the class to go to Bistro Du Coin on Connecticut Avenue afterwards for appetizers. Always call ahead!

Contact Info:
Alliance Francaise de Washington
2142 Wyoming Avenue NW | Washington, DC 20008
Phone 202.234.7911 | Fax 202.234.0125
Website that highlights the field trip option: http://www.francedc.org/en/Article.aspx?id=262

Bistro Du Coin
1738 Connecticut Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20009-1103
(202) 234-6969
www.bistrotducoin.com

Field Trip #21: Chinatown Community

One of the easiest places to think of when traveling the world here in DC would be Chinatown. So head to this area of the city and connect with the Chinatown Community Cultural Center located on H street. This is an amazing organization that offers Tai Chi, Kung Fu and Chinese Calligraphy classes for free. There are organized hours on the weekends and in the evenings during the week but if you contact them they may be able to get the Wong People to come and give a class during regular school hours. These types of classes really bring learning alive and give students something to go home with practicing on their own.



The Community Center is also a great resource for learning about the Chinatown Community, for a lending library and also a great place to contact about making a hands on field trip throughout the neighborhood. There are local bakeries, traditional pharmacies and restaurants that they can point you to for adding to your trip to the community center. Definitely head down to the area and scope everything out because you will not want to miss anything!


Contact Info:
Chinatown Community Cultural Center
616 H Street NW Suite 201,
Washington DC 20001
Phone: 202-628-1688
Fax: 202-628-1003
E-mail: info@ccccdc.org
http://www.ccccdc.org/

Field Trip #20: Dynamic Korea

KORUS House is a great resource here in DC to take students on a trip to Korea. The KORUS House is the home of the Korea US Alliance and it hosts Korean art exhibitions, has a small gallery of traditional Korean artifacts and also has a great auditorium room where students can watch amazing presentations about Dynamic Korea. The Dynamic Korea videos highlight the economy, geography, cuisine, history and modern culture of Korea. These videos are very upbeat and exciting for students to watch. We were also served puffed corn as a snack while we watched Korean cartoons as a bonus.

Students had fun visiting the upper floors to explore the art and craft items that are displayed on a rotating basis. This was a great intro to Korea.

You can follow up with KORUS by walking to the only full service Korean restaurant in DC. Mandu is the only solely Korean restaurant as opposed to other places that are Asian fusion or highlight the dishes of several different Asian nations. Mandu is strictly Korean. The easiest way to get there is to walk along S street from KORUS which goes directly to Mandu on 18th street. It is about a 6 block walk.

Ask for Danny at Mandu and definitely order the Dolsat Bibim Bap which is a hot stone bowl with an amazing mixture of rice, fresh vegetables, egg and bulgoki. Enjoy.

Contact Info:
Hosan Kim
Project Coordinator
KORUS HOUSE
2370 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008
Office: 202.587.6162
Fax: 202.986.7471
KORUS Website
khs@koreaembassy.org


Mandu
1805 18th Street NW
Washington, DC
(202) 588-1540
danny@mandudc.com
www.mandudc.com

Field Trip # 19: Islam in Indonesia

Just down the street from the Indonesian Embassy you will find the Islamic Center and it is a great place to go afterward because Indonesia is most populated Muslim nation on Earth. So after playing some traditional music why not head to the Islamic Center to learn more about the religion that has a great influence on Indonesian culture.

The Islamic Center is a great resource because not only is it absolutely spectacular in its architecture, furnishing and styling but it is an open center that enables students to ask questions and learn about Islam first hand. You will have to schedule a visit with Brother Abbassie Koroma because you will want him to welcome you and to give you a brief overview of Islam and its tenets. You will be welcome to also stay for call to prayer and to see worshipers enter to pray. Boys and girls will be asked to separate but everyone will stay in the same main room together seated on the carpet in separate groups. Girls will be asked to cover their heads, arms and legs and everyone will be asked to take off shoes. this is a spectaular building and Brother Abbassie Koroma is so welcoming that you will find the students asking a million questions. It does help to put in the pre-trip work so that students come to the center with a working knowledge of Islam. Brother Abbassie Koroma has an accent from Sierra Leone that sometimes trips students up but he does a great job clarifying things and answering all questions.

On a side note one group from my school had the opportunity to eat at the Islamic Center since they do serve meals on a daily basis for free. You will want to check this out as you register your group. If you want to continue your Indonesian day then walk back towards Dupont Circle for a stop off at Singapore Cafe which offers some great Indonesian delectables like Gado Gado.

Contact Info:
The Islamic Center
2551 Massachusetts Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: (202) 332-8343 • Fax: (202) 234 - 5035
Website: www.theislamiccenter.com
Email: Brother Abbassie Koroma at jarrkoroma@gmail.com


Singapore Bistro
1134 19th Street NW
Washington DC
202-659-2660

Website: www.singaporebistro.com

Field Trip # 18: Indonesian Gamelan Lessons

Here is a great trip that you can take that is truly hands-on. The Indonesian Embassy is fantastic for welcoming students to tour their spectacular building on Massachusetts Avenue. But the really exciting part of the tour takes place in the Gamelan room in the basement.

Gamelan is a form of traditional Indonesian music which includes several types of brass percussion instruments. Students were able to choose from brass xylophones to gongs and variations on these two types of instruments. Our instructor was very patient in teaching students how to hold the instruments while at the same time teaching us how to play traditional atonal music that we grew accustomed to listening to over the course of our hour together.

We then moved to working with bamboo insturments that we had to shake in order to get a note. These were scaled so that each person was holding a separate note. These instruments became more familiar once our instructor pointed to each one of us to play our note. He kept it up until we could recognize great tunes like "Happy Birthday" and "Do-Re-Mi" from Sound of Music. This was a great activity because it allowed students to branch out of their comfort zones by playing familiar songs on unfamiliar instruments.

This is one of the best hands-on embassy tours you can take and I highly recommend it!

Contact Info
Indonesian Embassy
2020 Massachusetts Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036, USA
Tel 202 775 5200 - Fax 202 775 5365

Website: www.embassyofindonesia.org

Email: imade@embassyofindonesia.org

Field Trip # 17: Field Trip In a Box

Don't have time to plan an intense field trip or the funds to go out of the school building? Then look to the Culture Boxes that have been developed by Meridian International Center. These boxes come packed with artifacts that help students to learn more about a culture in a hands-on manner. There are 47 boxes that span all continents, major countries and regions of the world. Each box has different items that are endemic to that area of the world. You can find currency, clothing, non-perishable food, instruments, DVDs, dolls, music, magazines, maps and other items that help students to get a "feel" for a different culture.

These boxes can be rented free of charge for two weeks if you are a DC public school teacher (charters are of course included). Just email to find out more information and get started exploring the world while still in your classroom.



Contact Info:
Meridian Website

TO RESERVE A CULTURE BOX:
Please e-mail cultrebox@meridian.org

Field Trip #16: Chinese Dragon Boat Challenge

This field trip is more of a commitment but I just wanted to share this great opportunity. Dragon Boating has been a continuous sport for thousands of years in China and it is considered the longest running sport in the history of the world. You've never heard of it? Not a surprise but it is the fastest growing water sport out there today.

The competition consists of long boats that seat 20 paddlers (not rowers) who paddle in unison and race 250 or 500 meter races on a local river. Each May, the DC Dragon Boat Association hosts its weekend long event on the Potomac and it is a blast. There is a lot of preparation to train for these races. We go to the local pool at Takoma Park and practice paddling on the side of the pool as well as have strength training on one day a week also. The important thing is to get out there and to have fun!

The weekend starts with an "eye-dotting" ceremony in which the Dragons are brought to life for the competitions. In years past there have been cultural presentations from Chinese drum corps as well as cultural tents where students can learn how to write their names in Chinese and this year there was a table where students could learn to bring traditional Chinese puppets to life. So even if you cannot put together a team to compete in the annual event you should bring your students down to learn more about Chinese culture and to see this ancient sport in action!


Contact Info
http://www.dragonboatdc.com

For more information about Youth teams contact
Sharon Hong, MSW
NCAWPA Youth Program Coordinator
youth@ncawpa.org
http://ncawpa.org/youth/

Field Trip # 15: Commercial India

My biggest goal in creating field trips where students actually experience a culture is that I find several opportunities for students to be immersed in different facets of a culture in one day. Today was the day and the shopping center basically at the corner of New Hampshire and University Boulevard is the place to go in Maryland.

Our first stop today was at Tiffin which has a great lunch buffet of Indian food. It is reasonably priced ($11 each) and it is all you can eat. But the coolest thing is that there is a Tandoor oven which is open to the public. There is a big window so that you can look at the cooks slap Naan bread up on the side of the walls. As we looked into this window the staff at Tiffin allowed students to walk into the kitchen (two at a time) to have a closer look at the oven and to interact with the chefs as they tended the cooking bread. My students also absolutely loved the food too!


Our next stop was to Sari Palace which is basically right next door to Tiffin. This was a great experience because students were able to get Henna tattoos and also try on various formal outfits. We had a lot of fun here but a cautionary note...Henna takes a while to dry so make sure that you take that into consideration as you plan your day. Have students get Henna at the last moment and then you can travel home as it dries...or have them do it first and then maybe go eat. It would still be messy either way but keep in mind to have "dry time."

We then went next door to the Halal market to do a scavenger hunt in the aisles of the store. This didn't work out as well as I had hoped but if you have more chaperones and post people throughout the store you should have good luck but make sure you always clear trips with store beforehand. I had 10 students and I had to split my group in two so while students with Henna waited outside half the group went inside and had no problems. But by the time the second group went in I think the store owners were tired of kids walking up and down the aisles. So we had to cut it short. There is also a DVD/Music store in this shopping center which could also be contacted to see if they could talk about different types of music and movies.

But remember to always go beforehand to clear it with everyone that you will be by and always try to keep the student numbers down.

Contact Info
Tiffin Restuarant
1341 University Blvd
Takoma Park, MD 20912
(301) 434-9200
http://www.tiffinrestaurant.com/

Sari Palace
1337 University Boulevard East
Takoma Park, MD 20912-7445
(301) 434-1350
http://www.indiasaripalacedc.com/

Field Trip # 14: Hindu Temple Nearby

As I stated in earlier postings, religion is the entryway into learning and experiencing another culture. So in keeping with that idea I knew that it would be absolutely necessary to visit a Hindu Temple in order to fully connect students to Indian culture.

I found the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple in Lanham, Maryland to be absolutely amazing. First of all I contacted their main number and they forwarded me to Krish who would give us a tour. Krish was great because he is used to giving tours to students and he know how to engage them. The first thing he did was ask students what they already knew about Hindusim and then took us up to the temple where his first instructions were to just walk around and observe. This was fantastic because it allowed students to go at their own pace and to explore with questions to ask Krish when they came back. On this walk around the temple two of my students ended up helping two women cut flowers for upcoming ceremonies. I wish I could have taken a photo of this scene but no photos are allowed in the temple.

Krish then took us around to each altar and explained the significance of each diety. We ended our tour of the temple with an official blessing by a priest at the Vishnu Temple. It was great to see all of my students listening to the prayers and watching the blessings all at the same time trying to figure out what was going on. Krish later explained everything to us over mango lassis and spicy snacks. This was really an engaging culural experience. Definitely ask for Krish.

Contact Info:
Sri Siva Vishnu Temple
6905 Cipriano Road
Lanham, MD 20706-3806
(301) 552-3335

Field Trip #13: India in Action

I think an important part of really getting to know a culture is through finding activities that enable students to really become engaged. When planning a unit on India don't forget to look at local Yoga studios to find opportunities to take an introductory lesson. We started this Indian trip off with a Yoga lesson at Past Tense Yoga studios in Mt. Pleasant. It was great because the instructor was very used to working with kids and she really helped explain the poses and background of Yoga. Kelly is the owner and she was also very helpful in scheduling the class and is also looking to work with schools more often so this could be an opportunity in which you could contact her to come to your school to to teach a class.


Contact Info
Kelly DiNardo
Owner Past Tense
3253 Mt. Pleasant St. NW | 202-462-9642

Field Trip # 12: India's Influence

The Gandhi Memorial Center in Bethesda Maryland is a great resource and gem in our area. As I was planning on a few days to spend in India was surprised to find that this center was close and also open to DC Public Schools for free.

It was really great to take a small group of students there to learn about the life of Gandhi and his influence on the world, to try our hands at a local Indian craft and also to taste some Indian snacks. All of this was provided to us graciously.

I coordinated this visit by contacting Carrie Trybulec (Director) and she planned a presentation by an Indian artist to show us how to complete Kolam designs which are rice flour patterns that are usually made in front of the stoops of many south Indian homes. This presentation was hands-on and it gave students a chance to practice on the sidewalk just outside of the center. Carrie also mentioned that she has scheduled musicians and dancers to perform for school groups in the past. It was such a great resource that is walkable from the Friendship Heights Metro station.

Contact Info

Carrie Trybulec

Director, Gandhi Memorial Center
4748 Western Avenue,
Bethesda, MD 20816 USA
301-320-6871
info@gandhimemorialcenter.org

Website
http://www.gandhimemorialcenter.org

Field Trip #11: Down Under Disappointment

Today I was excited to go with my students on a trip to the Baltimore Aquarium. I knew that there was a section completely devoted to Australia and I thought that it would be great to add it to this blog. But unfortunately I have to say that it was a disappointment.

The Aquarium itself is great and if you have time to explore it for all it has to offer then it is well worth the trip but to go specifically for the Australia exhibit would be a waste. It costs roughly $12 for students in a large group to get in to the National Aquarium and plus the transportation to get to Baltimore in the first place. Then once you get to the Australia exhibit you will notice some cool rock formations and some really cool opportunities to see fish that spit insects off of branches to catch food. The wildlife is great but the disappointment comes from the size of the exhibit. It is very small and can be rushed through in about 10 minutes. Now you could really bring Australia alive by having activities related to each animal in the exhibit and that would take some more time but I'd have to say that this spot does not work in trying to create the feel of being in another country for a day.

Contact Info
National Aquarium in Baltimore
501 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21202
410-576-3800
www.aqua.org

Field Trip #10: Become an Artist in Italy

This trip is a little pricey to pull off but definitely worth every penny. To really get students to understand the art of Italy they can head to the DC Glassworks studio to to try their hands at blowing glass in the Murano style. Ok maybe on a single field trip "blowing glass" might be a stretch but Dave D'Orio does a great job of getting kids involved in making paper weights with Murano style cane which also opens students' eyes up to the glass blowing world which is steeped in Italian history and culture. We took a group of students here and had a great time making paper weights. We had 9 students and went through the whole process for each student in about 2 hours. The trip expenses involved transportation to the glass studio which is in Hyattsville and also paying for each paper weight which came to about 30 dollars a student. Give Dave D'Orio a call to talk about the possibilities and I know that he will be able to accommodate a small group of students who are interested in learning more about Italian glassblowing.

I always like to combine activities so that students have a more rounded experience and so after DC Glassworks I contacted Tricia Maltagliati with the Tuscany Club of Washington to see if we could take advantage of Casa Italiana on 3rd Street NW. I had gone by this intriguing building many times and kept thinking that I have to find out what is happening there. Turns out a lot!

Tricia was great and she hosted a pizza making class at the Casa Italiana. This is one of many cultural activities that take place here. You can also take Italian classes and there is also a carnival in February and Italian Days in mid June that showcase the Casa in general.

Another cool thing here is that the Casa Italiana is located right next to Holy Rosary Church which is the only Roman Catholic Church in DC that has mass in Italian to this day. Combine a tour of the church, a pizza making class and a stint at a glass shop and you have just spent the day in Italy!

Contact Info:
Dave D'Orio
DC Glassworks
5346 46th Avenue
Hyattsville, MD 20781-2307
(301) 927-8271
www.dcglassworks.com

Tricia Maltagliati
Lucchesi Nel Mondo
Tuscany Club of Washingon
triciamalt@yahoo.com
www.lucchesitoscani.org

Casa Italiana
595 3rd Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 638-0165
www.casaitalianaschool.org

Field Trip #9: Japantown

One of the most popular countries for my students is Japan and it would not be prudent to neglect such a fascinating country and not tap into the intense interest that my students have for Japanese culture.

You can start a field trip to Japan by visiting the Japan Information and Culture Center on 21st street. This cultural center is very easy to miss since it is underground but it is vast since it can accommodate a group of 150 students at a time (which I would not recommend since that could be a logistical nightmare/not as educationally rich as it could be). Today I saw this great exhibit on Japanese kites but best thing are culture kits they have created in which students can play games, wear summer kimonos, learn Japanese calligraphy and learn about J-Pop (contemporary Japanese culture). The coolest thing of all is that you can put down a small deposit and pick these items up and bring them to your class. So you can start your Japanese field trip without the logistical nightmare of the travel.

But do not read that above thinking I am condoning NOT going on a field trip. Who would suggest such a crazy notion? So bring the artifacts back to school and show them to all the students. Contact Izumi Swarts at the culture center and plan on bringing a smaller group of students and then stop off at Hana Market on U street to shop in a great Japanese market. This market will allow your students to really taste the great junk food and Ramune drink (the bottle with the glass marble in it) that Japanese students are eating right now on their field trips. It is a great little market and has limited space but if you swing by beforehand and explain what you are doing Yoshio Tanabe will be gracious to welcome you and your students in.



Contact Info:
Japan Information & Culture Center
Izumi Swarts
Information Officer & School Program Coordinator
Lafayette Center III
1155 21st Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 238-6946
http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc


Hana Market
Yoshio Tanabe - Manager
2000 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202)-939-8854
Its at the corner of 17th and U streets.
Best to go in person.

Field Trip #8: Downtown Ethiopia

Today it was off to downtown in Shaw to experience more of Ethiopia in DC. My first stop was Nahom Records on 9th street. This little shop is a great to visit because it is a different type of destination. Students would be able to see Ethipian music videos, look at books written in Amharic and also even play some instruments. Contact Elias Fikru and definitely keep the numbers of students down. It is a small place but the opportunities are great for students to really see contemporary Ethiopia through the music industry.

There are many small market stores you can duck into here on 9th street and also several resturants to visit to sample the the amazing Ethiopian cuisine but I would recommend Queen of Sheba which is located much further down 9th street close to P street. I did bring a group of students here back in January and we were able to rent the upstairs banquet room, have an amazing lunch, a coffee ceremony and also a dance class. You can see all the details at my other site (http://www.yourworldnextdoor.org) where there is a video that highlights our trip there. This trip was a little pricy ($400) which I was able to pay for through a grant that I recieved this year through the DC Humanities Council. But definitely contact Nigrisi at Queen of Sheba to put together a package that could make your students really understand what it is like to be in Ethiopia for the day.

Contact Info:
Elias Fikru
Nahom Records INc.
1918 9th Street NW.
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 667-2323
www.nahomrecord.com

Nigristi Gebreyesus
Queen of Sheba Restaurant
1503 9th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 232-7272
www.queenofshebadc.com

Field Trip #7: Dance Africa DC

This past weekend was a great opportunity to see West African Dance as part of the 23rd Annual Festival of Dance and Music of the African Diaspora at Dance Place. Unfortunately it was raining so I was not able to see some of the ensembles perform but the festival was still ongoing between downpours. I'm glad I went to Dance Place because it also highlights the need to explore in order to learn more. Today we often think that everything is on the web and we can find it if we look hard enough but sometimes it is better just to go check a place out and pick up more materials while you are there.

An important thing to remember as a teacher is also that we can point students in the right directions and not always have to be the ones to make it happen. For example, there is a great Creative Arts Camp at Dance Place called Energizers and this would be a great activity to encourage students to partake of during the summer. Energizers works on many different arts but for the purposes of this website they also study West African Dance and African Drumming. So start putting together your summer files for students so they can keep on learning and traveling the world even when they are not in school.

But during the school year you have to check out Dance Place's NEXTgeneration program. You can choose from outreach programs in which the Coyaba Dance Theater can demonstrate "authentic West African culture through traditional dance and drumming" at your school or even sign up for Teaching Residencies where Outreach staff can teach African Dance during a one hour session or a year-round class. There are also InReach Performances in which you can bring a group of students to Dance Place for as little as $2 a student to see a live performance. Contact Dance Place to find out the schedule for next year and to make reservations!

Contact Info:
Dance Place
3225 8th Street NE
Washington, DC 20017
(202) 269-1600
www.danceplace.org