Glen View Elementary School fourth-graders participate in Walk
Through California program
Before Yvette Arvizu began teaching fourth grade, she often heard Rod Kelley Elementary School teachers praising the history and social studies presentations staged by California Weekly Explorer, Inc.
So, when Arvizu took over a fourth grade class at Glen View Elementary, she made it a priority to bring the services of the Tustin-based business to all the fourth grade classrooms for the first time, giving the students the chance to experience California history in quite a new way.
“When they’re able to actively participate in an activity, it just cements that knowledge,” she said. “What makes learning fun is that they’re participating, they’re not just reading it from a book.”
Half of Glen View’s fourth-graders spent last week immersed in the program and the rest were treated to the live history lesson Thursday. The company representative brought a large interactive map of California and uses props to help the children learn the different regions and natural landmarks.
For example, when they crossed Mount Shasta, she used a can of the soda of the same name to glue the information in their brains. They were asked to point out missions on the map and played a game afterward.
The lesson was presented as a time machine, with the students wandering through various eras in California history and gave them the chance to play the part of characters that helped shape the state.
During a short break, Arvizu was “pleasantly surprised” to hear all the students saying how much fun they had.
“It was a great learning experience (and) was very educational,” she said.
Heather Bremner covers education for the Dispatch. Reach her at hb******@************ch.com or 847-7097.
