Hilltop students go 'down under'

SPARTA — The first graders at Hilltop Country Day School recently gave their families and friends a taste of the land down under at an innovative Australia exhibition.
Parents, siblings, fellow students and faculty gathered in the classroom of teacher Karen Snyder for Australia Day, where Hilltop’s first graders taught them the ways of Australian life. Clad in bush hats, the students discussed Australian culture, art, lingo, food and wildlife, as well as performed traditional Australian songs and dances.
In addition, the students teamed up with their families to use iPads for an interactive quiz on the knowledge gleaned from the exhibition.
“The Australian Exhibition was a big success and a great deal of fun to watch. Students were incredibly poised, confident, knowledgeable, and well spoken,” said Head of School Peter Gordon. “With exhibitions, students are at the center of showcasing their knowledge and actually teaching the audience about a topic they have mastered.”
Australia Day is one of several themed exhibitions held in the Lower School. Whether explaining vegemite or portraying a famous historical figure, the exhibitions provide a creative way for students to master a variety of curricula while honing several skills, such as public speaking, critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration. Additionally, the exhibitions infuse technology, among other important 21st century skills.
“Hilltop models Project Based Learning and the exhibitions are a great way for parents to see their children learning academic content and the 21st century competencies of collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication,” Gordon said.