“To TRAVEL IS TO LIVE”
- Hans Christian Anderson

Students have been busy learning about different communities in Peru and some of the traditions and customs that are celebrated in this incredible country. Students have been engaged in a number of rich conversations where they have had the opportunity to share and highlight their increasing knowledge and understanding of Peruvian culture.

Since our last blog update, students travelled from Cusco to Pisac, Peru by bus. During our time in Pisac we learned that the currency in Peru is called: Peruvian nuevo soles. We looked at converting Canadian dollars to Peruvian soles and found out that one Canadian dollar is equal to $2.81 Peruvian soles. Students were quite delighted to learn this as they had some time to shop for souvenirs in the local Farmers Market. During our visit to the Farmers Market, Mrs. Swan found a charming stuffed Paddington Bear for $113 soles. She could not resist purchasing it! Paddington Bear will be coming home for a visit with all of our students over the coming weeks.

In addition to this we met up with Ms. Zena at the market, who travelled all the way from “Villages Calgary” to join us in Peru. At the market, students had the chance to look at some handmade artifacts made by Peruvian artisans. Students learned about how long it takes some artisans to create handmade artifacts and some of the different skills and materials used. In addition to this, students were introduced to the word “Fair Trade”. We learned that Villages Calgary is the only store in Calgary that sells fair trade goods. Please be sure to ask your child about the meaning of this term. We also celebtrated Valentine's Day in the market. 

From Pisac, students hopped onboard Peru Rail and ventured onto Machu Picchu, where we discovered it is one of the “Seven Wonders of the World.” After visiting Machu Picchu for three days, students now have a solid understanding why it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. Students have written you a postcard from this historical site to help showcase their knowledge. During our time in Machu Picchu students participated in an art activity where they were tasked with creating a Willow Loom Weaving. This “Art to Go” workshop was put on by the Leighton Art Centre. Working on a natural, hand-shaped willow loom, students created a wall hanging weaving using colours and textures to delight the eye! This heritage activity presented unique learning opportunities for students to better understand the origins and history of the materials used. During Parent-Teacher Conferences in March, students will be invited to take their weaving home. Students then went on to engage in a thinking routine called, “See Think Wonder” to get them thinking critically about some of the videos and images they have been presented with regarding traditional weaving in Peru.

Our next destination will be Lake Titicaca. Here, students will be introduced to the terms “rights, freedoms and responsibilities”. Students will learn about rights of a child, daily life, special traditions and customs in this region of Peru. In addition to this, they will learn about the difficult journey some children in this area of Peru make on a daily basis to attend school. We are excited for this upcoming learning experience.

Social Studies Learning Outcomes
3.1 Students will examine the social, cultural and linguistic characteristics that affect quality of life in communities in other parts of the world by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions for inquiry:

• What determines quality of life?
• How does daily life reflect quality of life in communities (e.g., employment, transportation, roles of family members?
• What are the traditions, celebrations, stories and practices in the communities that connect the people to the past and to each other (e.g., language spoken, traditions, customs)?
• How is identity reelected in traditions, stories and customs in the communities?