Learning about Brazilian life

Darleene Barrientos

Dancing happily in a circle, students at the Center For Children

celebrated Brazilian culture with a little song, a little dance and a

lot of food.

The center’s preschool class spent the month of March studying

life cycles, which brought the class to Brazil, after studying

America, Australia, Germany, Korea and Jordan, teacher Mary Williams

said.

Studying Brazil was a lesson in diversity, since the country is

made up of rain forests, grasslands and coastal areas, she said.

Students also studied the animals, food, costumes, music and customs

of Brazil.

“I think the thing I want them to know is there’s other countries

and other people out there,” Williams said.

Students dressed up in Brazilian costumes Wednesday and wore

handmade, colorful, spray-painted paper sombreros, beads and party

dresses. Several of the boys pounded on drums as their classmates

danced. Parents, meanwhile, recorded the celebration with digital and

video cameras.The class also got a lesson in Brazil from Nilce

Isagholian, whose 5-year-old daughter Nathalia is a student in the

class. Isagholian immigrated to the U.S. recently and was happy to

share her culture with the class.

“It was very good,” Isagholian said. “It was very interesting -- I

had to learn to work with children.”

Parent Regina Quizon said her daughter Anica took to the lessons

about Brazil, saying “obrigada” instead of “thank you” or “salamat,”

which means thank you in Tagalog.

Brandon Davis, whose face was painted with a mustache and heavy

brow, was not too enamored with his costume. He dismantled it as soon

as he could.

“How do I get this pin out?” 5-year-old Brandon asked his mother

Lynnette.

Brandon learned how to say “hello” and “goodbye” in Portuguese as

a result of the class’ month-long study, Lynnette Davis said.

“It was fun to learn about Brazil,” Davis said. “And it’s fun to

have a feast.”