Third graders in Mrs. Capuana’s class at Deauville Gardens East Elementary School recently embarked on an engaging social studies project focused on exploring their family roots and cultural backgrounds. As part of the project, students completed questionnaires with their families to learn about their country of origin.

Using this information, each student placed a photo of their face on a large, class-created world map, visually representing the diverse origins of the class. Students then brought their heritage to life using Canva, an online graphic design platform, to illustrate their country’s flag, create a custom t-shirt and record themselves speaking in the language of their family’s country of origin.

All projects were then transformed into QR codes, allowing classmates to scan and view the videos, providing an interactive way to experience each student’s culture.

The project successfully integrated social studies, writing, art and technology, giving third graders a hands-on opportunity to celebrate their backgrounds while learning from their peers.