Middle School Latin America Study Culminates with Food and Dance

The 7^th grade teams at Middlesex Middle School (MMS) had a lot to dance about recently.

MMS students on the Aqua, Blue, Gold, and Purple teams culminated their research and two-month study of Latin America in their Social Studies classes with an all-out grade-level event. The MMS Latin American Festival focused on the culture, geography and history of the region.

For the event, students created a booth (pictured above) with a partner sharing various aspects of Latin America, along with demonstrations that brought the richness of the culture to life, according to MMS Social Studies teacher Heather Maher.

Students enjoyed a catered authentic Latin American lunch from Mi Casita in Norwalk. The lunch included empanadas, rice, plantains, salad and a special dessert.

The day also included a dance lesson from two professional Latin American dance instructors from Fred Astaire Studios of Norwalk. They demonstrated various popular Latin dances, including the merengue and salsa.

— Marc Marin is district director of instructional technology. This article is republished from the Darien Public Schools News of the Week newsletter.