Hot Dogs, Harmonicas and High-Rises: 3rd Grade Takes a Deep Dive into Chicago Culture

Each year, 3rd grade students immerse themselves in all the wonderful attributes of the great city of Chicago. They conduct research, go on field trips and meet with experts on their selected topics, then present their newfound information at the annual 3rd Grade Morning Ex. From deep-dish pizza to the famous buildings that make up the skyline, these 3rd grade students are Chicago experts!

The first group discussed food in Chicago and explained the history of several Chicago staples, including how the origins of the Chicago hot dog. They also talked about their field trips to Midway Airport’s Commissary Processing Center and FarmZero, an urban farm in a high-rise that focuses on sustainability.  

The next two groups presented the different types of transportation in the city and offerings from the Chicago Park District. The transportation group shared information about Chicago’s bridges and the underground tunnel system, while the parks and recreation group related their visit to Palmisano Park and elements they would include if they designed their own park. 

Chicago music, specifically the blues, was the next group’s focus. They said the blues is sharing your heart with others through music and discussed the history of the sound making its way to Chicago from the Mississippi Delta region. This group turned a classroom into a blues club and invited blues artist Bear Williams to perform. They also took a trip to an actual blues club during the day and saw more musicians perform there. They even learned how to play a little tune on the harmonica.

The final two groups spoke about the city’s architecture and some of Chicago’s famous faces. The architecture group visited the firm Gensler and learned about the process of bringing a building to life and the necessary materials. They also took a trip to Wrigley Field, one of the oldest ballparks in the country. The last group learned about legendary Chicagoans including Barack and Michelle Obama, Muddy Waters and artist Nick Cave. This group visited Nick Cave and Bob Faust’s studio Facility and saw Cave’s art.

This 3rd grade exploration embodies the concept of learning by doing and celebrates the rich culture of the city these students call home. The process behind this endeavor brings the outside into classrooms and allows students to venture out to experience what they are learning in the real world.

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