The school's Simms Reception Room was transformed into a beautiful and functional dwelling space today as third graders constructed a veritable field of Mongolian gers, or traditional yurts, inside its four walls. The project is part of the girls' interdisciplinary study of global shelters and, at 10 or more years old, is a beloved Lower School tradition.
Design Tech teacher Kathy Chaney explains, "Working together with Social Studies and Language Arts, we've been exploring how people live all over the world and how houses reflect their environment, topography, geography, climate, vegetation, family structure, and so on."
For example, students learned that Mongolian gers are built for nomadic life so are relatively easy to set up and break down, and that they traditionally face the south because harsh winds typically come from the north there. They also learned that hospitality is a key part of the culture.
Today, students put their skills and knowledge to the test and continued to dig deeper into their learning. They spent the morning constructing gers in six small groups, then made tapestries to hang inside and booz, traditional Mongolian dumplings. In the afternoon, they welcomed family members for a special Guesting Ceremony, with tea, booz, and conversation in the gers.
Watch a time-lapse video of ger building and view photo highlights from the day below.