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Manuel Comes to America

a story about Costa Rica, Immigration and the History of America for the past 100 years

 

Last year we devoted Art to learning about a story of a little boy, Manuel. In the story, Manuel immigrates from Costa Rica to America. Once in America, he attends school. At school he learns all about American History of the past decade. Our children have followed along with Manuel as he has learned about each decade.

 

The story is actually based on a family of people from Costa Rica, who sponsored and hosted one of our teachers for a Teacher Exchange program. Our teacher, Marissa Wetzel, went to Costa Rica last year for two weeks. While there, she explored the Cloud Forest, the Rainforest, volcanoes of Costa Rica and many wonderful places. She stayed at a HOST family's home. Her host was a woman named FlorElena. FlorElena has a son, Manuel. Manuel is the character the story "Manuel comes to America" is based upon.

While Ms. Wetzel was visiting, she attended the local school which FlorElena is the principal. Ms.Wetzel taught the Costa Rican children about America and the teachers at FlorElena's school taught Ms. Wetzel about Costa Rica. The exchange was a fruitful one. Ms. Wetzel brought the information back to New Jersey and shared it with her friend and co- teacher, Mrs. Gragg. Mrs. Gragg is the Elementary Art teacher and based the children's art year on Ms. Wetzel's journeys. From here, our school children have learned not only about Costa Rica, but about their own American history as they follow along with Manuel.

In the Rainforest.

A parade on a Carpeta Tipaca.

Driving the cattle to market.

The home where Ms. Wetzel stayed.

Costa Rican volcano.