All of the food may have not gone down easily, but the games were fun.
Sixth-grade pupils at Rosarian Academy were dressed Friday in tunics and togas as they spent "An Afternoon in Ancient Greece."
"Ick" was the general reaction of Lyle Swift to grape leaves stuffed with rice. But the 12-year-old pretty well cleaned his plate of fresh grapes, spinach pie and hummus.
The three-month study of ancient Greek cuisine, drama, athletics and mythology culminated in the parochial school's social hall, where about 40 parents gathered to see what lessons were learned.
"It's fun to see how they researched everything," said Cynthia Gardner of Palm Beach Gardens. She said she and her daughter Caroline, 12, worked together on a flowing blue toga gown, tied at the waist with a thick, white upholstery braid.
"She really knew what fabrics and what colors the Greeks used," the mother said. "A lot of it was really challenging. This [required] an advanced way of thinking, rather than memorizing."
A series of skits threw the pupils and their teacher, Arlene Colavito, into fits of giggles as the pupils acted their way through the maze of mythology.
Pandora, played by Carly Michael, 11, of West Palm Beach, could not resist opening the forbidden chest, convinced it contained all the jewels in the world.
"Whatever I want, I get," was her character's justification.
When warned against it, lest she unleash all evil and disease in the world, she retorted: "Is that bad?"
Mary Rooney, 12, of Palm Beach, let out a wicked "Ha, ha, ha, ha" as her character, Minerva, transformed Arachne into an arachnid.
"Now you're a spider, and a spider you'll be forever," she told her enemy, played by Alexandra Michael, Carly Michael's twin.
Colavito called fouls on several pupils during Friday's Olympic games for throwing their paper plates like a Frisbee rather than a discus.
Drinking straws became javelins and cotton balls were used in the shotput competition.
The broad jump was equipment free, with the city-state of Corinth winning over Sparta and Athens.
Colavito said she learned how creative her pupils can be.
"Given the chance, children can reach any goal," she said.
... togas ... Minerva ...
Posted by david meadows on Dec-06-05 at 5:00 AM
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