Oktoberfest celebrated at Spring Creek Elemenatary

Children at Spring Creek Elementary got a taste of German culture recently during the school’s Oktoberfest — a three day celebration in which kids learn about the culture, food and customs of Germany.

As part of the celebration, Lynn Gratton, the multicultural teacher at the school, dressed up in authentic lederhosen and a green hat with a feather.

“I created this character Monika based on a close friend that I have in Germany. The kids don’t know it’s me but they have a lot of fun anyway,” said Gratton, who put on her fifth Oktoberfest this year.

During the celebration children are served typical German foods such as sausages, pretzels with mustard and apple strudel.
“We want them to get that feel for how different other people live from us (in the United States),” she said. “The way we live is not the way the rest of the world lives and (the children) need to know that different cultures contribute to that.”

Gratton puts together the festival as part of the fifth grade curriculum that focuses on Asian and European studies.
They begin learning about southern Germany and later expand into other parts of Europe and important events throughout the course of history.

“I show them a piece of the Berlin wall, the difference between the two sides and they do some role playing too,” Gratton said. “I try to immerse them as much as I can in the culture.”

Oktoberfest is a German tradition that is celebrated every year between September and October to celebrate the love between a Bavarian prince and a princess.

Because the prince had a love of horses and his wife-to-be held a large party and horse race, the festival now attracts millions of visitors to Munich, Germany.

“We are very global now a days and we need to learn how to appreciate each other,” Gratton said. “I believe children can learn if they are motivated, entertained and given a chance to immerse themselves in culture.”