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Students learn about the classics in Renaissance fair

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  • BY JULIAN CAVAZOS - JCAVAZOS@VICAD.COM
  • Originally published November 19, 2009 at 5:57 p.m., updated November 20, 2009 at 9:30 a.m.

  • Some Renaissance activities at Dudley Maget School:

    Puppet theater

    Storytelling

    Face painting

    Hair braiding

    Jousting

    Sack attack

    Medieval plays

    Chinese calligraphy

Principal Diane Billo reached into her magic bag and sprinkled some pixie dust on little girls' heads.

"Fairy dust here, fairy dust there, fairy dust, fairy dust everywhere," chanted the Dudley Magnet School principal as she sprinkled the glitter.

Then she knelt down and showed them the bag.

"This was given to me by my friend, Merlin," she told them. "Now something magical will happen to you today."

As part of National Parent Involvement Day, Dudley Magnet School had a Renaissance fair Thursday.

The school's entire front lawn was filled with Renaissance activities the children participated in.

Games at the fair included jousting, puppet theater, a maypole, Chinese calligraphy, storytelling and face painting.

Storytellers told nursery rhymes and fairy tales, along with their origins.

"I just tried to give them background information so that the different activities they participated were more meaningful to them," Billo said.

Several jesters also attracted children as they juggled balls and juggling sticks.

The activities brought the Renaissance history to life.

"It's fun at the Renaissance because you actually get to see what they did," said Xochitlinda Gonzalez, a 10-year-old maiden who entertained with her violin. "And, for one day, you don't have to be you. You can be someone else."

Students from Crain Middle School put on a play about "Canterbury Tales," and Dudley fifth-graders performed the "Sword in the Stone."

Acting out stories from that era helped students learn about its history.

"It's a nice way to go back and see what they did in the Medieval times," said Tommy Fordiani," who played a knight in the "Sword in the Stone."

Tres Burris, a fifth-grader, had fun entertaining the younger children with his magic tricks.

"It's just tons of fun making people happy and doing tons of magic tricks like I've been doing," said Tres, who played King Arthur in the play.

This year, some Dudley students have been learning about Elizabethan England. Earlier this year, they took a trip to the Texas Renaissance Festival near Houston.

Teaching kids about the arts can impact their life, Billo said.

"Often times it's the arts that are overlooked," Billo said. "If we get them at a very young age excited about the arts, excited about the classics, we hook them for life."


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