Talking about New Orleans, kindergarten students learned a little bit about the Mardi Gras tradition, also known in some countries as "carnivale." Like the pancake race, Mardi Gras culminates with a big celebration on Shrove Tuesday. We discussed the Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold, and green, the krewes that make and ride the floats, beads and dubloons, the Mardi Gras king and queen, and the king's cake with the plastic baby placed inside. If you get the piece with the plastic baby, tradition says that you must provide the king's cake for the next year.
Students had fun dressing up in Mardi Gras masks, beads, and costumes and parading through our decorated gym. They threw dubloons and raced to see how many they could round up. A king and queen rode in our "wagon float" and the Mardi Gras umbrella carrier led the parade. The weather warmed up in the afternoon so some classes got to parade outside.
