Ben Porat Yosef kindergarten class, Gan Ilanot, celebrated the culmination of a study of Hawaii last week with an epic Hawaii-inspired luau party. The students elected to study the 50th state in-depth, after learning the history of Georgia O’Keefe’s famous paintings that were inspired by Hawaiian nature. They studied the state, observed its location on a map, noticing its distance from mainland United States and that it is made up of several different islands. As part of their research, the students viewed several videos and read informational texts to learn about Hawaii’s rich history and culture and what makes the state unique. They also learned about volcanoes, volcanic activity and observed a simulation of how a volcano erupts. The students completed their study, drawing pictures and writing books using the knowledge that they had acquired about Hawaii. Finally, they celebrated in style with a Hawaiian dance party complete with hula skirts, a little surfing and hula hoop-ing and delicious treats including fresh pineapple and coconut ices.