One of the highlights of Grade 5 is when “neighbors” drop by to visit Mr. Inigo’s classroom. These special visitors make history come alive for students by sharing stories, acting out events, and inspiring curiosity about the past.
A student favorite is when Harry Vyk visits. For nearly 10 years, Harry has stepped into the classroom to clear up a common myth: that Christopher Columbus was the first European to discover North America. As Harry explains, the Vikings actually arrived almost 500 years earlier. His visit is timed perfectly, as students are just beginning their studies on early European explorers to North America.
Harry isn’t the only “neighbor” to stop by. The first was Paleo, who shared his ancestors’ origin story of coming to North America. During his visit, Paleo dramatically demonstrated the hunt for woolly mammoths by lifting a student onto his shoulder and carrying them around the classroom—bringing “food” back to his people for survival.
These engaging visits have become a beloved tradition in Grade 5. Students always ask when Harry or Paleo will return—and whether there might be even more “neighbors” waiting to make history come alive. Mr. Inigo calls this “sticky learning”. By experiencing history through characters and origin stories, students gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of history.