Blue Zones project lets Tiburon students learn about other cultures
Jim Staats, marinij.com

Chace Schornstein, a fifth-grader at Bel Aire Elementary School in Tiburon, was happy to point out interesting aspects of life in Costa Rica.

"There's not that much different compared to us except they live a healthier existence and get out more," Chace said. "While we're in our rocking chairs, they're out and about, shopping in the market and being active."

The Tiburon 10-year-old's point of view is the result of her school's three-week participation in the Blue Zones Quest, a project that allows students to monitor a team of scientists as they study a cluster of villages in Costa Rica whose residents live longer than anyone else in the hemisphere.

Since early last month, the project has become a school-wide jumping-off point for teachers and students to examine healthy lives through language, health, science and technology.

Students are able to communicate with scientists through online blogs and diaries, track their own dietary and exercise habits, use library resources to learn more about the Central American habitat and blend expedition studies into Spanish language discussions.

Outside of Spanish students at Del Mar Middle School in Tiburon, Bel Aire is the only Marin school participating in the project that involves thousands of schools nationwide. The project, created by Minneapolis-based interactive expedition firm Quest Networks Inc., is funded by National Geographic and the National Institute on Aging.

The Costa Rican expedition follows a similar study of Okinawa, Japan, in 2005. "Blue zone" refers to a region of the world with a lifestyle of healthy longevity.

The project is a part of Principal Patti Purcell's interest in global education. Last summer, she attended an overseas conference on the variety of global education programs available. She learned about the Blue Zones project through her association with the project's leader.

Purcell was part of a group that studied the Mayan civilization with Dan Buettner, a former National Geographic writer who founded Quest Networks.

Her school is simultaneously running another project with a global theme, this one sponsored by the United Nations. To learn about growing food, students planted "earth boxes" last fall with vegetables including broccoli, Swiss chard, cauliflower and lettuce. They plan to harvest the boxes, scattered across the campus, later this month.

Spanish teacher Aimee Weiss incorporated video of the Blue Zones expedition's study of religion and longevity into her fifth-grade curriculum. She said online data will help the class learn about religion and culture.

"It's a National Geographic project that ties nicely into our wellness project," said Chris Carter, Reed Union School District superintendent. "It helps make curriculum come to life. I think the kids are getting all fired up to do this and it's a nice team approach in all aspects of school."

After watching online videos of a young boy chasing chickens and a 95-year-old Costa Rican woman's active daily routine, fifth-grader Mason Dean, 10, of Corte Madera was impressed.

"They eat healthy and get a lot of exercise," he said. "I think it's kind of cool how old people in Costa Rica continue to be so active."