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HISTORICALLY
SPEAKING SWITZERLAND PATCH PROGRAM 1. What continent is Switzerland located on? Find out what the flag looks like. What is its primary spoken language? What is its currency? What is the capital? Find out which 5 countries border Switzerland. 2. Switzerland’s food and recipes are influenced by the traditional meals of Germany, France and Italy. It is famous for its cakes, candies, breads, chocolate fondue and of course, its cheeses. Try some foods from Switzerland or make a recipe from a Swiss cookbook or website. 3. The mountain range known as the “The Alps” covers more than half of Switzerland. Enjoy an afternoon of skiing, tubing or snowboarding and/or learn what techniques and equipment you need to participate in a winter sport. 4. Research one of the following crafts or hobbies: Sewing, weaving, embroidery, painting, sculpting, photography, animation, comics or fashion design. Locate someone skilled in one of the above, or teach yourself this skill by researching the topic or attending a class. 5. On August 1, 1291, Switzerland gained its independence. How do they celebrate this holiday? Do other countries celebrate their independence? If so, which ones and how? 6. The Swiss folk culture is strongly influenced by many different traditions. Some of these traditional activities include: Flag tossing, folk dancing, yodeling and music played on alpine horns. Find out about some of these folk traditions. Participate, watch or research one of Switzerland’s traditions. 7. Almost every city in Switzerland has its own library, theater and orchestra. Visit a theater or orchestra, or check out a book from your local library about Switzerland. 8. Complete a service project, to help others. Some interesting projects could include: Landscaping, working with children in need, making gift baskets or cards for the elderly, making a meal for an ill person, or collecting items for the needy. 9. Hiking and trekking in the outdoors is a popular pastime in Switzerland. People come from miles around to enjoy the many available hiking programs. Take an adventurous hike in the outdoors and explore your surroundings. Be sure to look for signs of animals! Find four (4) different plants, flowers, trees or animals. 10. Create a journal or scrapbook about Switzerland. If you’ve visited Switzerland, include pictures and experiences that you enjoyed during your visit. Share your findings with others. 11. Autumn is considered the most beautiful time of year in Switzerland. But, no matter what the season, Switzerland always has something fun to offer. Some of these adventures include: Boating, cycling, swimming, fishing, skating, or golfing. Choose one to enjoy! 12. Switzerland is a peaceful country and has not been involved in a war since 1814. This encouraged people all over the world to deposit their money in Swiss Bank accounts. Set a goal to save for a certain item. Learn how to be a banker by keeping a record of your savings. 13. Research one of Switzerland’s 19 holidays. Using the information you collected, celebrate one of these holidays or create an art project about one. 14. The architecture and clothing of Switzerland are unique. Research the traditional garments and housing of the Swiss, visit a site showing these items or create a picture depicting traditional life in Switzerland from the things you learned.
This patch program will help its participants learn more about the history and sites in this country. If you have the privilege of visiting this country, you can complete some of these requirements there. It would be helpful to learn more about the country prior to your visit. Use the library and the internet to research more. |