Students at one local school took regional and historical tours of California and didn't even leave the classroom.

Ron Nunn School fourth graders recently participated in Walk Through California, an interactive program that gives kids a look at the state's history as well as teaches them about its geography.

The presentation, put on by Mike Jones of California Weekly Explorer, featured a classroom competition with three teams for points in each class. Students dressed in period costumes helped build a giant floor-sized map of the state and placed toys and figurines on the map to help them learn about the state's geography and diverse regions. Participants were also assigned a vocabulary word to learn ahead of time, and made their presentations in the role of expert. Jones would ask questions based on the word, and a correct answer in a complete sentence was awarded 10 points. An incorrect answer earned the "juice," a quick squirt from a water bottle and only five points

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"We're trying to excite them about history," said Jones of the class. "We want to teach them that history is a living thing and they get to recreate it and be a part of it."

Teacher Lynn Richie said the event was the culmination of the curriculum on California history. She said the kids were "excited to be experts" and that she enjoyed watching them learn about their state.

"It was excellent," Richie said. "On a scale of one to 10, I would give it a 50. He was a dynamic presenter."

The kids seemed to enjoy themselves as well.

"I liked when I was chosen as an actor," said student Gabe Gonzalo. "I was really funny."

To learn more about the company or book a presentation, log on to www.californiaweekly.com.