BUFORD — What a way to get a lesson in Chinese customs and traditions — over a plate of sesame chicken or Mandarin beef, rice and egg rolls.

Fourth- and fifth-graders in gifted education classes at Friendship Elementary School got to taste a little bit of what they had been learning with a visit last week to Golden Buddha restaurant in the Buford Mall off Ga. 20.

The students have been learning about China for about six weeks and will wrap up studies in mid-January, said teacher Toney Lancaster.

"They’re studying about festivals of China, the Great Wall of China, Marco Polo," she said.

"This is a Chinese celebration for (the students). They have earned points on each project they have completed ... and they’re in different clans. They made a banner with their clan name, they made name tags with their Chinese name."

Donna Catledge, who also teaches the students, said the group "has done a lot of research" through Renzulli Learning, a Web-based system that enables teachers to use "differentiated" curriculum, or lessons that line up with a range of learning styles and abilities.

"They’ve gone into the computer lab every day," Catledge said.

The students got into the spirit of the lesson as they ate their meals in a banquet room at the restaurant, with many using chopsticks instead of the familiar fork.

"I think it’s really, really cool," said Emily Combs, 9, a fourth-grader, of the celebration. "It’s beautiful. I like the ceilings and the art is really pretty, and the food is good."

Emily hadn’t eaten Chinese food before the trip.

Cheyenne Freeman, 10, said she has, but her family doesn’t go often to Chinese restaurants.

Joseph Ip, the restaurant’s manager, spoke to the students about Chinese customs surrounding Christmas. He said that many Chinese celebrate Christmas.

"We do have a Christmas tree in China too, so they celebrate Christmas (with) gifts ... and say the blessing words and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ," Ip said. "So, it’s almost the same as in the United States."

He went on to discuss the Chinese New Year, which begins Feb. 7.

"We do a lot of things," Ip said. "Everybody dresses in new (clothing). Everybody has a nice, long vacation ... about a month."

The class plans to wrap up its study of China after the American new year is celebrated.

"We’ll do a Chinese New Year celebration," Catledge said.