by Kate McNeil

Thanks to their social studies curriculum, Class 3 girls travel the world each year. Their first stop? India. This year, they even took a bus there — well, at least to Little India, a neighborhood in Queens.

With Indian-born teacher Malini Bhagat as their guide, the students ventured to Ganesh Temple, a Hindu temple in Flushing. Leaving their shoes at the door, the girls entered the temple with notebooks in hand, ready to learn. The field trip was the culmination of a month-long study of Indian culture.

Curriculum came to life as the girls saw certain gods, such as Sri Siva and Sri Venkateswara, that they had studied in class. At the center of the temple was a shrine for Lord Ganesha — a major god in Hinduism and the main deity at the temple — whom the girls instantly recognized because of his elephant head and human body.

Ms. Bhagat had prepared Class 3 so well that the temple’s tour guide was hardly needed. Pointing to one shrine, the guide said, “And this is Goddess Saraswarthi, who is the god of …”

“Education and arts!” Dorothy Scarborough shouted, looking up from her sketch of Ganesha to complete the sentence.

As they sat around the shrine, the students witnessed a priest perform a daily offering: He chanted and placed fruits and incense around Lord Ganesha. Before leaving, some students helped temple workers thread marigolds to make necklaces that would be offered to the gods.

After a short bus ride, the girls disembarked in Jackson Heights’ Little India, where a hot buffet lunch at Jackson Diner awaited them. Plates full of chicken curry, chickpeas, rice and naan were a culinary complement to their Indian journey. The girls topped off their meal with mango lassi, a traditional yogurt drink.

After lunch, teachers and parents escorted the students to Indian bazaars on 74th Street, where they admired the colorful saris and jewelry.

Thrilled by the day’s events, the students talked loudly on the bus ride home, prompting Ms. Bhagat to respond with the Hindi word for quiet, “Chup! Chup!”

Next up on their travel-by-study itinerary? China, followed by Kenya. The girls’ virtual passports are at the ready.