THINKING DAY 2000 SPANS GLOBE GIRL SCOUTS STUDY WORLD CULTURES.

Byline: Krystn Shrieve Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY - Six-year-old Michelle Matty donned a construction-paper sombrero and vest, learned a Mexican hat dance, mastered counting to 10 in Spanish and was prepared to celebrate the Mexican culture with friends.

Michelle, a Simi Valley resident and member of Troop 825, was one of more than a thousand Girl Scouts who took a virtual trip around the world Saturday by sharing what they learned about the traditions and cultures of 142 countries on the globe as part of Thinking Day 2000.

``The dance only took one day to learn,'' Michelle said. ``Also, we learned about the clothes and the music and all about the spirit of Mexico.''

Nearly 100 Girl Scout troops from Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks gathered at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Museum and Library to celebrate the world's diversity by dancing and singing or holding presentations about their country. Some groups wore costumes or passed out food. Others made flags or gave away homemade souvenirs.

Amanda Goldstein, an 11-year-old Simi Valley resident, learned all she could about Brazil. Wearing a safari hat covered with leaves and a stuffed snake around her neck, she rattled off facts about the country.

``About 80 percent of Brazil is covered with rain forests,'' Amanda said. ``The rain forests are in danger of becoming extinct. So are animals like the toucan and the monkey. It's important not to waste paper. That way we can save the precious rain forests.''

Simi Valley parent and troop leader Hollianne Cook, whose group learned about Switzerland, talked to the girls about the country's language, music and clothing.

``This is a great way for the girls to learn how children live in other parts of the world,'' Cook said.

Andrea Loos, 15, has been part of the Girl Scout program since she was in kindergarten and said through the years she's learned about Japan, Mexico, France, Thailand and Egypt.

``America is made up of a whole bunch of cultures, so it's important to learn all you can about them,'' Loos said. ``Also I'm a big traveler and I'd love to go to Egypt and some of the other places I've heard about. It would be great to visit the pyramids or see real mummies.''

To help the girls remember a little something about the country they studied, they traded trinkets or other fun memorabilia.

The group that studied India passed out rock candy, one of the country's favorite sweets. The girls who studied United Arab Emirates passed out tiny magic carpets made out of burlap. The troop that learned about Somalia gave away paper cups filled with pineapple covered with coconut sprinkles. And the girls who learned about Hungary even passed out a recipe for goulash.

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Photo: (color) Chelsie Smith, left, Brittany Wyenn and Aimee Giedons of Girl Scout Troop 478 wear outfits representing life in the Bahamas on Thinking Day 2000.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News