Curated OER
Advanced Art – Cultural Place-setting Still life
Upper graders view a series of films that depict rituals or celebrations as they occur in different cultural settings. They conduct a cultural investigation about one culture, brainstorm and research objects that have cultural or...
Curated OER
Role of Masks in African Cultures
Students explore ancient tradition and craft of mask making, examine role or function of masks in African culture, create instruments, and participate in class projects.
Curated OER
Cultural Rituals
Fifth graders explore cultural rituals. For this cultural rituals lesson, 5th graders discover different cultures way of celebrating rice. Students gain information about festivals in the US, Indonesia, Thailand, and Japan. Students...
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Family Customs Past and Present: Exploring Cultural Rituals
Students examine cultural traditions. In this cultural studies lesson, students conduct interviews and research online digital tools that allow them to discover their family's cultural traditions. Students prepare presentations using...
Curated OER
Exploring Cultural Rituals
Students analyze images and music of common rituals in America with those of other countries. They use worksheets to compare and contrast the events.
Curated OER
Common Good in Aztec Culture
Students investigate the Aztec religion and its symbols. In this Aztec religion instructional activity, students develop understanding of why the Aztecs gave sacrifices. Students write an essay looking at the Aztec religion and can...
University of Chicago
Comparing Modern and Ancient Ideas of Ethnicity and Identity
Explore ethnicity and identity with a research and writing assignment. Class members conduct online research, looking in particular at images and carefully noting down their sources on notecards. They read about identity and compose...
American Museum of Natural History
Being An Anthropologist: Laurel Kendall
Imagine studying Korean culture, especially the role of women, as well as marriage and religious rituals from home! Anthropologist Laurel Kendall shares what she has learned from her many trips to this fascinating country half a world away.
Curated OER
Touring Tradition
Students study about the Venezuelan government's promotion of the Dancing Devils ritual in San Francisco de Yare as a tourist attraction. They investigate a number of traditional regional events around the world to explore the...
Curated OER
Not So Strange
Students examine aspects of culture that may seem strange and prepare skits illustrating how a person may want to behave in these situations without being offensive.
Curated OER
Mexico's Day of the Dead
Learners explore global culture by researching a Mexican holiday. In this Day of the Dead lesson, students read assigned text which discusses the view of death in several different cultures including the U.S. and Mexico. Learners write a...
Mexic-Arte Museum
El Dia de los Muertos
Celebrate the traditional Mexican holiday El Dia de los Muertos! Explore the intricate history behind the traditions, compare other cultural rituals honoring the dead, and create sugar skulls. Learners read informational text on Aztec...
Curated OER
Spirit Mask Ashira/Bapunu, Ogowe River, Gabon
Explore the concept of beauty as it has been seen through the eyes of various African tribal groups. Learners create masks of beauty as they see it, taking the African concept of inner beauty into consideration. This lesson is great for...
Curated OER
Happy Thankgiving: Traditions in Culture
Young scholars relate their own Thanksgiving experiences to those of the past through colonial games, Thanksgiving story books, and personal interviews. They develop a concept of how to celebrate Thanksgiving and plan a class time...
Curated OER
Passover Seder Place Cards
Learners explore and study the festive holiday of the Jewish calendar, Passover. They assess their customs, rituals, foods and history. Each student becomes aware that this holiday reminds Jews about the time when their people were...
Curated OER
Rites of Passage
Students explore coming of age ceremonies. In this rites of passage lesson, students research spiritual, religious, and secular child and adolescent rites of passage rituals. Students design personal rites of passage.
Curated OER
What is el Dia de los Muertos?
Students explore the Mexican celebration el Dia de los Muertos. In this Mexican celebration lesson, students discuss ways people in the US honor the dead. Students compare and contrast Mexican holidays and American holidays. Students...
Curated OER
United We Stand
Students study Muslim wedding celebrations. They explore Muslim culture and wedding celebrations around the world. Students discuss vows, symbols, and traditions. They create wedding costumes and reenact part of a wedding ceremony.
Curated OER
Death and Dying
Ninth graders examine religious rituals and ceremonies surrounding death and dying. In this cultural studies lesson, 9th graders explore end-of-life care in the United States and consider ways it might be improved.
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Enter Through the Form: Explore Japan Treasure Hunt
Learners use the internet to take a virtual treasure hunt to Japan. Using other websites, they gather information on the country's values and beliefs along with its culture and geography. They relate Japan's culture to that of the...
Curated OER
A Cultural Celebration
Students explore the Mexican ritual of Dia de Los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. They make sugar skulls using math measurement and artistic expression and become more aware of this Mexican holiday.
Global Oneness Project
Exploring the Creative Process
Launch a discussion of the creative process with a short video that features the daily ritual of Slobodan Dan Paich, a San Francisco artist. Slobodan models his approach to tea painting and shares his reflections on the creativity.
Curated OER
Being There: Exploring China And Japan
Learners discover the culture, society, geography, and history of Asia through games, food, art, and literature in this multi-day lesson about China and Japan. An exciting lesson for upper-elementary or lower-middle school classrooms.
Curated OER
Keep Heritage Alive
Youngsters share ideas about cultural and/or spiritual rituals by participating in a fishbowl discussion, which explores the ways rituals have changed over time. They write reflective essays about their own cultural traditions.