Lesson Plan
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A Cultural Palette

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine pieces of music and art that represent who they are. They study Haitian culture and traditions by performing the musical production "Once on the Island." They watch and discuss the film "The Nature of Music."
Lesson Plan
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Cultures around the World

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore Canadian culture. In this Canadian Culture activity, students participate in a general discussion about Canada, then create a symbol for Canada as part of a class collage.
Lesson Plan
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Understanding Chinese Culture Through Reading

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students examine the Chinese culture. They discuss the Chinese zodiac, identify their animal on the zodiac, listen to a Chinese folktale, and write an essay reflection on the Chinese zodiac or Chinese culture.
Lesson Plan
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European Capital of Culture 2008

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the meaning of culture. They read and discuss news stories concerning cultural cities. Students design and create a campaign poster and text that demonstrates why a particular city should be known as a place of culture.
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Learning about a Culture from Objects

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students identify materials used in several traditional cultural objects, then interpret possible functions of several traditional cultural objects.
Lesson Plan
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Native American Cultures

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students investigate the Native American Heritage and explore their customs cultures. They discover characteristics of the Native Americans through the study of their art, artifacts, stories and symbols.
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Learning about a Culture from a Story

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students identify environmental influences on a traditional culture, animals and plants important to a traditional culture, and interpret the identity of a traditional culture from objects and a creation story.
Lesson Plan
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Understanding Cultural Diversity

For Teachers 1st
First graders examine different types of art to help them explain the idea of cultural diversity. This is a unit focusing on works of art.
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Defining Childhood Across Cultures

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students define the word "child" in different cultures. In groups, they brainstorm how they define the word and compare and contrast the various definitions. They interview their penpals in other countries and share their results with...
Lesson Plan
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Countries and Cultures

For Teachers 4th - 6th
In this countries and cultures worksheet, students write definitions for various terms, complete a description of a trip around Europe by adding articles, and write an essay about places to visit in their own country.
Lesson Plan
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Confronting Two Challenges--One Physical, One Intellectual

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the challenges of a new language and culture. In this cultural lesson plan, student read Running by Peter Hessler and discuss obstacles faced, including the language barrier. Students write an essay about a time they...
Lesson Plan
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What is a Haiku? How Do You Write a Haiku?

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Haiku poetry is explored in this language arts lesson. Yong readers identify the characteristics of haiku and read several examples. Students make connections between their study of Japan and the poetic form of haiku, and they write...
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A Land of Milk and Honey

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders examine the term multiculturalism.  In this Cross Curricular History and Social Studies lesson plan, 9th graders analyze a video clip.  Students investigate the requirements for becoming a citizen in Australia.
Lesson Plan
PBS

The Pursuit of Excellence

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Who doesn’t love French pastries and the idea of hard work? Discover different philosophies on hard work, and the skills of French pastry chefs as the documentary concerning the “Best Craftsmen in France” or Meilleures Ouvriers de France...
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A Historical and Educational Perspective on American Sign Language

For Teachers Pre-K - Higher Ed
Using Sign Language to Communicate with Your Special-Needs Students in the Classroom
Lesson Plan
PBS

Historical Perspectives: Coming Home from War

For Teachers 7th - 12th
What do the homecoming experiences of soldiers who fought in WWII, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan reveal about the politics and culture of the US during the time period of each war? Young historians view The Way We Get By, which tells...
Lesson Plan
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Dia de los Muertas/Day of the Dead Cultural Project

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Young scholars explore the celebrations of different cultures, comparing and contrasting what is unique to them. Students explore different ways to celebrate those holidays. They construct a personalized alter to demonstrate one aspect...
Lesson Plan
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Daily Life in Ancient Greece

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders discover what everyday life was like for Ancient Greeks. In this Greek history lesson, 6th graders examine the cultural diversity of Ancient Greece and how it affected daily life for its citizens.
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If These Walls Could Talk: Seeing a Culture Through Human Features

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students read Talking Walls and discuss the walls presented and their importance to the culture. For this geography lesson, students locate and label each country/continent discussed in the book on a world map. Students take a walk and...
Lesson Plan
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Culture Creation vs. Culture Consumption - Finding Voice Through Digital Storytelling

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders explore the power of media in culture and Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence. In this nonviolence and media lesson, 9th graders analyze Gandhi's nonviolent methods for social change and discuss the media's power to create...
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Masai and I: A Cultural Comparison

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders orally share similarities and differences between their culture and the Masai culture based on their reading of Masai and I, by Virginia Kroll
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The Cultural Geography of Africa South of the Sahara "Kente Cloth"

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Young scholars read several articles about West African strip weaving of Kente cloth. They explore the cultural context in which strip weaving occurs. They answer four comprehension questions and compose a magazine article about strip...
Lesson Plan
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Japanese Culture

For Teachers 1st
First graders research information about Japanese people and culture. They read a Japanese story listening for rhyme schemes. They create their own rhyme schemes. They discuss Japanese food and sample rice cakes. They read Haiku and then...
Lesson Plan
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A World of Special Celebrations

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Brainstorm lists of celebrations with which your class are familiar. This lesson can be adapted to many different grade levels as they research ethnic and religious occasions/events celebrated by people around the world, and present...