Germs: Cultural Diffusion

Young scholars examine and explore cultural traditions that make their own families unique. In groups, they discuss traditions, write about the similarities and differences in the group, and interview other students.

Each of the three dance lessons included here will get your class moving. The first instructional activity allows learners to explore how music and movement differ in meaning depending on cultural context. Lesson two gives them an...

Investigate the growth and development of New York City with the final lesson plan in this four-part series on skyscrapers. Learners first explore the concept of urban growth by looking closely at a series of three paintings made of Wall...

Sixth graders read the book My Great-Grandmother's Gourd and answer short answer questions about the change of culture in the book. In this culture lesson plan, 6th graders discover culture diffusion, invention, and innovation.

Study the culture, language, and history of Mexico in this collection of lessons. Create maps of Mexico's geography, study Spanish language phrases, and create a fiesta, along with a Mexican Marketplace scene.

Can letter writing really create social change? Pupils create and mail formal letters addressing a specific organization to promote social change they wish to see. Class members reflect on the process and responses they received in small...

A thought-provoking resource guides learners as they interview agents of social change and share their findings. Scholars select an individual, create questions, conduct the interview, and create a profile of the person they selected....

It doesn't take long to change the world! Alexander the Great's reign may have been short-lived, but his vision for a multi-cultural Hellenistic world shaped Afroeurasia for centuries. Pupils examine documents, such as excerpts from...

Students are introduced to the concept of cultural diffusion. In groups, they identify the culture of Mali, Nigeria and Ethiopia and work together to research how cultural diffusion has changed the country. To end the lesson, they...

Eighth graders define the term "culture" and all aspects of culture. They spend one week photographing culture in their own lives. They create a poster of the photos and explain why each photo is included.