Curated OER
How Often Do You Interact with People of Another Race or Ethnicity?
Is interacting with people from different backgrounds part of a well-rounded education? A big question awaits young readers as they explore two New York Times articles that discuss modern-day segregation, population statistics, and...
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Respect for Non-Native Students
Students develop and understanding that people born in other countries deserve respect and appreciation. In this ethnic background appreciation lesson, students discuss the different countries that classmates are born in. Students then...
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Quilting Our Diverse Classroom
Students explore diversity and race by creating art. In this ethnic background instructional activity, students discuss their family history, where their relatives lived and how it affects their life today. Students create pieces of a...
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Lesson on Ethnic Discrimination
Students study ethnic discrimination. For this discrimination lesson, students define ethnicity and ethnic discrimination in the global community as well as steps against it. Students examine their own ethnic backgrounds and examine the...
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Exploring Countries and Cultures
Fifth graders choose a country associated with a family member and research its location, government, language, economy, history, holidays, foods, sports, and famous people. They write to inform using this data and draw a map identifying...
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Political Race
Learners explore political topics and issues that often involve discussions of race or ethnicity. They develop campaign speeches voicing their stances on their assigned topics and explore how their racial and/ or ethnic backgrounds shape...
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Sufferin' Stereotypes
Examine how the media informs the way your class thinks about racial and ethnic differences. Additionally, middle and high schoolers discuss whether "objectionable material" in mass media from the past should be preserved.
University of New Mexico
Educating Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students
Three mini units make up one large unit designed to explore multiculturalism and encourage cultural identity. Each lesson sparks thoughtful discussion, critical thinking, and are equipped with activities and assignments geared to...
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Ethnic Art: African. Mexican and Caribbean Perspectives
Students study artistic aspects of their culture. They compare ethnic cultures through arts and crafts and produce quality works of art from the knowledge that they have gained. They develop the vocabulary required to verbalize or...
PBS
Broadway and The American Dream
Considering a unit study of American Musical Theatre? What better way to start than at the very beginning. Eight pairs of cards provide class members with background information about the genre from 1893 through 2004. The cards are...
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The Kite Runner: Concept Analysis
Considering using The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini’s story of Amir, a young boy from Kabul, as whole-class reading or for book groups? Check out this resource that provides background materials on Afghanistan, a synopsis of the novel,...
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Truth Or Consequences
High schoolers examine historical works of art and analyze how these paintings could be used for personal, cultural, and/or political purposes. This exploratory lesson on art ideology includes two handouts/worksheets for student use and...
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African Mask
Young scholars make masks. In this African art lesson plan, students review background information about African art and the use of masks. Young scholars use geometric shapes and other designs to create their masks.
Denver Public Schools
Kung-hsi Fa-ts' ai! – A Chinese New Year Celebration
Looking for ideas for your Lunar New Year celebration? Check out an interdisciplinary unit of study that includes lessons in counting, calligraphy, culture, geography, literature, art, and music. Kung-hsi Fa-ts' ai! (May you become rich!)
Curated OER
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: A Novel
Jamie Ford’s historical novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, explores the relationship between a young Chinese American boy and a Japanese American girl set against the backdrop of Seattle during World War II. The teaching...
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Comparing and Contrasting Heroes
Here is a language arts activity that can be used with virtually any grade level. The only thing that changes is the reading level of the books. Learners compare and contrast different heroes and the characteristics they hold. They use a...
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A South African Storm
Students explore racial prejudice in South Africa through the reading of "A South African Storm" by Allison Howard. In this cultural and geography lesson, students discuss ethnicity and prejudices and cite examples from the letter....
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Journey to Topaz: Directed Reading Thinking Activity
Have you used the directed reading thinking activity in your classroom? Doubling as either a prereading strategy, or a during reading strategy, it helps readers connect the historical background of the text to the text itself. As the...
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Celebrating Canada
Fourth graders investigate Canadians of diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds. They describe the multicultural, multiracial and multi-ethnic character of Canadian society and take age-appropriate actions to demonstrate their ...
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Foreign Cuisine: International Foods
Students describe factors that influence one's food choices, explain how food choices reflect one's culture and ethnic background, identify ways that family members and friends may affect one's food decisions and preferences, and explain...
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Stirring the Melting Pot
Students consider the interrelationships among race, ethnicity and culture. After reading the article, Young Japanese-Americans Honor Ethnic Roots, they examine ways in which they identify with and celebrate their own ethnicities.
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Culture in Art
Students explore how cultural aspects of their lives are depicted in society. They view a video on Frida Kahlo and identify the cultural elements that she referenced in her work.
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Poems Insprire Visual Art
Students examine artwork by artist Ernst Herter. They discuss what the art means to them. They create a collage to represent a poem of their chosing. They discover how literature is used as an inspiration for art.
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Los Artistas Unidos
Students explore the diversity of characters in popular television shows and movies, then investigate the backgrounds and careers of famous Hispanic actors.