Peace Corps
Features of Culture
Explore the melting pot in your own classroom with a lesson that focuses on cultural beliefs, traditions, and traits. Middle and high schoolers examine the details of their own identified cultures before sharing them with peers, and...
K12 Reader
What is Culture?
What makes up a society? Read a passage about culture and community and answer five reading comprehension questions.
Curated OER
French and Family
Where is France? Interest young learners in exploring France, French language, and French culture. They identify similarities and differences between French and American families, speak the French words for family members, analyze maps,...
Anti-Defamation League
What Is Culture?
Explore the complexity of culture with this rich and comprehensive lesson plan, which will prompt your learners to think critically and respectfully discuss our current definitions of culture, and how those definitions might evolve.
Curated OER
Features of Culture
Students examine features of cultures. In this cultural diversity lesson, students explore 5 features of culture as they compare their cultural traditions to the traditions in other cultural groups.
Curated OER
Everyone has a Culture-Everyone is Different
Students explore cultural features. In this multicultural acceptance activity, students define and discuss "culture," and distinguish the difference between individual characteristics and cultural characteristics. Students complete a...
Curated OER
Afghan Culture
High schoolers brainstorm various aspects of culture. They read about specific cultural beliefs, customs and traditions among the people of Afganistan and then compare their own culture to Afgan culture. They critique their own culture...
Peace Corps
Features of Culture
Young scholars enumerate features of their own culture and evaluate how those features have influenced their lives. They explain that many differences are related to culture-beliefs and ways of living that are handed down from one...
Curated OER
Dance: Discovering the Culture of Gullah
It's wonderful to see a lesson that incorporates art, movement, and writing. These three forms of creative expression are explored as learners dance to music from the Gullah people of West Africa. They analyze several paintings, listen...
Curated OER
Traditional Values vs. Modern Culture in the Asian Community
Students examine Chinese culture and values. They research the teachings of Confucius, create posters, write short stories, and analyze the history of and present state of gang culture through research, discussion, and writing.
Curated OER
Everyone Has a Culture -- Everyone is Different
Students are shown various statements and respond to each as a class. They discuss the differences between different groups of people and why they behave differently as well. After completing a worksheet, they discover aspects of their...
Curated OER
The School: School Culture Across Louisiana
Students identify and research school customs and folk groups through discussion and interviews. Then they identify and learn that traditional culture exists within other cultural contexts, such as the academic world of school, and in...
Curated OER
Dance: Cultural Dance Festival
Learners participate in a folk dance presentation. For this multi-cultural lesson, students and their families work together to learn and perform folk dances at a school sponsored festival. The teacher acts as facilitator, working with...
Curated OER
Self and Photography
Eleventh graders, after investigating and studying self, family, friends, etc. by taking pictures of their daily life, assess basic photography skills that reflect aspects of their culture. They review those aspects and write a...
Curated OER
Stories in Quilts
Have your class analyze the narrative art in quilts. They identify elements in this domestic art and the stories they tell. They define a story quilt, view an example, and analyze the work of Harriet Power. This is a great lesson to...
Curated OER
Social Studies and Reading Integration
Kids take a quiz on the concepts that define community and culture. They answer 10 multiple choice questions regarding family traditions, immigration, Hispanic culture, and community.
Curated OER
The Roots of American Culture
Students explore the notion of culture and the influence of Latino culture on the U.S. They work in small groups to identify ways that Latino and non-Latino U.S. cultures have engaged in cultural 'cross-fertilization.'
Diane Venzera
Kwanzaa Celebration: Celebrating Family, Community, and Culture
Kwanzaa is the focus of a three-part lesson plan that celebrates the history and traditions of the holiday. Before lighting the Kinara, scholars listen to a read-aloud of Seven Candles of Kwanzaa by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Learners express...
Curated OER
Exploring Community History and Cultural Influence
Students explore cultural attributes. In this cultural diversity lesson, students define culture and discuss the diversity of culture that exists in the world. Students determine whether or not there is an American culture.
Curated OER
Traveling Community Journal Project
Young scholars create an online "community journal". In this communities lesson, students use a writing template to send e-mail to various people to learn more about their community. The journal is passed from person to person.
Smithsonian Institution
Dia de los Muertos: Honoring our Ancestors Through Community Celebration
Oral storytelling has been an important part of every culture. The time-honored practice uses stories as a conduit for a culture's values and customs from one generation to the next. Keep the tradition going with a family interview...
Curated OER
Our Diverse Heritage Family Tree
Students discuss family trees and create their own family trees. They research their cultural backgrounds and make oral presentations to the rest of the class during a multicultural lunch.
Curated OER
Record and Preserve Your Family Stories
Young scholars research and create a presentation about their own culture and personal history. They interview family members to increase their awareness of family events and documents. They create a family tree at a web based resource.
National Gallery of Canada
The Roots of My Family
Represent family history visually by requiring your young artists to create family trees that express balance and symmetry. Pupils examine works of art, research their family histories, and put together large family tree posters.