John F. Kennedy Center
Comparing Cultural Holidays
A lesson examines the holidays, Día de los Muertos and Halloween. After an exciting clip from the movie Coco, class members review vocabulary and discuss what they know about Halloween. The conversation leads into the history of Día...
Curated OER
Lesson: After Nature: Visions and Visionaries
Build visual literacy, discussion, and critical thinking skills with an innovative art lesson. Young analysts discuss the use of decalcomania, surrealism, and automatism in various contemporary pieces, discuss constructed truth, and...
Curated OER
"Their Eyes Were Watching God": Folk Speech and Figurative Language
Using or considering using Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God? Then this packet is a must for your curriculum library. The examination of how Hurston combines folklore and folk language to create the voice of her...
Curated OER
Holidays and Observances: Looking at Diversity and Culture
Students share their own knowledge and experiences of holidays they observe. They research a holiday of their choice and write a report. They also create art of their holiday to complete as a pre-writing activity.
Curated OER
Australian Aboriginal Art and Storytelling
Young explorers investigate Australian Aboriginal culture by listening to traditional Dreamtime stories and examining dot paintings created by Aboriginal artists. In addition, they locate the country on maps, discuss the geography of...
Curated OER
History and culture through food
Young scholars select a favorite family recipe and research the recipe and its ingredients using a variety of sources on the Internet. Each student then creates a recipe flyer for a class cookbook that includes their recipe and the...
Curated OER
Living in our Family
Young scholars study the language, heritage, traditions, and customs of other cultures by becoming member of simulated families in other parts of the world.
Cleveland Museum of Art
Japanese Folktales (Asian Odyssey)
The Cleveland Museum of Art presents this interdisciplinary model unit that asks class members to explore how the same themes are presented in the folktales and art of several cultures.
Curated OER
Religious and Cultural Festivals of the World
Here are some interesting activities teachers can do with students to teach them about the religious and cultural festivals of the world.
Curated OER
History and Culture of Turkey
An exploration of the history and culture of Turkey can provide students with a greater understanding and appreciation of this region.
Curated OER
History and Culture of Russia
The history and culture of Russia is one of the most complex in Europe, and can provide interesting learning opportunities.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Native American Cultures Across the U.S.
Learners examine how American Indians are represented in today's society. They read stories, analyze maps, and complete a chart and create an illustration about a specific tribe.
Curated OER
Discover and Celebrate the Chinese New Year
Spring into Chinese New Year with a look at the history, food, and traditions associated with this holiday.
Curated OER
Bali and Indio Pop
How has music influenced culture? This can be a great way to start this presentation on Bali and Indio pop. Balinese music from the past and how it has changed because of modern pop influences is covered in this informational resource....
Curated OER
Grow a Musical Instrument
Music, culture, social studies, and plant growth all in one! Kids explore the various type of traditional African instruments that are made out of gourds. They then grow their own gourds and use them to create a wide variety of...
Curated OER
Building Bridges for Young Learners--Culture
Learners explore the concept of "culture." In this cross curriculum literacy and world history lesson, students listen to a letter written by a child from Namibia, then compare and contrast life in Africa with their own life. Learners...
Curated OER
Aboriginal Peoples And The Universals of Culture
Sixth graders research specific features of a province or territory of Canada. In this Canadian history lesson plan, 6th graders identify aboriginal culture areas on a map, identify cultural features represented in their region,...
Curated OER
American Culture in a Musical Setting
Learners discover the significance of similarities and contrasts of three separate cultures of the United States through music. They take out maps and trace the expedition of the Spanish along the coasts of Mexico and North and South...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Comparing Cultural Dances
All cultures express similar thoughts, feelings, and ideas. But, often times those things are expressed differently. Learners compare and contrast traditional dances from two cultures. They watch videos of each performance, stop to...
Peace Corps
Brief Encounters
How are Pandyas different than Chispas? Explore cultural norms and societal behaviors with an engaging role-play activity. Split into groups of two hypothetical cultural groups, the formal Pandyas and the sociable Chispas, and another...
Asian Art Museum
Experience Chanoyu: A Japanese Tea Gathering
As part of the study of Japanese cultural history, introduce your class members to Chanoyu, the Way of Tea. After a discussion of the history and key elements of Chanoyu, class groups perform the ceremony.
J. Paul Getty Trust
Narrating a Family Tradition
After examining a piece of art, scholars discuss what they see, paying close attention to details and space. A read-aloud introduces the topic of family traditions. Pupils interview their family members about a tradition in preparation...
Curated OER
Cats and Superstition: Fun Trivia Quiz
Answers to this quiz are very well cited, so if your class is studying Halloween, symbols, superstition, world cultures, or cats, it could spark spirited discussion about comparative traditions.
Curated OER
My Own Cultural Traditions
Students complete a worksheet on personal traditions. In this cultural traditions activity, students discuss what a cultural tradition is and why they are important to the members of the culture. Students distinguish between cultural...