Grade 2 Lesson Plan - Cultural Awareness

I created the following curriculum unit as a way to build cultural awareness within the classroom.

Maureen Hardiman

EDCG 606

Curricular Proposal – Grade 2

Spring 2010

Grade 2 - Curricular ProposalTheme: Culture Purpose:

Build cultural awareness within the classroom as well as providing students the opportunity to gain greater self awareness through research on ones’ own cultural background
Bring students together based on similar experiences (as opposed to dividing students based on differences)
Explore (through personal/family experience and research) varying cultures and contributions those cultures have made to society
Provide students the opportunity to work collaboratively and explore one topic across multiple content areas

Rationale: The United States is known as the “melting pot” of the world. It is the U.S. where different cultures from across the globe settle. In the urban classroom, you may see children from widely varying cultures. Although this is the case, a dominant force is at play in the classroom curriculum. Students study historical events that are based on the dominant culture, e.g., mostly white male historical figures. Left out are the contributions of women and people from different cultures. Knowing the diverse nature of the typical urban classroom, the goal is to create an atmosphere where all students feel welcome, included, and respected. In chapter 3 of Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives by James A. Bank and Cherry A. McGee Banks, they discuss the gap between students of differing cultures. With the continuing diversity of the United States, it is imperative to identify and learn about the differing cultures that make up the classroom and allow students to explore and research cultures that they identify with. Objectives/Curricular Frameworks: ELA 22.2: Use correct standard English mechanics ELA 23.1: Arrange events in order when writing or dictating. ELA 23.2: Arrange ideas in a way that makes sense. ELA 24.1: Generate questions and gather information from several sources in a classroom, school, or public library.(research) History and Social Science: 2. Use correctly words and phrases related to time (now, in the past, in the future), changing historical periods (other times, other places), and causation (because, reasons). History and Social Science: 2.7 On a map of the world, locate the continent, regions, or countries from which students, their parents, guardians, grandparents, or other relatives or ancestors came. With the help of family members and the school librarian, describe traditional food, customs, sports and games, and music of the place they came from.History and Social Science: 3. Explain the information that historical timelines convey and then put in chronological order events in the student’s life (e.g., the year he or she was born, started school, or moved to a new neighborhood) or in the history of countries studied. (H) Mathematics: 2.D.1 Use interviews, surveys, and observations to gather data about themselves and their surroundings.Mathematics: 2.D.2 Organize, classify, represent, and interpret data using tallies, charts, tables, bar graphs, pictographs, and Venn diagrams. Interpret the representations. Mathematics: 2.M.1 Identify parts of the day, days of the week, months of the year. Identify dates using a calendar.Visual Arts: 1.1 Use a variety of materials and media, for example, crayons, chalk, paint, clay, various paper, textiles, and yarns, an understand how to use them to produce different visual effects.Visual Arts: 3.5 Create symbolic artwork by substituting symbols for objects, relationships, and ideas. Lesson Plan 1: Who We Are/Cultural Exploration Purpose/Rationale: This lesson will give students the opportunity to reflect on their cultures and own experiences. The focus will be to identify similarities between all students and celebrate differences in a way that is positive.Objectives/Curricular Frameworks:History and Social Science: 2.7 On a map of the world, locate the continent, region, or countries from which students, their parents, guardians, grandparents, or other relatives or ancestors came. With the help of family members and the school librarian, describe traditional food, customs, sports and games, and music of the place they came from.Mathematics: 2.D.1 Use interviews, surveys, and observations to gather data about themselves and their surroundings.Mathematics: 2.D.2 Organize, classify, represent, and interpret data using tallies, charts, tables, bar graphs, pictographs, and Venn diagrams. Interpret the representations. Approach:

Teacher	Students
Present a large world map to the students, identify different areas of the world	Students will approach the map and mark their native country/area of the U.S. where they were born
Students will be asked what they know about their culture, what they want to know, and later, what they have learned	Students will contribute what they know about their culture and what they want to know
Chart paper will be hung up and a graph will be created. The different places students come from will be listed on the graph. Once the graph is tallied, students will be asked to identify which area on the map has the most students and which has the least.	Students will count the marks on the map will take turns putting tally marks on the graph. The students will then identify which areas represent the most students and which areas represent the least.
Teacher will read What A Family! by Rachel Isadora (this story represents diversity in a unique way and shows how students can be similar and different based on different attributes. It also shows diversity within a single family).Send home a letter to parent/guardian asking for family photos and information.	Students will learn that one family may be composed of people that have different backgrounds).They will talk with their families and gather information on their family history and collect photos that are representative of their families.

Materials:

World Map
Push pins
K-W-L chart
Chart paper for creating a graph
What A Family! by Rachel Isadora (2006) Putnam. NY.

Lesson Plan 2: Family Tree/ Timeline/ ResearchPurpose/Rationale: Students will further explore their cultural backgrounds with input from family and through research. They will discover the positive contributions people within their cultures have made to society. This will give students a sense of pride to learn these positive contributions made by people that they closely identify with. The purpose of this is to build self esteem within each student as well as for other students to recognize the achievements of others.Objectives/Curricular Frameworks:History and Social Science: 2. Use correctly words and phrases related to time (now, in the past, in the future), changing historical periods (other times, other places), and causation (because, reasons). History and Social Science: 2.7 On a map of the world, locate the continent, regions, or countries from which students, their parents, guardians, grandparents, or other relatives or ancestors came. With the help of family members and the school librarian, describe traditional food, customs, sports and games, and music of the place they came from.History and Social Science: 3. Explain the information that historical timelines convey and then put in chronological order events in the student’s life (e.g., the year he or she was born, started school, or moved to a new neighborhood) or in the history of countries studied. (H) Mathematics: 2.M.1 Identify parts of the day, days of the week, months of the year. Identify dates using a calendar. Approach:

Teacher	Students
Teacher will read excerpts from The Kids’ Family Tree Book by Caorline Leavitt and have it as a resource for those students needing extra help creating their family tree.	Students will organize their family photos and start to build their family tree.
Teacher will ask questions prompting students to reflect on what they know of their background and what they learned from their family.	Students will create a timeline which may include when they were born, when their parents were born, grandparents etc. and when/if they migrated to the U.S.
Teacher will do a small presentation on research using a computer and provide students with access to computers and provide recommended sites for obtaining information. Students will not be assigned a particular person to research but each student should research someone of their gender (to show that both men and women represent their cultures in a positive way).	Students will search for people within their culture, explore traditions, and seek out people who made positive contributions to society.
Teacher will pose questions that students should seek out the answer to, e.g., when was this figure born, what was their contribution, etc.	Students will record information in their journals and will develop an essay on the particular person they studied while making connections between this person and themselves and their family.

Materials:

The Kids’ Family Tree Book by Caroline Leavitt (2007) Sterling. NY.
Family tree sheet / Timeline sheet
Family photographs
Scissors
Glue
Pencils/Markers/Crayons
Computer Lab access
Journal

Lesson Plan 3: Journal/Peer review and editing/ Visual ArtPurpose/Rationale: Students will continue on their path to finding more about whom they are and where they come from. They will come into the lesson having previously kept a journal and will continue to develop their writing skills. They will learn how to work collaboratively with their peers and work together in order to offer each other feedback on their writing. They will continue to learn and proudly represent their heritage by creating a visual art piece that is representative of their culture. All of this will contribute to their personal sense of pride. Objectives/Curricular Frameworks:ELA 22.2: Use correct standard English mechanics ELA 23.1: Arrange events in order when writing or dictating. ELA 23.2: Arrange ideas in a way that makes sense. Visual Arts: 1.1 Use a variety of materials and media, for example, crayons, chalk, paint, clay, various paper, textiles, and yarns, an understand how to use them to produce different visual effects.Visual Arts: 3.5 Create symbolic artwork by substituting symbols for objects, relationships, and ideas. Approach:

Teacher	Students
Teacher will lecture the class on the proper mechanics of writing.	Students will work on creating a cohesive essay on their subject.
Teacher will divide students into small groups and assist them in peer reviews.	Students will learn how to work collaboratively and help their peers by providing feedback on their fellow students writing. This also offers the opportunity for scaffolding to occur between students who are stronger in different areas.
Teacher will give a mini lesson on editing.	Students will continue to edit their essays in order to finalize their essay for group presentations.
Teacher will give a class lesson on symbolism of different cultures and provide students with artifacts that are representative of their personal culture.	Students of the same cultural heritage may work together on their art piece, further allowing them to work in a collaborative manner.

Materials:

Scissors
Glue
Pencils/Markers/Crayons/Paint and other media
Art paper and other materials
Journal

Lesson Plan 4: Cultural Presentation/Forum (families will be invited to attend)Purpose/Rationale: The purpose of this presentation is to further provide the opportunity for students to proudly represent their culture. Students families will be invited to attend, creating a cohesive classroom culture that is across ones personal cultural boundaries. Students will give an oral presentation, present their artifact, and discuss the ways they have found to be similar to their classmates of differing cultures. A question and answer/open forum period will allow the student to personally reflect on what they have learned and give the families an opportunity to contribute.Objectives/Curricular Frameworks: Approach:

Teacher	Students
Teacher will give a lesson on oral presentation and have the students practice in front of the class before presenting to the families	Students will practice together and provide each other with constructive feedback.

Materials:

Completed family tree
Student created artifact that represents their family culture
Final draft of journal