Social Studies: Multicultural Lesson
Objective To expose learners to similarities and differences in the way people live both locally and internationally
GLCEs: 2-G2.0.1 Compare the physical and human characteristics of the local community with those of another community.
2-G4.0.3 Use components of culture (e.g. foods, language, religion, traditions) to describe diversity in the local community.
Materials (beyond those used daily in classroom)
- Indian potatoes
- Tortilla shells
- Plates and serving utensils
- Map with India, Argentina, and Alma Marked
- Pictures of people living in Argentinean Rainforest
- Pictures of Argentinean school kids
- Pictures of people eating in India
Lesson
¨ Introduction
o What do you eat for dinner and where do you eat?
o People live differently, even in Alma
o Let’s look at some places are around the world where people just like us live differently
¨ Argentina
o Show map
§ Southern Hemisphere-seasons switched
o Some people live in rainforest
§ Show pictures
§ What’s different?
§ What’s the same?
o Kids in Argentina: How it was different when I visited
§ They go to school either in the morning or the afternoon
§ They don’t eat at school
· They eat at different times-Dinner at 9pm
§ They wear uniforms
§ They learn English starting in 3rd grade
· They speak a different language
§ Show pictures
· What’s the same?
· What’s different?
¨ India
o Show map
o Introduce equator
§ Warmer climate
§ Wear different clothes because of temperature
o I had an Indian exchange student named Ruju.
§ Explain exchange students
§ She taught me how they cook
§ She taught me to eat without silverware
o A lot of their food has curry, which makes it a pretty yellow
o Use flat bread to eat their food instead of silverware
§ Demonstrate
o Serve and try together
§ After the kids have tried food: Indian food is usually really spicy, but I left the spice out of this recipe since we are not used to it
o What’s the same
o What’s different?
¨ Closing
o We found ways that we are the same as each other and different from the people in our class.
o We also found a lot of ways we are the same as people in Argentina and India and ways that we are different.
o We may do things differently, but we’re all people.