Carrie Rodenhizer EDU 399 Fall 2006
Note: Slightly modified for technology portfolio
Grade:Second grade
Proficiency levels: Intermediate low in reading, speaking and listening
Objective: After reviewing proper teeth brushing technique in middle class/upper class American culture (introduced and practiced in previous lessons) and listening and reading about teeth brushing technique in three other cultures (the poor in Argentina, survivalists in America, and rural Nigerians specifically), students will be able to compare and contrast in writing teeth brushing technique in four different cultures.
*This culture lesson is designed to be a segue into reading the short story, “Lo Universal y Lo Particular.” To springboard into the next lesson, I would say something along the lines of: “Clase, recuerdan que varias personas de culturas diferentes se cepillan los dientes? En clase hoy vamos a leer un cuento corto, “Lo Universal y Lo Particular”, y en el cuento un personaje se cepilla los dientes diferente también. Vamos a ver…”
Materials and supplies: A toothbrush, toothpaste, an empty cup to spit in, a cup of water, tree bark stripped down so one end has separated fibers, large piece of beef jerky with one end stripped so it has separated fibers (to symbolize tree bark), dried unripe plantain stem, instant mashed potatoes flakes colored gray with food coloring (to symbolize ashes), a photograph of ashes in an ashtray, mortar and pestil, placards that read in Spanish-Argentina, los Estados Unidos, y Nigeria rural respectively, a transparency illustrating proper teeth brushing technique (in middle class/upper class American culture) without written captions, two magazine pages of survivalists, a Venn diagram graphic organizer for the students’ assessment, kindergarten paper complete with proper teeth brushing technique already written out double-spaced, blank kindergarten paper, and a graphic organizer visually depicting the four different approaches to dental care complete with space to take notes in.; computers in the classroom.
Information and websites on dental care used ( to be used) in lesson:
a) Nigerian teeth brushing: (From Family Care Foundation website listed below) In rural areas of Nigeria, toothbrushes are rare and the most common form of oral hygiene is the 'chewing stick'; the bark of one end of a young branch of a local tree is stripped so that the fibers of the branch become a brush. Another method used is a mixture of charcoal and the unripe stem of the plantain, which is ground together and used to scrub the teeth. Unfortunately, in many areas visited the children don’t appear to use either of the above and as a result of such widespread lack of hygiene, their dental care proved quite a challenge.
b) Survivalists in America use ashes to brush their teeth.
c) The poor in Argentina use their finger and water to brush their teeth.
Background knowledge: Students have already been introduced to reflexive verbs and the linguistic structure of se+verb to express the passive voice. Students can verbally identify and physically demonstrate proper teeth brushing technique in both L1 (first language-English) and L2 (second language—in this case Spanish).
Students also have graphic organizers from previous lesson regarding proper teeth brushing technique. Students have significant experience hearing and speaking in the present and past tense in L2. Students have substantial yet growing experience in writing in L2.
At the beginning of the school year, the students (and parents!) were informed verbally and in the syllabus about the end-of-the year book entitled, “Mi Segundo año”, that each student would contribute to throughout the year in Spanish class and complete by the end of the year (written entirely in Spanish). This book is divided into chapters—first chapter is all about the student—likes, dislikes, family members, etc. while the remaining chapters are all the student’s subjects in school—Physical Education, Art, Mathematics, Connections/Culture,etc.
This project is also a student portfolio highlighting the students work through the course of Spanish study, demonstrating to parents their children’s educational and communicative evolution throughout the year, in addition to demonstrating to school administration and students’ L1 teachers not only curriculum integration and also the students’ progress and accomplishment of state/national goals and objectives in L1.
The Venn diagram the students will be asked to complete as the assessment/evidence of achievement portion of the lesson shall be used as a Connections/Culture entry in this progressive book project. The students have already used Venn diagrams in the L1 and L2 classroom and thus are familiar with the diagram’s form and function.
NCSCOS objectives and goals addressed in lesson:
2nd grade English Language Arts objectives
3.01 Use personal experiences and knowledge to interpret written and oral messages.
3.02 Connect and compare information within and across selections (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama) to experience and knowledge.
3.03 Explain and describe new concepts and information in own words (e.g., plot, setting, major events, characters, author's message, connections, topic, key vocabulary, key concepts, text features).
3.04 Increase oral and written vocabulary by listening, discussing, and composing texts when responding to literature that is read and heard. (e.g., read aloud by teacher, literature circles, interest groups, book clubs).
4.08 Write structured, informative presentations and narratives when given help with organization.
2nd grade Healthful Living goals/objectives
Competency goal 2: The learning will develop knowledge and skills to enhance personal and consumer health. 2.02 Demonstrate proper technique for brushing teeth and summarizing reasons for not sharing a toothbrush.
2nd grade Spanish as a Foreign Language goals/objectives
INTERPRETIVE COMMUNICATION - The learner will understand and interpret written and spoken language
1.02 Ask and answer simple questions orally on a variety of topics in the target language.
2.05 Interpret phrases presented with accompanying gestures, intonations, and other visual or auditory cues.
CULTURES - The learner will gain knowledge and demonstrate understanding of the relationship among practices, products, and perspectives, of cultures other than his/her own
4.01 Recognize and use learned everyday greetings, gestures, and behaviors of the target cultures.
4.05 Explore practices and perspectives of contemporary life in the target cultures through print, non-print, and/or electronic materials and cultural artifacts
2nd grade technology/computer skills focus areas addressed:
- Observing online resource
- Responsible care of resources
Teacher input and guided practice: Greet the students. Have all dental care materials set out—the toothbrush, toothpaste, and cups set on table and the other dental care props with corresponding placards set out on a table with all these items covered up. Ask several students different questions regarding brushing their teeth such as who brushed their teeth last night? How many students brushed their teeth this morning?
Clase aprendimos la manera correcta de cepillarnos los dientes, verdad? Vamos a repasar juntos como hacerlo. Place teeth brushing transparency on the board . Elect the student helper of the day to come, act out each step as the class dictates, and you reveal step-by-step the technique already written on kindergarten paper. Take turns asking grammar strong students which step goes first while pointing to the corresponding illustration on the transparency. Only after the student responds and the student helper mimes steps do I reveal the correct step written using the linguistic structure se+verb to the class
Esto es la manera en como nosotros cepillarnos los dientes. Pero saben que hay otras maneras de hacerlo? Algunas personas en otros países y también aquí usan cosas diferentes además de cepillarse los dientes diferente de nosotros. Hoy vamos a ver y a leer como tres culturas diferentes cepillarse los dientes. Después, ustedes van a sacar apuntes y finalmente ustedes van a completar un diagrama Venn para comparar y contrastar las culturas y su cuido dental en apuntado. También van a entregar sus diagramas a mi porque voy a corregir y luego voy a poner los diagramas finales en su libros (“Mi segundo año).
The following portion of the lesson consists of three elements=visual-the use of graphic organizers, pictures and realia, auditory=verbal explanation of the different cultures and teeth brushing methods, and the Gouin series=as I will be acting out the different methods as I explain them to the class.
Pass out the graphic organizers used to takes notes during discussion/demonstration of the three different teeth brushing methods. Uncover the table containing the ‘cultural’ dental props and corresponding placards. Have the students sit on the carpet for circle time with teacher and table off to the side in plain view of the class.
Basic format when explaining and demonstrating the survivalists’, the Argentine, and Nigerian (in this order) methods of teeth brushing:
a)Present the realia/pictures to the class while explaining the demographic, the culture, the country, and introducing the teeth brushing method starting with the items used. For example for the survivalists, first show the magazine cut-outs of the survivalists, next show the picture of the ashes, and then show the ‘edible’ ashes (the grey colored instant mashed potato flakes).
b)Have the students gather one of the three computers in the classroom. Each computer should already be online at each of the specific Website listed above. In other words, one computer will display the Website on brushing your teeth with ashes (for the survivalists). The second computer will display the Website on teeth brushing in Argentina, while the third computer will display the Website on African children brushing teeth with tree bark.
c)Act out the teeth brushing method using the consumable/edible realia as you explain how the method.
d)Write out key points of each teeth brushing procedure on the kindergarten while encouraging students to add their own ideas to their notes on the graphic organizer.
After the presentation of all three different methods and each of the kindergarten sheets listing the key points of each method are taped on the board, have the students return to their regular seats and proceed to orally review with the class each different methods and briefly review the corresponding culture and demographic. Then pass out the blank Venn diagram graphic organizer to each student.
Ahora usando sus propios apuntes y también los apuntes en el pared, por favor ustedes completan esta diagram Venn para compara y contrastar las maneras diferentes de cepillarse los dientes que repasamos. Por favor incluye en su diagrama también la manera de cepillarse los dientes que nosotros ya saben y usan en nuestras casas. Su diagrama, entonces, necesita comparar y contrastar cuatro maneras diferentes de cepillarse los dientes—la manera que aprendieron en clase, la manera de los sobrevivientes, la manera de los pobres en Argentina, y la manera de los rurales en Nigeria.
Closure/Assessment/Evidence of Accomplishment: After the students have completed the diagrams, orally go over the information on their diagram and write the information they dictate on the white erase board (already in the classroom) making separate columns for similarities and differences. Have the students informally self-edit their own Venn diagrams in groups of four before taking up the diagrams for a grade.
Return their diagrams with comments, pass out a blank Venn diagram, and have them complete the new diagram where the final copy will go into their “Mi Segundo año” book.