Courtney Barker

Geography/ 7th Grade

Elements of Culture/ Introduction to Culture through Western Europe Unit

Rationale

  • I chose to teach this lesson because understanding the building blocks of culture, or the elements of culture, is essential to understanding the way people from different societies and cultural groups act.
  • I also chose to teach this lesson because understanding other people’s culture helps to promote empathy for other and promotes social justice.

Objectives

  • Seventh grade geography students will be able to:
  • identify the different elements of culture by developing those elements in their own culture through the successful completion of the worksheet packets and the successful presentation of their group’s culture.

Focus Questions

  • Why is it important for you to understand a country’s culture?
  • Why is it important for you to understand the major cultures of Western Europe?

SunshineState Standards

  • People, Places and Environments
  • Standard 1: The student understands the world in spatial terms (SS.B.1.3)
  • Standard 2: The student understands the interactions of people and the environment (SS.B.2.3)

Content Summary

  • I will be presenting the basic elements of culture to the class. The elements of culture are symbols, values, language, norms and artifacts. I will also be discussing rituals and religion as part of a country’s culture. In order to explain the different elements and help the students to understand their meaning and how they relate to their world, I will also present the text book definition of these elements as well as examples of each element.
  • Once the students have participated in the lecture on the elements of culture, they will then apply this information in the creation of their own culture within collaborative groups.

Procedures

  1. Warm-up
  2. Introduction of Focus Questions for the new unit
  3. I will explain that the students should be considering these questions as we move through the day’s lesson and the following activities in the unit.
  4. The students will have an opportunity to ask any questions they may have about the focus questions.
  5. Elements of Culture mini-lecture
  6. The students will be given a copy of closed notes that follow the lecture exactly. They will be asked to fill in the notes as we move through the power point presentation.
  7. During the lecture the students will be given many opportunities to interact with certain pictures that depict different aspects of various cultures.
  8. I will also ask the students to formulate their own definitions and explanations for each symbol of culture before providing the answer that is contained in the closed notes.
  9. Create your own culture collaborative group project
  10. Students will be asked to get into their assigned groups while I pass out the worksheet packets the students need to complete the project.
  11. I will give the general directions for completing the project. Then go over the more detailed instructions that are contained within the worksheet packets. After I have gone over all the directions orally, I will open the floor up for any questions the students may have.
  12. The students will be released and given time in class to complete their project. [CMB1]
  13. This part of the activity will take at least two block schedule class periods.
  14. Poster Session
  15. Half of the class will stand by their posters and present their cultures to the other half of the class who will be responsible for completing the student rubric for at least three cultures.
  16. Then the half that was completing the student rubrics will present their cultures to the other half of the class who will now complete the student rubrics.
  17. While the students are circulating around the class viewing the other students’ cultures, I will also be circulating around the class and completing their official rubrics for the presentation grade.
  18. I believe that this way of setting up group presentations will relieve some of the anxiety middle school students might have about speaking in front of a large group of their peers.
  19. Wrap-up
  20. I will discuss with the class their feelings about the project and how creating their own culture helped them to better understand the elements of culture and how other societies function.
  21. This section will also serve as a review for the terms learned during the mini-lecture

Resources

  • Worksheet packet which will include:
  • Group Information sheet
  • Creating your own culture instruction sheet
  • Group Roles description sheet
  • Naming Your Culture worksheet
  • Physical Geography worksheet
  • Power Structure worksheet
  • Family Structure worksheet
  • Various Characteristics of Your Culture worksheet
  • Presentation Requirements sheet
  • Poster Session Instruction sheet
  • Presentation Rubric
  • Student Rubrics for the Poster Session
  • Poster board
  • Markers
  • Plain white paper
  • Tap or Glue
  • Overhead Projector
  • Overheads of various instruction sheets including:
  • Creating your own culture instruction sheet
  • Poster Session instruction sheet

Assessment

  • Worksheet Packet
  • Students will be graded for completeness and quality of answers.
  • Group Presentation
  • Students will be graded based on the rubric they will receive before hand and will be able to tailor their presentation to fit the rubric.

[CMB1] This is where Tuesday’s class will begin.