My fAMILY & Our CULTUREs

An exploration into the manyvaried expressions of culture…In our families, our nation, our

history, and our world.

THIS PROJECT WILL…1. Emphasize individual learning and

exploration;2. Set specific objectives and goals to be met;3. Involve students with one another in the

group projects;4. Involve teachers and school

administrators;5. Involve the school at large;6. Involve the community.

Expressions of culture in our classroomMy power point project relates to various cultures (particularly those expressed in the

classroom). I would like students to learn something of various cultural groups, languages, history, holidays, foods, etc.

The purpose will be to gain a greater appreciation for the many expressions of culture. Parents (and families) will be involved, as students will go to them for information about "family backgrounds" and family ancestors. Something about genealogy will be involved

here as well.

This project is intended to garner a greater appreciation for each individual students’ own culture and ethnicity, as well as learning about, and learning to appreciate, others'

as well. This is an exercise in appreciating both individuality and cultural group diversity.

The teacher will direct the student, and the student will be involving self, family, others (peers, school personnel, and community.)

THREE PARTS: My Family’s Culture, American Culture, Some World Cultures

WHAT IS CULTURE?“Culture” is defined as “the customary beliefs, social forms,

and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group” and “the skills, arts, etc. of a given people in a given period” (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary & Webster’s New Dictionary and Thesaurus)

Culture refers to the customs, life-style, or way of life of a group of people (in a nation, a region, a community, or even a family)

Culture can be expressed in the language, customs, dress, fashion, holidays, religion, art, music, food, literature, architecture, folklore, and folkways of people.

OUTLINE OF THIS PROJECTPart One: MY FAMILY & CULTURE

(a personal project involving each student individually)

Part Two: AMERICAN CULTURE(a group project, involving the classroom)

Part Three: WORLD CULTURES(a group project, involving class & community)

Part Four: LEARNING APPLICATIONS

MY FAMILY & CULTURE

1. What is your name?2. Who are your parents?

3. Where did your parents grow up?4. Who are your

grandparents?

Some other questions…

YOUWhat kind of house do you live in?Do you live in the city or in the country?How long have you lived where you do?What is your family’s religion?What holidays does your family observe?

Some other questions…(continued)

YOUR PARENTS:Where were your parents born?Where did they grow up?What kind of house did they grow up in?Where did they go to school?What do they remember best about growing

up?

Some other questions (continued)

YOUR GRANDPARENTSWhere were your grandparents born?Where did they grow up?Where did they go to school?What were the names of your grandparents

fathers and mothers?What do your grandparents remember best

about growing up?

What is your family origin?Talk to your parents, grandparents, other family

members, and find out where your family originally came from…How did they get where they are?What is most important to them?

What is your family name?

* What is your last name, and what is its origin?(is it Spanish, English, French, German, Hebrew, Greek, Native American, or….what?)

* Are there other people living in your area with the same last name? (consult a phone book)* What are the last names of all four of your grandparents (including “maiden names”), and what is the origin of their names?

Your Family’s CultureWhat language did your ancestors speak?

What language does your family speak now?

Find the country of your ancestor’s origin, and tell something about its culture: language, food, holidays, customs, dress…

CREATE A FAMILY TREE____________

YOU

_____________ _____________Your FATHER Your MOTHER

_____________ ____________ _____________ _____________Your father’s PARENTS GRANDPARENTS Your mother’s PARENTS

_____________ _____________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ _____________ _____________

Your GREAT-GRANDPARENTS

Can you find the names of your GREAT-GREAT GRANDPARENTS?

WEBSITES FOR FAMILY HISTORY

Can you find some information and resources on the Internet about family history and genealogy?

Some examples:www.familysearch.orgwww.usgenweb.orgwww.myheritage.org

AMERICAN CULTURE

What is unique about the United States in comparison to other countries in the world?

How has American culture influenced other people?

How have other people in the world influenced us in the United States?

Are there differences between people in different parts of the United States?

Kentucky Culture

QUESTIONS:1. When you hear “Kentucky,” what do you

think of?2. What do other people across America think

of Kentucky?3. Is Kentucky ever stereotyped? How? Why?4. Are you “proud” to be a Kentuckian? What

does that mean to you?

INHABITANTS OF NORTH AMERICAWho were the original inhabitants

of North America?How were the various groups similar to each

other, and how were they different?Where did they live?

What did they do to survive?Are there any things we still use today

that we learned from them?

SETTLERS OF NORTH AMERICA

Who were the first settlers in North America, beginning in the 17th Century?Where were they from?Why did they come here?

Where did they settle?How did they survive?What can we learn from

them?

EXPANSION ACROSS NORTH AMERICA

Why did European settlers on the east coast move westward?

When was Kentucky first settled bythese immigrants, and why did they

come here?

Who were Kentucky’s original inhabitants?

What does the name “Kentucky” mean?

WORLD CULTURES

All the inhabitants of the modern day United States, except for the Native American Indians, came from some other continent, some other nation – we have been called “a nation of immigrants,” as people immigrated here and remained.

Let’s learn something about different cultures:

SPANISH CULTURE: Espanol Name some countries where Spanish is the dominant language.Give some examples of Spanish / Hispanic food.

How would a teenager in a Spanish-speaking country be different, and similar, to you?

Learn a Spanish phrase. Name some famous people of Hispanic origin.

FRENCH CULTURE: FrancaisName some countries in the world where the

dominant language is French.Give some examples of French food.

How would a teenager in a French-speaking country be different, and similar, to you?

Learn a French phrase.Name some famous French people.

GERMAN CULTURE: DeutschName some countries in the world where the

dominant language is German.Give some examples of German food.How would a teenager in a German-speaking country be different, and similar, to you?

Learn a German phrase. Name some

famous Germans.

JAPANESE CULTURE

Tell something about the country of Japan. Give some examples of Japanese food.How would a teenager in Japan be different, and

similar, to you? Learn a Japanese phrase.Name some famous Japanese people.Give some examples of Japanese

influence on us.

ITALIAN CULTURE

Tell something about the country of Italy.Give some examples of Italian food.How would a teenager in an Italian-speaking

country be different, and similar, to you? Learn an Italian phrase.Name some famous Italians. Give some examples of Italian influence on us.

ARABIC CULTURE

Name some countries in the world wherethe dominant language is Arabic.

Give some examples of Arabic food.What is the predominant religion in the

Arabic world?How would a teenager in an Arabic

country be different, and similar, to you? Learn an Arabic phrase you can repeat.Give some examples of Arabic influence on us.

CHINESE CULTURE

Name some countries where the dominantlanguage is Chinese – what kinds of Chinese?

Give some examples of Chinese food.How would a teenager in China be

different, and similar, to you? Learn a Chinese phrase you can repeat.

Name some famous Chinese. Give some examples of Chinese influence on us.

___________ CULTURE

[Independent Study: Pick any nation, and research the answers to these questions]

1. What is the nation you have chosen?2. What is the primary language spoken?3. What are the predominant religions of these

people?4. What are some unique characteristics of this

nation’s culture (food, clothes, holidays, customs)?

APPLICATION OF LEARNING

Some ways to apply what you have learned:1. Share with your family some things you have learned

about your family.- Share this information with your parents.- Share this information with other family members.

2. Share with your school some things you have learned about family and culture (talk to your teacher and principal about making a presentation at a school program, such as a PTA meeting).

APPLICATION OF LEARNING (continued)

- Speak to school administrators about setting up a table about different cultures

- Speak to your principal about having a “culture day” in which different kinds of food can be demonstrated, and different kinds of culture can be demonstrated – try to involve any foreign language teachers in your school.

- Try to find someone in your community who grew up in another nation and culture, and ask them to speak to your classroom.

APPLICATION OF LEARNING (continued)

3. Share with your community what you have learned about family and culture:- Speak to someone at the local library about setting up a display regarding family historyor world cultures.- Contact a local genealogical group about attending a meeting, and perhaps describing to the group the project you have been involved in.

APPLICATION OF LEARNING (continued)

4. Determine to continue to be involved with learning about your family, your family’s culture, and other cultures in your community and in our world – a lifelong learning process!

APPLICATION OF LEARNING (continued)

5. Through knowledge and understanding, appreciate more the various expressions of culture in our world.

Summary…

Through learning comes understanding;

Through understanding comes appreciation;

Through appreciation comes respect.