Cultural Differences

Alphabet Relay Race

"The class will be split into two groups in order to do an alphabet relay race. An alphabet race is where a team must add a word, phrase, or saying to their chart paper that relates to the given topic. Each team must go in order from A to Z. And you can help your teammates if they can’t think of a word for the letter. But remember, you might want to whisper so the other team doesn’t hear your word and steal it. Before I assign teams are there any questions?" Give wait time and answer any questions.

"The topic of your alphabet poster is specific examples of cultural keys. You can think about words that relate to the types of cultural keys we have listed on the board. You will be able to use the list on the board as a reference. For example, say I have the letter F and I can’t think of a word. I can look at the categories on the board. I see the category of language. I think of a language that begins with the letter F- French." Model another think-aloud if needed.

"I am going to explain the directions first. We will not get up out of our seats until I say go. Directions: I am going to divide the class into two groups. In your group you will form a line. Each group will get one marker. Once you are done writing your word on the poster you hand the marker to the next person who will be at the front of the line. You then go to the end of the line. While you are waiting in line you can think of a word for your next turn and you might have to help a teammate come up with a word." Split class up into groups by the table they are sitting at. Distribute one marker per group. Line the groups up behind the “line” and begin. Side-coach as needed. Remind students that this is a race, but that we are also looking for examples of cultural keys. 

"Great work everyone. Let’s gather around and discuss what we see on these posters." Use DAR (Describe-Analyze-Relate) to discuss the posters.

D: Let’s first just describe what we notice.

A: Do you see any connections between the two posters? What else is popping out at you? Do you notice any differences between what the teams came up with?

R: Let’s move through the categories on the board and name out what we see. What words that you came up with on the posters relate to your own life and culture. Circle these on the poster in preparation for the next activity.

Transition: "Great job and thank you for participating in discussion. As you noticed we circled the specific cultural items that you find in your own lives. We are going to use these items in our next activity."

Role Play

"I would like you to think about what it would be like if some of these cultural items were taken away. We are going to work in the last section of our lesson today with identifying a cultural key that exists in your life and how it would change if that cultural key were taken away."

"For example, let’s look at one item we circled from our poster. Let’s discuss how our lives would be altered if this item didn’t exist or if it was changed. Allow discussion. What I am hearing are positive and negative issues that arise if this cultural key/item was taken away or eliminated."

Example: Dollar Bills  

1. Would people work? What else does that affect? (Food, manufacturing, general housing needs like electric, plumbing, and water…)
2. People would have to barter instead of exchanging items for money.
3. Resources would be available to all possibly.

"Let’s role play a situation where this cultural item does not exist and the people need to figure out a solution to the problem." Create a role-play scenario out of the given cultural items circled and discussed. Model the role play and then discuss what made the role play successful. Highlight the fact that role-play uses dialogue.

Example about Dollar Bills:

1. Barter goods and services with doctors to receive care. What would the doctor do when he already has the items the person is trying to give him in exchange for his services?

"You will work in pairs in order to solve the problem. You will dialogue as the character and figure out a solution to the problem. Please be prepared to share your role play with the class, so use this time to rehearse and think about what your role play will look like. You will have three minutes to work on your scene." Walk around and assist students as needed.

"Great work. We are going to share out some of the scenes in order to see how the world is different if this cultural item did not exist. Let’s pay attention and listen closely because I may ask you some questions when the students are done sharing." Have a group share. "Thanks for sharing. How did this doctor and patient solve the problem?" Discuss as a class. "Do we have another group willing to share?"

Transition: "As we noticed through our discussion and work, many of these cultural keys affect other things in our daily lives."

Interactive Journals

"We are going to now write in our interactive journals. In your journals I would like to write about what it would be like if any cultural items were taken away from your own life. Remember a cultural item is specific to your culture and is an example of a cultural key." Review what quality interactive journal prompt looks like. Side-coach and assist students as needed to write in their interactive journals.