Culture Unit

Day 1: Cultures in our Community Pages 2-4

Day 2: Cultures in our state, nation, and world Pages 5-7

Day 3: Borrowing and Respecting Other Cultures Pages 8-10

Day 4: My Culture Pages 11-13

Day 5: Family Cultural Traditions Pages 14-16

STANDARDS:
Standard 1: Students will recognize and describe how people within their community,
state, and nation are both similar and different.
Objective 1: Examine and identify cultural differences within the community.
a. Explain the various cultural heritages within their community.
b. Explain ways people respect and pass on their traditions and customs.
c. Give examples of how families in the community borrow customs or traditions from
other cultures.

THEME: Culture

LESSON TOPIC: Cultures in our Community

OBJECTIVES:
Content: I can describe different parts of culture by brainstorming in group.

Language: I can share inferences about different parts of culture by talking in a

group.

We have previously learned about inferences and will review this academic vocabulary as
a whole group when reading the objective.
KEY VOCABULARY:
Content Vocabulary:
Culture

Students will be learning vocabulary through a gallery walk, discussion with peers, and
brainstorming more forms of culture. Students will cement these examples of culture with
the focus on culture recognition during our shared reading.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS:
A way to show the jumpstart video
Gallery walk pictures
Clip boards
Two types of Mind map graphic organizer
Anchor chart paper
Mufaros Beautiful Daughters book

HOTS: HIGHER ORDER THINKING QUESTIONS AND TASKS:

Can you give an example of a different part of culture that was not in the gallery walk?
Can you identify the different parts of culture in Mufaros Beautiful Daughters?
What conclusions can you draw about parts of culture in Mufaros Beautiful Daughters?

Differentiated:
Can you tell me a different part of culture not in the pictures?
Raise your C hand if you hear a part of culture in Mufaros Beautiful Daughters?

STRATEGIC GROUP CONFIGURATIONS

After the gallery walk I will split students into groups of three. I will use precision
grouping to create groups that are mixed ability yet not on drastically different levels. I
will write the names of my students in ability order down in three columns with the same

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number of names in each column. Then I will circle the names horizontally to create
groups.

When students share with their buddies on the rug during our shared reading I will assign
rug seats based on precision grouping for elbow buddies.
MOTIVATION:
(Building background and explicit links to past learning)
My jumpstart video helps to create a link to any past experiences they have with various
cultures and elements of culture. The pictures help students create connections to
elements of everyday life in both their own cultures and other cultures around the world.
The pictures also help to consolidate a list of different aspects of life that are included in a
basic definition of culture. Brainstorming in groups helps students to be able to express
their own ideas and tap into each others prior knowledge.

LESSON SEQUENCE:
(Language and content objectives, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction,
feedback)

I will start class by going over my content and language objectives. We will read one
objective at a time and then I will ask a student to explain what we are doing during that
lesson. We will also review the word inference as a whole class.

I start by introducing the word, culture, by showing a whole-group jumpstart video.

Culture includes the beliefs, celebrations, food, art, dress, and even more from a
particular group.

Culture Gallery Walk

After introducing the word culture, I will give directions for our gallery walk and model the
graphic organizer. The pictures will include clothes, celebrations, language, food, and art
from a variety of cultures. Students will walk around and create mind maps about the
gallery walk with a graphic organizer.
After our group is done going through the gallery walk I will create groups of three based
on precision grouping. Students will then sit down in groups and share their mind maps
and brainstorm more aspects of culture by adding to their mind map graphic organizers.
Differentiation: Some of the mind map graphic organizers will already have some key
words filled in and students will add details to their mind maps.

Example of additional elements od culture: sports, music, dance, art, literature, food,
government, religion, and celebrations/holiday.

The groups will present to class and I will create an anchor chart with their ideas.

Shared Reading with culture recognition

After we are done with our anchor chart we will sit down and read Mufaros Beautiful
Daughters. Every time an aspect of culture or an example of an aspect of culture is
mentioned students must shape their hand into C to represent culture. I will sometimes
stop when we make Cs and have students share with their buddies. I will scaffold with
think-alouds for students during the reading to help students start thinking about the
book in terms of culture.
Differentiation: My think-alouds will help scaffold struggling students to be able to
participate by raising their hands. I will assign elbow buddies for the shared reading.

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 PRACTICE AND APPLICATION: MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES
(Meaningful activities, interaction, strategies, practice and application, feedback)
Culture Gallery Walk
Shared Reading with culture recognition

REVIEW/ASSESSMENT:
(Review objectives and vocabulary, assess learning)
I will assess using an exit ticket. Students will be given an empty notecard and must write
down as many different elements of culture as they can think of on one side.
Differentiation: I will allow students to draw parts of culture instead of write.

I will assess based on their fist to five on the content and language objectives.
Show me Fist-to-5
5 = I can and I can teach others
4 = I can
3 = I can with a few mistakes
2 = I can with help
1 = I need more practice
Fist = I dont understand yet

I will also assess the students mind map graphic organizers when I collect them and I will
make observation notes after our shared reading.

WRAP-UP: (Go over content and language objectives; closure of lesson)

We will wrap up by decorating the front of this units personal dictionary. Students will
also add their own definition of culture in their personal dictionary. Then we will review
our content and language objectives with a fist to five. Lastly, I will give students an exit
ticket to complete.
(Reproduction of this material is restricted to use with Echevarria, Vogt, and Short, 2013. Making
Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model.)

4
STANDARDS:
Standard 1: Students will recognize and describe how people within their community,
state, and nation are both similar and different.
Objective 1: Examine and identify cultural differences within the community.
a. Explain the various cultural heritages within their community.
b. Explain ways people respect and pass on their traditions and customs.
Give examples of how families in the community borrow customs or traditions from other
cultures.

THEME: Culture

LESSON TOPIC: Cultures in our state, nation, and world

OBJECTIVES:
Content: I can compile examples cultural traditions and customs from one culture
by researching with a partner.

Language: I can read about and summarize examples of traditions and customs
from one culture with a partner by reading a book with a partner and filling out
a graphic organizer.

KEY VOCABULARY:
Content Vocabulary:
Tradition
Custom
Culture

Students will play Pictionary with the units vocabulary words to familiarize themselves
with them and demonstrate the ability to illustrate them.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS:
Pictionary cards based on anchor chart for every four students
Cinderella stories from different cultures
Two types Cinderella Graphic organizer
Lined paper
Story sentence starters

HOTS: HIGHER ORDER THINKING QUESTIONS AND TASKS:

Can you illustrate how customs and traditions are similar or different?
Can you prepare an alternative story with five aspects of culture included?

Differentiated:
Can you draw a picture of how customs and traditions are similar or different?
Can you write a story with five parts of culture included?

STRATEGIC GROUP CONFIGURATIONS

I will have students work in their table groups for Pictionary. My table groups are mixes of
ability and learning styles. My table groups have a variety of language backgrounds
represented and are created to make balanced groups.

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I will pair my students homogenously for the Cinderella story culture hunt based on
reading ability. I will pair my students based on reading level in order to give them a best
fit book possible.

I will create homogenous partnerships based on writing ability for writing differentiation. I
am grouping with similar ability partnerships to make sure that all students are
participating fully even if the finished product is different. The sentence starters on the
board will naturally be used more by my students who struggle with writing. I will also be
able to move around between students I know need help because they will be grouped
together.

MOTIVATION:
(Building background and explicit links to past learning)
I will connect to prior knowledge and building background by having students play
Pictionary in groups of four with the words from the anchor chart from the previous
lesson.

LESSON SEQUENCE:
(Language and content objectives, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction,
feedback)
I will start class by going over my content and language objectives. We will read one
objective at a time and then I will ask a student to explain what we are doing during that
lesson.

I will create groups of four for students to play Pictionary in. I will create Pictionary cards
with the words from the anchor chart from the previous lesson.

Cinderella Story Culture Hunt

Students will work in pairs to read a Cinderella story and fill out a graphic organizer with
different elements of culture.
Differentiation: Pairs will be homogenous based on reading ability. All partnerships will
be different to create more flexible group arrangements. Students will receive a Cinderella
story in their reading level. I will also have two different graphic organizers. One graphic
organizers will be fill in the blank and the other students will have space to draw.

Stories with explicit cultural elements

I will start by having students review elements of culture through making a story with at
least five examples of aspects of culture included with a partner.
Differentiation: I will create homogenous partnerships based on writing ability for
writing differentiation. Students who need an extra challenge can write longer stories with
more elements of culture included. Students can also refer back to the examples they
pulled out of their Cinderella story in their graphic organizers.

Partners will read their stories and the other students must raise their Cs when an
element of culture is mentioned just like the story from the day before.

Example Sort
I will then introduce the words, custom and tradition, to the group. We will sort some of
the examples used in the students stories on the white board which will help us learn that
some forms of culture can be either a custom or a tradition.

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 PRACTICE AND APPLICATION: MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES
(Meaningful activities, interaction, strategies, practice and application, feedback)
Stories with explicit cultural elements
Cinderella Story Culture Hunt
Example Sort

REVIEW/ASSESSMENT:
(Review objectives and vocabulary, assess learning)
There will be three differentiated assessments. Students will be assessed on their
knowledge of the words custom and tradition. Option one - students will create examples
of customs or traditions. Option two students will read examples and explain why the
example is either a custom or a tradition. Option three students will circle whether an
example is a custom or tradition. I can also read aloud the examples if needed.
Differentiation: I will be differentiated by having students either create examples, sort
examples and explain, or sort examples by circling the answer. All students will show
their understanding with an example but the three assessments are for different levels of
English proficiency.

I will assess based on their fist to five on the content and language objectives.
Show me Fist-to-5
5 = I can and I can teach others
4 = I can
3 = I can with a few mistakes
2 = I can with help
1 = I need more practice
Fist = I dont understand yet

I will collect my students stories and assess them. I will take observation notes
during the story reading. I will also collect the Cinderella graphic organizers.

WRAP-UP: (Go over content and language objectives; closure of lesson)

We will start our review by having students come up with a definition in their own words
of custom and tradition in this units personal dictionary. Then we will review our content
and language objectives with a fist to five. Lastly, I will pass out the custom and tradition
assessments.
(Reproduction of this material is restricted to use with Echevarria, Vogt, and Short, 2013. Making
Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model.)

7
STANDARDS:
Standard 1: Students will recognize and describe how people within their community,
state, and nation are both similar and different.
Objective 1: Examine and identify cultural differences within the community.
a. Explain the various cultural heritages within their community.
b. Explain ways people respect and pass on their traditions and customs.
c. Give examples of how families in the community borrow customs or traditions from
other cultures.

THEME: Culture

LESSON TOPIC: Borrowing and Respecting Other Cultures

OBJECTIVES:
Content: I can determine where my favorite foods come from by researching
individually.

Language: I can research where my favorite foods come from by searching on the
internet.

KEY VOCABULARY:
Content Vocabulary:
Culture
Respect

Students will practice vocabulary during our shared reading activity. I will include Think-
Alouds that focus on examples of culture.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS:
Food Books
Three different types food and country graphic organizers
World map
Three pins per student
Sandwich Swap book
Blank or lined paper

HOTS: HIGHER ORDER THINKING QUESTIONS AND TASKS:

Can you make a prediction about where one of your food comes from?
How would you feel if someone was making fun of your culture?
Differentiated:
Can you guess where one of your food comes from?

How would you feel if someone was making fun of something you were eating?
STRATEGIC GROUP CONFIGURATIONS
We will discuss as a whole group our favorite foods with some think, pair, shares with
elbow buddies. Elbow buddies are precision grouped because of their assigned rug
seating.

Students will work individually on their food research and mapping.

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Students occasionally turn to their elbow buddies during our shared reading of The
Sandwich Swap. Elbow buddies are the same as previously in the unit. They are precision
grouped in their assigned rug seating.

MOTIVATION:
(Building background and explicit links to past learning)
We will discuss our favorite foods and discover what different cultures our foods come
from.

LESSON SEQUENCE:
(Language and content objectives, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction,
feedback)
I will start class by going over my content and language objectives. We will read one
objective at a time and then I will ask a student to explain what we are doing during that
lesson.

Food Research and Food Mapping

Students will choose three foods they like and sign up for them on the board. No two
students can do the same foods. When students have chosen their three foods they can
start to research. Students will be able to research in a food and culture book after they
finish writing their three foods both on the board and in their graphic organizer. They can
use the books to look up where their foods are from and write down their answers in a
given graphic organizer. If they cannot find their food in one of the books set out I will
help them research on the internet.

Students will share their food and stick a pin into a world map where their food is from.
After all the students have finished sharing we will sit in a circle and discuss.
Differentiation:
I will have some graphic organizers that already have the food written down for the
student so they can get straight to work researching and have less writing. I will also
have a cut and paste graphic organizer for students who need the extra writing support.

Sandwich Swap Activity

We will read the Sandwich Swap as a whole class as a shared reading activity. I will go
through the book with a focus on what the characters feeling are and how my students
would feel if they were in that situation. I will stop and ask about the characters to make
sure everyone understands who the main characters are. I will also stop and ask my
students how they think the characters feel and how they would feel. The goal is for
students to be able to discuss being nice to each other even if we are different after we
read the book. I will guide the discussion to the word respect and we will create a class
definition of the word. After our guided discussion I will have students go back to their
desk and have an option of writing or drawing what they think it looks like to respect
another culture.
Differentiation: Students will be turning to their elbow buddies on the rug during some
of the questions during the shared reading. I give them assigned seats on the rug to
create precision reading ability groups. I want students to communicated effectively with
their partner and not have one partner taking over. I have been observing the groups and
changing them to make sure students are paired effectively. Students also get a choice
between writing and drawing after reading the book.

PRACTICE AND APPLICATION: MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES

(Meaningful activities, interaction, strategies, practice and application, feedback)

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 Food Research and Food Mapping
Sandwich Swap Activity

REVIEW/ASSESSMENT:
(Review objectives and vocabulary, assess learning)
Students will be assessed through a parking lot sticky note activity. Students will be given
a choice between two parking lots. The first parking lot will ask students to give an
example of respect on their sticky note and in the second parking lot students can write
down what food origin surprised them and why it surprised them.
Differentiation: Students will be given an option between recalling something from the
lesson and explaining why it surprised them or giving an example of respect. I will also
allow some students to draw their respect example and I will put sentence frames on the
board for explaining their surprise.

I will assess based on their fist to five on the content and language objectives.
Show me Fist-to-5 s
5 = I can and I can teach others
4 = I can
3 = I can with a few mistakes
2 = I can with help
1 = I need more practice
Fist = I dont understand yet

I will observe students when they present their food and country. I will also
collect and assess their food and country graphic organizers. I will take
observation notes after our discussion about respect. I will assess their drawings
or written descriptions to see who understood the concept of respect.

WRAP-UP: (Go over content and language objectives; closure of lesson)

I will wrap up having students write their own definition of respect in their personal
dictionaries. Then we will review our content and language objectives with a fist to five.
Lastly, students will park their sticky notes.
(Reproduction of this material is restricted to use with Echevarria, Vogt, and Short, 2013. Making
Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model.)

10
STANDARDS:
Standard 1: Students will recognize and describe how people within their community,
state, and nation are both similar and different.
Objective 1: Examine and identify cultural differences within the community.
a. Explain the various cultural heritages within their community.
b. Explain ways people respect and pass on their traditions and customs.
Give examples of how families in the community borrow customs or traditions from other
cultures.

THEME: Culture

LESSON TOPIC: My Culture

OBJECTIVES:
Content: I can describe important parts of my culture including holidays, clothes,
language, food, beliefs, and art by writing about my culture.
Language: I can express likes and dislikes about parts of my culture including
holidays, clothes, language, food, beliefs, and art by filling in a graphic
organizer.

KEY VOCABULARY:
Content Vocabulary:
Tradition
Custom
Culture

Cross-Curricular Vocabulary:
Respect
Holiday
Clothes
Language
Food
Beliefs
Art
Values
Symbols

Students will study the units vocabulary by unscrambling the letters to create the
vocabulary words and by illustrating the vocabulary.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS:
Poster board
Colored paper
Scissors
Glue
Magazines
Paper for coloring

HOTS: HIGHER ORDER THINKING QUESTIONS AND TASKS:

Can you design a poster to explain your culture to a stranger?
How many ways can you illustrate ____? (a vocabulary word)

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Differentiated:
Can you draw your culture on this paper?
Can you draw ___ two different ways? (a vocabulary word)
STRATEGIC GROUP CONFIGURATIONS
Culture vocabulary pairs will be created trying to get partners with the same language
backgrounds. If I have multiple students from the same language background, I will use
precision grouping to match them.

Students will work individually on their culture posters.

MOTIVATION:
(Building background and explicit links to past learning)
Students will work in partners to unscramble letters from this units vocabulary words.
Students who finish early will receive letters of words that we are studying today. When
all students have finished the units vocabulary all students will be able to create
illustrations of each of the vocabulary words.
LESSON SEQUENCE:
(Language and content objectives, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction,
feedback)
I will start class by going over my content and language objectives. We will read one
objective at a time and then I will ask a student to explain what we are doing during that
lesson.

Culture Vocabulary
Our first activity will be a focused vocabulary lesson in pairs. Students will be assigned a
partner and given letters. All of the letters are rubber banded together out of order.
Students must unscramble the words to create vocabulary words from the unit. Students
who finish early will receive letters of words that we are studying today. When all
students have finished the units vocabulary all students will be able to create illustrations
of each of the vocabulary words.

Differentiation: I will differentiate by have students work in the same language

background so I can scaffold successfully for each group that needs my help
unscrambling. Students will work in precision grouping to help create partnerships that
can help each other without one person taking over. Early finishers will have extra words
to unscramble and could possibly start the illustrations if very fast.

My Culture Poster
I will start by showing my example culture poster. I created a poster about my culture. I
added things that are important to me including my family, my dog, food I like, and what
I like to wear.
I will ask students to explore what their culture looks like. Students need at least three
different parts of culture on their poster. Students can use drawings, magazine cut outs,
printed pictures, writing, illustrations, and anything else they can find in the classroom to
illustrate and describe their personal culture.
Differentiation: Students can participate and describe their culture anyway they want.
By giving choice I allow for any level of English proficiency to create a meaningful project.
Students can use any form of expression they want to add to their poster.

PRACTICE AND APPLICATION: MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES

(Meaningful activities, interaction, strategies, practice and application, feedback)
Culture Vocabulary

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 My Culture Poster

REVIEW/ASSESSMENT:
(Review objectives and vocabulary, assess learning)
I will assess by having students create a self report on their knowledge of the vocabulary
words with a VKS (vocabulary knowledge scale). Students will write down 1-5 for each
word. If students choose 3, 4, or 5 there is space for them to write synonyms, a
definition, or a sentence.
I dont remember having seen this word before. (1)
I have seen this word before, but I dont think I know what it means. (2)
I have seen this word before, and I think it means ________. (3)
I know this word. It means _______. (4)
I can use this word in a sentence. _______. (5)
Differentiation: Students who at a lower level of English proficiency can draw for 3, 4,
and 5 instead of writing.

I will assess based on their fist to five on the content and language objectives.
Show me Fist-to-5 s
5 = I can and I can teach others
4 = I can
3 = I can with a few mistakes
2 = I can with help
1 = I need more practice
Fist = I dont understand yet

WRAP-UP: (Go over content and language objectives; closure of lesson)

I will wrap up having students write their own definition of holiday, clothes, language,
food, values, symbols, beliefs, and art in their personal dictionaries. Then we will review
our content and language objectives with a fist to five. Lastly, I will give students their
VKS self assessment.
(Reproduction of this material is restricted to use with Echevarria, Vogt, and Short, 2013. Making
Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model.)

13
STANDARDS:
Standard 1: Students will recognize and describe how people within their community,
state, and nation are both similar and different.
Objective 1: Examine and identify cultural differences within the community.
a. Explain the various cultural heritages within their community.
b. Explain ways people respect and pass on their traditions and customs.
Give examples of how families in the community borrow customs or traditions from other
cultures.

THEME: Culture

LESSON TOPIC: Family Cultural Traditions

OBJECTIVES:
Content: We can explain our communitys culture by interviewing our peers.

Language: We can question our peers about their culture by talking to our peers.

KEY VOCABULARY:
Content Vocabulary:
Community
Tradition
Custom
Culture

Cross-Curricular Vocabulary:
Respect
Holiday
Language
Clothes
Values
Symbols

We review vocabulary with a snowballing activity. Students will also be able to review
their personal dictionaries.

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS:
Culture Posters
Paper
Writing utensils
Clip boards
Sentence frames for facts

HOTS: HIGHER ORDER THINKING QUESTIONS AND TASKS:

What is the relationship between __ and __s culture posters?
What is the main idea of __s poster?

Differentiated:
How are __ and __ the same?
What is ___s poster mostly about?

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MOTIVATION:
(Building background and explicit links to past learning)
I like the idea of snowballing vocabulary because students receive opportunities to use all
four domains of language and we correct any common mistakes as a class. Students must
write down their word or definition then students have to read their snowball. Students
then must talk and listen to their peers to find their partner.

LESSON SEQUENCE:
(Language and content objectives, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction,
feedback)
I will start class by going over my content and language objectives. We will read one
objective at a time and then I will ask a student to explain what we are doing during that
lesson.

Snowballing Vocabulary
Students are given either a vocabulary word from the unit or need to write a definition for
a vocabulary word on a piece of paper. Definitions and words are on two different colors
of paper. After all students have finished writing either their word or their definition we
will line up on opposite sides of the room (definition on one side and words on the other).
Students will participate in a snowball fight for one minute where they can throw
snowballs (pieces of paper) back and forth. When the music ends every student must find
one piece of paper. Students must find the person with the matching definition or word to
their piece of paper. Once every student has found their partner we will go around and
read aloud our pieces of paper and correct any mistakes in definitions.
Differentiation: Students who struggle with writing can write down a word instead of a
definition. I can also differentiate by scaffolding discussions between students that are
struggling to find their partners.

Culture Poster Session

I will split students into two groups trying to get as many different cultural
representations in each group. The first group will set up their posters around the room
and the second group will walk around and ask questions. Students must take notes on
each others cultures. With at least one fact per student. They will turn in their facts to me
before we switch. The second group will then set up their posters and be interviewed by
the first group. The first group needs at least one fact per student too. I will also collect
their facts.
Differentiation: I will write sentence frames on the board to help students who need
help with writing. Students who need additional help may draw their facts about each
student instead of writing them.
Sentence Frame: _____s culture includes _________.

PRACTICE AND APPLICATION: MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES

(Meaningful activities, interaction, strategies, practice and application, feedback)
Snowballing Vocabulary
Culture Poster Session

REVIEW/ASSESSMENT:
(Review objectives and vocabulary, assess learning)
I will collect my students personal dictionaries. I will write any feedback I have for
students on the personal dictionaries and give students an opportunity to revise before
giving a final grade.

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 Differentiation: Students have graphic organizers for their personal dictionaries. I have
filled out some of the graphic organizers in advance with the word and/or definition.

I will assess based on their fist to five on the content and language objectives.
Show me Fist-to-5 s
5 = I can and I can teach others
4 = I can
3 = I can with a few mistakes
2 = I can with help
1 = I need more practice
Fist = I dont understand yet

We will review by having a final discussion of other students cultures. Students will have
an opportunity to share something they liked about other students posters. I will observe
what they remember and prompt students to use vocabulary words when discussing
students cultures. I will introduce the word community and talk about how we are a
community of various cultures.

WRAP-UP: (Go over content and language objectives; closure of lesson)

We will have our group discussion and I will take observation notes. I will wrap up having
students write their own definition of community in their personal dictionaries. Then we
will review our content and language objectives with a fist to five.
If we have extra time we can read The Day the Crayons Quit.
(Reproduction of this material is restricted to use with Echevarria, Vogt, and Short, 2013. Making
Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model.)

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