MULTICULTURAL LESSON PLAN

A. Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.5 Recognize the Melting Pot idea and the

American Dream
1. 5th Grade
a. Objectives: The student will understand how to differentiate multiple
cultures. The student will also be able to share what the Melting Pot idea
is. The student will have a better understanding of what the American
Dream is.
b. Analysis: Student distinguishes, classifies, and relates to the paragraphs
about each culture and the American Dream.

B. Materials/Equipment: Asian American book called Boys Without Names by Kashmira

Sheth,
African American book called Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, Indian American
book called Eagle Song by Joseph Bruchac.

C. Procedures: Around the World- Reading Literature

1. Introduction- America is known as a country that’s like a tossed salad bowl. It
contains various vegetables and maybe some meat. A salad contains various
ingredients that mix well together, but still have their own distinct taste. Like
salads, America has many, different cultures integrated into one country while
still having their own identity. All of these cultures that have congregated to
America have brought a sense of multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is the
acceptance of multiple ethnic cultures. This goes back to that salad we were
talking about. Multiculturalism opens up new doors for people by showing them
diverse beliefs. This doesn’t mean that these cultures are forced onto another, but
they’re more so an alternative view that helps others come to beliefs that they can
call their own. In America, it is fully supported to accept and combine different
cultural ideas. Whether you were born in the country or you came from another
country, you are still allowed to have your own identity. America continues to
grow and grow each day. Immigrants come to our country in hopes of achieving
that “American dream.”
2. The students will break into three groups.
3. I will explain to the students what the terms “Melting Pot” and “American
Dream” means.
4. I will ask the students what those terms mean to them.
5. Each group will read the first chapter of one of the three books.
6. After the parts of each book are read, the students will discuss within their groups
what part of the chapter they think best shows the melting pot idea and the
American Dream.
7. One student from each group will take one sentence or paragraph that they think
best depicts the American Dream or the Melting Pot idea and write it on the
whiteboard.
8. The students will share with the other groups what piece from the text they found
and why they think it shows the Melting Pot idea or the American Dream.
 D. Closure: Each student will be chosen on at the end of the lesson and activities and will be
asked to share one new concept they learned about the different cultures or terms. Students can
also share what they liked and learned about the books that they were read.
E. Assessment: A worksheet will be made for each student and they will work alone. On the
worksheet they will answer questions about the lesson. The first question will have the student
define the terms, “Melting Pot”, “salad bowl” and “American Dream”. The next question will
have them identify the three cultures they learned about during the lesson. The last question will
have them write a short paragraph about what they know about their own culture and what they
learned about the cultures in the lesson.
F. References:
Sheth, Kashmira. Boys without Names. New York: Balzer Bray, 2010. Print.

Bruchac, Joseph, and Dan Andreasen. Eagle Song. New York: Dial for Young Readers, 1997.
Print.

Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. New York: Delacorte, 1999. Print.