Name: T.

Hedger Date: November 17, 2009

Lesson Title: Exploring Culture
Grade Level/Subject: 10th – 12th Grade
Benchmark(s):

Objectives(s):
1. Students will demonstrate their understanding of culture by creating an “I Am From” poem.
2. Students will demonstrate their understanding of simple greetings in Spanish by producing them
verbally.

Lesson Assessment: Students will create and “I Am From” poem, which demonstrates understanding of
the concept of culture, and will verbally produce basic Spanish greetings when prompted.

Materials: Length of Lesson: 45 minutes

Pacing Procedures/Activities Teacher Actions/Notes

(Teacher & Student)

2 minutes Set: Ask students if they have heard the phrase Free-Write, Pair Share, Whole Group
“100% American”. Explain that this was an idea Share / Discussion
of the KKK; that they represented 100%
Americans and were against those who did not Formative Assessment: Listen for
fit their idea of that. Free write response to the understanding of culture and cultural
prompt, “What does it mean to be 100% differences in students’ discussion
American?” Share response with partner. Ask a
couple students to share with group. Teacher
shares personal response to prompt.

4 minutes “What is it that makes us American? What Teacher-Directed Discussion

makes any group who they are?” Introduce the
concept of culture: “What do we call the way of
life of a certain group of people? That bit that
makes us different? What do we call our beliefs,
our customs; whether at the individual level, in
our community, or throughout our nation? What
is it that sets us here in the U.S. apart from
people elsewhere?” Allow students time to
think and process.

17 minutes “It is our culture. Each group has its own
culture which makes it unique and sets it apart
from the rest. What do you think of when you
hear the word ‘culture’?” Allow students time
to think and respond aloud. (about 2 minutes)
Whole Group Share, Modeling, Group
Brainstorming, Individual
Brainstorming
Check for understanding: Circulate the
 Have students brainstorm the concept of culture area as students work. Answer
small groups. Ask groups to share ideas from questions and observe brainstorming
their brainstorming. Share additional words, and visuals. Ask questions to help
phrases, etc. from personal brainstorming (about students who seem stuck.
5 minutes). Next, show students personal
culture chart. Have students continue
brainstorming on their own and create a visual
of what “culture” means to them (about 10
minutes). Ask for volunteers to show and share
their visual.

20 minutes “Now we are going to use what we have just Whole-Group Discussion, Modeling,
brainstormed about our own culture to write ‘I Individual Brainstorming
Am From’ poems. Has anyone written one of
these poems before? I am going to read an ‘I Check for understanding: Circulate the
Am From’ poem that I wrote; listen carefully as area as students work. Answer
I read to identify characteristics of the format of questions and observe. Ask questions
the poem.” Read aloud example poem. “What to prompt student thinking.
did you notice about the poem?” Discuss the
format of the poem: I am from…from…from. I
am from…from…from. Explain that students
will pick ideas from their culture charts and
think of specific examples to create lines for the
poem (about 5 minutes). “Does everyone
understand what is expected of them? Are there
any questions?” Release students to work on
own poems (about 15 minutes). As students
finish, ask for volunteers to share their poems
aloud.
Exit Slip
2 minutes Closure: Ask students to complete the
following: “How would you define ‘culture’?
Do you think there is one American culture?”
Ask students if they would like to keep their
work or if it can be turned in.
Self-reflection:

Extensions: Students will have the option to

continue working on their poems; they can make
them longer and/or add illustrations. Poems can
also then be typed.

Accommodations: A fill-in poem template can

be provided for students as needed.