.
It will be important for teachers to establish a classroom environment
that models acceptance of different cultures and ways of living. Students
should be encouraged to recognize that all cultures have value and that
one culture is not superior or inferior to another.
| Major Concept culture |
|
Related Concepts acculturation, assimilation, diversity, ethnocentrism, location, multicultural, patterns of culture, prejudice |
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Topics
Topic One: What is Culture? Topic Two: Patterns of Culture Topic Three: Economic Patterns - Meeting People's Needs Topic Four: Political Patterns - Decision-making Structures Topic Five: Kinship Patterns - The Structure of Families Topic Six: Artistic Patterns - Creative Expression Topic Seven: Religious Patterns - Beliefs, Ceremonies, Rituals and Traditions Topic Eight: Educational Patterns - Lessons for Life Topic Nine: Recreation and Play Patterns - Socializing and Learning Topic Ten: Cultural Patterns - Finding the Connections |
Acculturation
A process of intercultural borrowing resulting in new
and blended patterns.
Artistic Patterns
The ways in which a culture expresses its creativity.
Art includes music, drama, dance and literature, as well as the visual
arts such as painting, drawing and sculpture.
Assimilation
The process of making the minority culture resemble the
dominant culture.
Belief
An idea that describes the reason things are the way they are
in the world. Opinions and viewpoints are based on beliefs.
Culture
A learned way of living that is shared by a group of people.
The way of life of a group of people.
Cultural Patterns
A classification system that social scientists use to study cultures.
Democracy Government
ruled by the majority of the people through voting and elected representatives.
Discrimination
An unfair difference in the treatment and rights of people or ideas.
Diversity
The differences in ideas, people and ways of living.
Economic Patterns
The way that a cultural group organizes to meet its needs and wants.
Educational Patterns
The ways in which a cultural group organizes the teaching of children. These include both formal and informal instruction and learning.
Ethnocentrism
The attitude that one culture is best and that all other cultures should be compared with it.
Extended Family
A family that includes people of several generations, often living as one unit.
Industrial Society
A culture that depends on machines, technology and the specialization of labour to produce goods.
Kinship Patterns
The ways in which a cultural group organizes the roles and duties of the family members.
Multicultural
The word means "of many cultures". Canada is a blend of many cultures, and is called a multicultural nation.
Non-industrial Society
A culture in which there is little industrial production of goods, and most work is done manually.
Norms Rules
that describe the expected behaviour of people.
Nuclear Family
A two-generation family of parents and their children.
Political Patterns
The ways in which cultural groups make decisions,
settle conflicts and govern themselves.
Prejudice
An adverse opinion or judgement formed beforehand or without
fair examination of the facts.
Recreation Play Patterns
The ways in which cultures interact for entertainment,
learning and social reasons, and the ways that they use their leisure time.
Religious Patterns
The ways in which a culture organizes and practises a system of beliefs and worship based on faith and understanding of the forces that create power and order in the world.
Rituals
Special rites and ceremonies based on religious beliefs, often
marked by special times for individuals or groups.
Stereotype
A preconceived, standardized and oversimplified impression.
Tradition
Knowledge and customs passed on from one generation to the next.
The following list of resource titles provides a starting point for developing a Unit One resource collection that is current and relevant, and addresses students' various learning styles and abilities.
Culture Quest by Tony Burley
Families of the World Series
Finding Your Own Voice: You and Your Government
Lands, Peoples, and Culture Series
Lessons for Life: Education and Learning - Our Human Family Series
Taking Time Out: Recreation and Play - Our Human Family Series
Ties that Bind: Family and Community - Our Human Family Series
We Are All Related: A Celebration of Our Cultural Heritage
What Do We Know About...Series
Worldfocus Series
You and Your World (previously listed resource, much of whichis still useful)
The following print resources are listed for Middle Level English Language Arts (grades 6-9) and offer opportunities for interdisciplinary instruction.
Arts Alive - Meadowbooks Series
Becoming Brave: The Path to Native American Manhood
Chain of Fire (South African Culture)
Child of the Owl (Chinese American Culture)
Children of the River (Cambodian Culture)
Dream Carvers (Canadian Aboriginal Culture)
The Gift of Changing Woman
Global Issues - The Issues Collection (anthology)
Global Reading Safari (anthology)
Goodbye Vietnam (Vietnamese Culture)
An Inuk Boy Becomes a Hunter (Inuit Culture)
Invitation to the Game
Journey to Jo'burg (South African Culture)
Julie (Inuit Culture)
Julie of the Wolves (Inuit Culture)
Kiss the Dust (Kurdish Culture)
Letters From Rifka (Russian Culture)
A Taste of Salt (Haitian Culture)
Year of Impossible Goodbyes (Korean Culture)
Non-print Resources
The Arts - Faces of Culture Series (video)
Asmat of New Guinea: A Case Study in Religion and Magic - Faces
of Culture Series (video)
Aspects of Religion (CD-ROM)
How Beliefs and Values Define a Culture - How to Study Cultures
Series (video)
How Cultures are Studied - Faces of Culture Series (video)
How Geography Defines a Culture - How to Study Cultures Series
(video)
How Economic Activities Define a Culture - How to Study Cultures
Series (video)
How Social Organization Defines a Culture - How to Study Cultures
Series (video)
Island of the Blue Dolphin (video) (also listed for 6-9 ELA)
Kinship and Descent Part I - Faces of Culture Series (video)
Language and Communication - Faces of Culture Series (video)
New Orleans' Black Indians - A Case Study in the Arts (video)
Political Organizations - Faces of Culture Series (video)
Race to Freedom (video) (also listed for 6-9 ELA)
Religion and Magic - Faces of Culture Series (video)
Same Differences (video) (also listed for 6-9 ELA)
The Tarahumara (video) (also listed for 6-9 ELA)
The Yucatec Maya: A Case Study in Marriage and the Family - Faces
of Culture Series (video)
Teachers are advised to check the bibliography for Internet site addresses that support this unit. As well, many general interest sites are listed in Social Studies: An Information Bulletin for the Renewed Middle Level Curricula (Grades 7-9), March 1999, pp. 19-20. Due to the unstable nature of Internet sites, teachers are advised to access Saskatchewan Education's Web site at http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/curr inst/social/socialsciences.html.
See pages 378-381 in this curriculum guide for information about locating and evaluating Internet sites.
Incorporating current events enhances students' understanding of the concepts under study, and extends their learning experiences by relating the events to real life and making them relevant. Sources for current event stories include newspapers, news magazines, daily and weekly television and radio newscasts and documentaries, and the Internet. Many Canadian daily newspapers are available on-line and are a reliable source of current events. Select articles and news items to support the objectives and concepts as often as possible, and encourage students to contribute also. See pages 346-350 in this curriculum guide for some current event activities.
This unit may be adapted for interdisciplinary study. See page 336 in this curriculum guide for information about developing interdisciplinary units of study. The following are some suggestions for connecting this unit to other subject areas: