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Cultures
Teacher Day Time Branch TA Class
Liz

Resources needed:
• Markers
• Worksheets

Stage: intro Aim: If you could transport yourself anywhere instantly, where would you go and
Page: why?
Time: 10-15
Method: Imagination Station
• T will ask question.
• Ss have to pick somewhere outside of China.
• Ss will talk in groups about where they would go and why.
• One S from each group will share with the class.
Comments

Stage: intro/ Aim: SW take turns teaching vocabulary necessary for this class to the class.
practice
Method: Groups P. 3 (cut apart)
Page:
Time: 10-19 • Each group will be given 1-2 words with definitions.
• Groups will have 3-4 minutes to prepare.
• T will monitor and make sure students understand words.
• Groups will take turns presenting words to class. Each has 2-4 min to present
words.
• If group has more than one word, must have a different speaker for each word.
Comments

Stage: practice Aim: SWBAT talk about places they’ve been and ppl they’ve met from other cultures.
Page:
Method: worksheet P.4
Time: 10-12
• T will give Ss work sheet.
• Ss will talk in small groups.
• Group leader will present some group answers.
Comments

Stage: Aim: SWBAT talk about languages and nationalities of different countries.
Page:
Method: Cultural worksheet P.5
Time: 6-10
• Ss in groups try to fill out worksheet about language and nationalities.
• T will go over answers with Ss to make sure everyone has correct answers.
Comments

Stage: Aim: SW discuss misconceptions, practice speaking.

Page:
Method:
Time: 5-10
• T states misconception about China as fact. “All Chinese are good at math.”
Writes it on board.
• misconception: review- what is it? From vocab exercise.
• Go back to stated misconception- get Ss to correct it. “Some Chinese ppl are
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good at math.
• What are some common misconceptions?
• Ss give some things that they think might be misconceptions.
• T writes on board.
Comments

Stage: Aim: SWBAT talk about misconceptions.

Page:
Method: worksheet P.6
Time: 5-10
• Fact or fiction: In small groups, Ss will decide if statements are fact or fiction.
• Debunking misconceptions
• T will go over sheet.
• Ss volunteer answers.
Comments

Stage: production Aim: SW talk about holidays.

Page:
Time: 15-20 Method: worksheet P.7
• groups
• Ss will talk about favorite holiday
• One volunteer from each group will share with the rest of the class.
Comments

Stage: practice Aim: SW learn about holidays in different countries.

Page:
Time: 12-15 Method: Group presentation P.8-9 (cut apart)
• Give each group one holiday.
• Ss have 4-6min to read and prepare.
• T monitor, answer questions.
• Groups present holiday.
Comments

Stage: practice Aim: SWBAT practice writing and vocab in a fun way.
Page:
Method: Story game
Time: 10-12
• T will write who, what how where when why on board.
• T will explain sentence game.
• T will give Ss blank paper (use back of a worksheet, save trees)
• Tell them to write someone's name at the top of their paper, i.e., their own, a
classmate's, the teacher's, a famous person that everyone knows; fold the paper
over once so no one can see it, then pass the paper to the person on their right.
• Write on the received paper what the subject did (suggest funny or outrageous
actions), fold it over and pass it on to the right.
• Continue to write one line, how they did it (adverbs), fold and pass; where-
pass; when-pass; and last of all, why (because...) and pass it one more time.
• Have the students unfold their stories, and read them silently. Help anyone
who cannot read what the others wrote, or doesn't understand.
• Groups choose one story to read aloud to the class.
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Comments
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Country: a piece of land that has boundaries. Examples: China, Australia, Canada

Nationality: what a person is called from a certain country. Example- I am from China. I am Chinese.
Chinese is the nationality of a person from China.

Language: what people speak. Examples: In China, people speak Chinese. In France, people speak
French.

Culture: a particular society at a particular time and place.

Society: a group of people living as members of a community.

Misconception: A mistaken thought, idea, or notion; a misunderstanding.

Holiday: a day fixed by law or custom on which ordinary business is suspended in commemoration of
some event or in honor of some person. Examples: New years, Christmas

Celebrate: to observe a day or an event with festivities or parties. –to have a party.
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Answer the following questions. If answer is yes, explain.

1. Have you been to another city in china that was different from your own?

2. Have you been to another country?

3. Have you met someone from another country? What was that person like?
(language, nationality)
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Country Nationality Language

America American English

France __________ __________

China __________ __________

Brazil __________ __________

Spain __________ __________

India __________ __________

Italy __________ __________

Egypt __________ __________

Korea __________ __________

England __________ __________

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True or False

1. French fries are from France.

2. Most Americans own a car.

3. Every Asian country uses chopsticks.

4. Koala bears (in Australia) are cuddly.

5. All people from Africa are black.

6. All English people drink tea.

7. Everyone in America owns a gun.

8. China has a very long history.

9. All Americans are fat and stupid.

10. New Zealand is part of Australia.

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Answer the questions:

1. What’s you favorite holiday?

2. How do you celebrate your favorite holiday?

3. Do other countries celebrate that holiday?

4. How do they celebrate differently than you do?

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Lantern Festival or Yuanxiao Festival (15th day of the 1st lunar month)
This day features lantern displays, lion and dragon dances, and eating yuanxiao (ball-shaped sweet rice
dumplings with delicious stuffing.). The Lantern Festival also marks the end of the Chinese New Year
season.

Mid-Autumn Festival (15th day of the 8th lunar month)

It is second only to the Chinese New Year in significance. The moon on this day is the fullest and largest to
the eye. Viewing it by the whole family while feasting on good wine, fruits and moon-cakes features the
night event. There is also a beautiful story behind it. Children are told that there's fairy on the moon living in
a spacious but cold crystal palace with her sole companion, a jade rabbit. A heavenly general and friend
would occasionally pay her a visit, bringing along his fragrant wine. She would then dance a beautiful dance.
The shadows on the moon made the story all the more credible and fascinating to the young imaginative
minds.

Valentine's Day
A Day for love and lovers. A Day for flowers, romance, and candy hearts. A day for Cupid, kisses and
snuggling galore!
The holiday of Valentine's Day is thought to derive its origins from the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalia.
The Romans called upon one of their gods, Lupercus, to keep the wild wolves away. A festival held in honor
of Lupercus was celebrated February 15th.
One custom of the holiday was a name-drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of
Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man drew a slip and the girl
whose name was chosen was to be his sweetheart for the year.
The Roman Emperor ordered his soldiers NOT to marry or become engaged. He believed that as married
men, his soldiers would want to stay home with their families rather than fight his wars. A Roman priest,
named Valentine, defied the Emperor's decree and secretly married the young couples. The priest was
eventually arrested, imprisoned, and put to death.
Valentine was beheaded on February 14th, the eve of the Roman holiday Lupercalia. After his death,
Valentine was eventually named a saint. And as Rome became more Christian, the celebration of Lupercalia
was moved from the 15th of February to the 14th. The holday now became a day to honor Saint Valentine
instead of Lupercus
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Ramadan (Islamic)

Observed by more than one billion Muslims around the world, Ramadan is a time for spiritual purification
achieved through fasting, self-sacrifice and prayers.
Celebrated during the ninth month of Islamic calendar, the fast is observed each day from sunrise to sunset.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five Pillars of Islam. The Islamic belief that requires that Muslims
perform five central duties in order to strengthen their faith. While Islam has two major sects, the Sunnis and
the Shiites, all Muslims aim to realize these five pillars in their lifetime.
Ramadan concludes with a 3-day festival known as "Eid" or "Eid ul-Fitr," which literally means "the feast of
the breaking/to break the fast." The holiday marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and is a
culmination of the month-long struggle towards a higher spiritual state. Celebrated:
2008 - September 01
2009 - August 22 (tentative)
Determined by the Islamic Calendar. Actual starting time/dates depends on the sighting of the moon.

Halloween A favorite holiday among kids, Halloween is an ancient celebration that blends Druid and
Christian customs. Long associated with spirits and ghosts, Halloween today is a reason to dress up in
costume and trick-or-treat for candy.
Celebrated: Annually, October 31.

Christmas Day

Major Christian Holy Day celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. A time of joyful celebration, family
gatherings, gift exchanges, festive and special meals and foods.

Also celebrating the previous nights visit by Santa Claus who brings toys and presents to "all good little girls
and boys" leaving them under the Christmas tree. Santa is also known, depending on the country, as Father
Christmas, Kris Kringle, Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas, La Befana, St. Nick, and Pere Noel. December 25th