Grade

and Subject(s)

Why is it important to learn about other cultures?

What makes a culture unique? How are we alike? How are we different?

Sequence of
Understanding
Performances

1
UGs
1
1,5

Introductory
Performance(s)

1,2,5,
6
1,3,5
1,2,3

Guided Inquiry
Performance(s)

4,5,6

5,6

Culminating
Performance(s)

4,6
1-6

Skill Strands

3
Understanding Performances

Students will understand how to

recognize and appreciate
difference between cultures.

Unit-Long
Understanding Goals

Nigeria

Students will understand

how to gather information from
text and use it to construct their
own informational writing.

Generative Unit Topic

Students will
understand how to
read and interpret
various types of maps
to gather information.

Students will understand

where Nigeria is in the
world and how it contributes
to the rest of the world.

How does where someone lives affect how they live?

5
4
Ongoing Assessments

-Read-aloud: Africa is Not a Country.

-Students will compare and contrast pictures
of Nigeria and the U.S., categorizing each
picture based on what country they believe it
belongs to.
-As a class, we will create a KWL chart about
Nigeria.
-Virtual field trip to Nigeria (Google Maps).

Introductory performances will be assessed through

teacher observation and anecdotal notes in order to
formatively assess students perspective at the start
of the unit. Observation, discussion and conversation
with students may reveal prior knowledge and/or
misconceptions.

-Students will create a map book, which will

contain a series of maps highlighting various
elements of Nigerian geography and culture
(Map 1: Africa in the world, Map 2: Nigerias
place in Africa, Map 3: Topographic, Map 4:
Resources/products).
-Students will analyze Nigerian proverbs and
fables to draw inferences about Nigerian
culture.
-Reflective writing prompts.

Guided inquiry performances will be assessed based

on completion/ participation. Are students
meaningfully engaging with the material? The
purpose of this type of ongoing assessment is to
formatively assess students developing
understanding. The writing responses will be used to
relate the topics to students own lives and
experiences, and again, are not being assessed on
accuracy, but rather students ability to engage
critically with the material.

-Students will write short fables using

Nigerian proverbs as the intended moral.
-Students will create informational travel
brochures about Nigeria. This requires
students to evaluate the most important
attributes of the country and its culture and
conduct research to support their claims.

Culminating performances will be evaluated based

on co-developed (between students and teacher)
criteria for success. Informal feedback will be given
throughout the process. Formal evaluation of final
product will be based on a rubric. Note: The travel
brochure is the culminating project for the whole
unit, not just the two weeks being focused on).

Compare and contrast

x 4

Informational reading and writing

Reading to learn

Main idea and key details

x 3

Map skills

x Major Focus

Students will understand how elements of a culture

reflect what is valued and important in that culture.

What and how can we learn about another culture?

Students will
understand how
geography, resources,
and climate contribute
to shaping a culture.

Overarching
Understanding
Goals

Big Idea: Culture (3rd Grade)

Reinforced

Unsupported/Required