Table of Contents

Overview/
Rationale………….………………………………………
… Tab 2
Concept
Maps………………………………………………………
………… Tab 3
Preparing the Learning
Environment…………………………. Tab 4
Unit Goals and Essential
Questions…………….………………. Tab 5
Content and Lesson
Plans……….………………………….………… Tab 6
Culminating
Activity…………………………………………..………..
Tab 7
Home and School
Connection…..…………………..………………. Tab 8
Resources and
References………………………….…………………
Tab 9

Overview/ Rationale
Adrienne Dell’Aquila, Kira Cohen, and Rebecca Pak

ELE 301- Dr. Conte

Kindergarten- Mrs. Rossi

Edgewood Elementary School

Overview/Rationale

This unit seeks to introduce kindergarteners to the concept of culture. Several aspects of

culture are explored throughout the unit, including common foods, languages spoken, traditional

dress, historical landmarks, and significant holidays. The unit emphasizes the value of each

different culture, and celebrates diversity in both the classroom and the community at large.

The unit is framed by a pervasive theme of travel. Throughout the course of two weeks,

the students will be “traveling” to nine different countries, culminating in a return to America.

Each day of the unit focuses on one country. While in that country, students will be fully

immersed in the country’s unique culture. For example, upon “landing” in that country, the

national anthem will play. The student’s will then discover the country’s location, along with
other interesting facts about the country. Finally, students will participate in a craft or activity

which summarizes and exemplifies the student’s experience in the country.

To further the travel component, each student will be receiving and filling out their own

personal “passport”. Each passport will log the student's travel around the globe, and they will be

filling out different components of the book each day of the unit. By the culmination of the unit,

each student will be in a possession of a book which journals the work they have done and the

learning they have achieved throughout the course of the unit. The passports can then be

taken home and kept as a reminder of the unit.

The unit will culminate in a presentation done by the students focusing on the countries

they spent the past two weeks learning about. Students will be divided into small groups (2-3

students each) and become “experts” on a country. The students will create and then share short

presentations with their groups on their countries and what they have learned. These

presentations will be video recorded and edited into a short film. Additionally, all students will

be encouraged to bring in a personal artifact (or picture of an artifact, should it be of value) to

bring their own heritage into the presentation. Their parents will be notified of the assignment

and encouraged to help their students create a narrative discussing their own heritage. These

short presentations will also be video recorded and edited into the movie. The class will then host

a viewing party of the film they have created, containing all of their presentations. Their buddies

from the second grade will be joining our classroom to view the movie and commemorate their

achievements.
Concept Maps
Preparing the Learning
Environment
Adrienne Dell’Aquila, Kira Cohen, and Rebecca Pak

ELE 301- Dr. Conte

Kindergarten- Mrs. Rossi

Edgewood Elementary School

Preparing The Learning Environment

Door
To begin an environment which evokes adventure and excitement, the door will be
decorated in our “Flight” theme. A blue door and yellow words will evoke a sky image, and the
globe on the bottom will indicate the travel our class will be doing. Small planes with each
child’s image will ensure that each student feels included in the classroom adventure.
Bulletin Board
To continue that same narrative, the festive travel themed decorations will continue
inside the classroom. The bulletin board will depict Patrick the Starfish, which is the unit’s
mascot. The
classroom has already developed a strong connection to Patrick, due to him being taken home
weekly as a part of the Star Student routine. Also on the bulletin board will be the flags of the
places which Patrick plans to visit throughout the unit. Patrick will feature movable arms so that
he can point to the destination's flag which we’ll be visiting that day. Finally, the bulletin will
feature photoshopped pictures of Patrick at teach location. For example, Italy’s photo features
Patrick leaning against the Tower of Pisa.

Classroom Library
 The classroom library will be a limited edition feature of the classroom, showcasing
books of various reading levels related to the content area. There will be books about each of the
individual countries, as well as books about travel and culture as a whole. The library will
contribute to the overall classroom learning environment, as well as further the visual appeal by
being made to look festive and engaging.

Miscellaneous
In addition to the door and the bulletin board, several other decorative factors will be
incorporated to transform the learning environment. Flags and globes will be hung around the
classroom to let one know that travel has taken place as soon as they step through the door.
Several signs and posters will be hung up on the walls, featuring a continuation of the theme.
Finally, as the days progress and the students create their cultural crafts, the crafts will be hung
up around the room, showcasing the student’s own word and making the room even more
decorative.
 Unit Goals and
Essential Questions

Adrienne Dell’Aquila, Kira Cohen, and Rebecca Pak

ELE 301- Dr. Conte

Kindergarten- Mrs. Rossi

Edgewood Elementary School

Essential Questions
● Day 1
○ What is culture?

○ Where do we live?

○ How are we similar?

○ How are we different?

● Days 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

○ What kinds of foods are eaten in [insert country]?

 ○ What holidays are celebrated in [insert country]?

○ What languages are spoken in [insert country]?

○ What are some crafts made in [insert country]?

○ What kind of music or artwork is displayed in [insert country]?

○ How can we communicate with others in [insert country]?

○ Where is [insert country] located?

○ How do children around the world play in [insert country]?

○ What are certain traditions practiced in [insert country]?

○ What are some similarities and differences between [insert country] and other

countries we have visited?

● Day 10

○ How can we celebrate all different cultures?

○ How is each country diverse?

Unit Goals
Day 1:

● Students will be able to understand what culture is.

● Students will understand where they currently live and how they share a community with
their peers.

● Students will be able to name some similarities and differences shared among their peers.

Day 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ,7, 8, 9

● Students will be able to identify traditional foods, holidays, music, crafts, artwork, and
languages spoken in [country name].
 ● Students will be able to identify the similarities and differences among the several
countries they have learned.

Day 10

● Students will be able to understand how we celebrate different cultures.

● Students will be able to identify why each country is very diverse.

Content and Lesson
Plans
 Culminating Activity

Adrienne Dell’Aquila, Kira Cohen, and Rebecca Pak

ELE 301- Dr. Conte

Kindergarten- Mrs. Rossi

Edgewood Elementary School

Culminating Activity

For the culmination of our Culture Unit, the class will be displaying their newly acquired

knowledge of geography and culture. The class will divide up into small “expert groups”,

focusing on each of the countries we have visited over the course of the unit. Because there are
nine countries featured in the unit, there will be nine expert groups, with two or three students in

each group. The groups will put together a one minute presentation, discussing facts and

knowledge they have learned about their country.

In addition, each student will be encouraged to bring in an artifact (or a picture of an

artifact) which represents their own unique cultural heritage, and share their story on the

recording. The parents will be involved with this assignment, and are encouraged to share with

their children their own cultural heritage and what makes them special.

The teacher will be video recording each of the one minute group presentations, along

with the individual heritage clips, and compiling the videos into one Culture Movie featuring the

entire class’s presentations. The movie should run approximately ten to fifteen minutes.

On the final day of our Culture Unit, we will invite the kindergartener’s Best Buddies

class, a second grade class at Edgewood Elementary School, to join our class for the movie’s

opening debut. The classroom will be decorated and arranged to best promote the additional

class and the viewing party. Festive decorations made by Mrs. Rossi’s class will adorn the room,

and snacks will be provided to complete the exciting movie premiere.

 Home and School
Connection

Dear B-6 Parents,

Over the past two months, we have had the wonderful opportunity to teach your children

in B6.! We have taught a variety of literacy and math lessons and we have loved every minute of

it! From April 23-May 4, we will be teaching a culture unit where B6 will be travelling to and
learning about all different cultures from around the world! On Friday May 4th, the students will

be presenting an artifact from their own culture (or a picture of an artifact) to their second grade

buddies. This artifact can be a piece of art, clothing, picture, etc. By participating in this activity,

students will be able to understand how important it is to acknowledge and appreciate different

cultures present in the classroom. Students will have the opportunity to learn about their

classmates’ cultures while also sharing a piece of their home with others.

We kindly ask you to send your child in with an artifact by Monday April 30th in order

to allow students to practice what they will say when their buddies arrive in the classroom. If

your child needs assistance in helping to pick out an artifact, we will be happy to help them come

up with something they can share with the class.

Thank you for participating and supporting us!

Best,

Adrienne Dell’Aquila, Kira Cohen, Rebecca Pak

 Resources and
References

Books:

Adams, Simon. Kids’ London. Darling Kindersley Pub., 2000.

Davis, Kevin. Look What Came From Germany. Watts, 1999.

Fisher, Federick. Festivals of the World: Costa Rica. Gareth Stevens Publishing, 1999.
 Fox, Mem, and Leslie Staub. Whoever You Are. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017.

Harvey, Miles. Look What Came From Ireland. Watts 2002.

Harvey, Miles. Look What Came From Italy. Watts, 1999.

Haskins, James, et al. Count Your Way through Greece. Carolrhoda Books, 1996.

Macdonald, Fiona. A Journey Through China. Watts, 1998.

Rutland, Johnathan. See Inside an Ancient Greek Town. Warwick Press, 1979.

Sasek, Miroslav. This is London. Macmillan Co., 1959

Sasek, Miroslav. This is Paris. Macmillan Co., 1959

Websites:
https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/greece
http://www.greece4kids.com/index.html
https://www.livescience.com/28945-american-culture.html
https://constitutioncenter.org/media/files/CK130001_CivicsKids-2013-PAGES-FNL-
Lesson1.pdf

Technology:
Document Camera
Google Slides
Google Maps
Powerpoint
Youtube