Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Professor Trina
Materials List: Piece of Paper with Venn Diagram, pencil or crayon/color pencil
Connection to Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain
how their actions contribute to the sequence of events
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.6
Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the
characters.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed
by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or
setting)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.9
Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same
author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series).
Instructional Objective:
● Students will be able to compare and contrast the two stories (Analysis)
● Students will be able to see relationships between names and culture (Analyze)
● Students will be able to form an argument for why students should or should
not change their names to make it easier for people to say (Evaluation)
Anticipatory Set:
Students will be learning about the importance and difference in cultures, and how
those differences are important to those cultures. They will be thinking about how
they can respect and learn about those cultures so people don’t have to change
themselves to please other cultures. We will talk a little about some names in the
classroom, which some are very culture based. We will talk about what their name
means to them, if anyone has ever experienced a time when they felt they had to
change their name because people couldn’t say it. We will talk about the emotion
behind getting a name, and how someone might feel that has to change their name.
Then we will read two books to make some connections to the ideas we talked about,
● Have you ever had to change your name because someone couldn’t say it?
● Do you think that other people should have to change their name if you can’t
say it?
● What do you think you could do if you didn’t know how to say someone’s name?
● Who do you think the person that changes their name is trying to please?
● What are some difference you recognize in names for different cultures?
● How were the two people in these stories alike? How were they different? Were
Modeling:
Students will use their Venn Diagrams to make connections to the two stories. They
will find difference between two people who go through the same experience. How
each of these cultures have two completely different names, but the same experience
with their name. Students will talk with their groups, which can talk about their
feelings about their own experiences. We will be writing ideas, thoughts, and opinions
on the board so everyone can take what’s being said and write it on their papers if they
choose. Students will give a brief share out when Venn Diagrams are done.
Guided Practice:
Since the students in this class are English Language Learners, many of them have
difficulty with reading, spelling and expressing ideas in English. For this we are going
to have a discussion, where students can build off of each others ideas, where students
who really struggle with speaking or expressing in English, they can get some ideas
and words from other students, then build on that with their own ideas. We will also
be writing the thoughts and opinions on the board so that students can take the main
ideas that they agree with and write those ideas down. The Venn Diagram on the board
will act as a model. The stories will be read to them, but the books will be available if
there is a direct idea they want to look up and write about. They will be discussing
with their table groups about connections they make, which could be expressed in
their native language. Since each student has a name, and they know their name, we
can build the ideas in the story from their own names and their own name stories.
Independent Practice:
Students will work independently working on thinking about the connections they
make with the story, with their own names. They will also work independently on
talking and explaining their Venn Diagrams and the importance they took away.
Closure:
I will end the lesson by asking students how they think they can take what they have
learned from two stories and how they can apply what they have learned for their daily
Flow Script:
Introduction: (5 min) Today we are going to be reading two different books about two
students from different areas of the world. They both have an experience and we’re
going to think about how these kids might feel about what’s happening. Then we’re
going to talk a little about if you have gone through something similar things in your
life.
What does your name mean to you? How would you feel if you had to change your
name? Have you ever had a time when someone or a group of people couldn’t
pronounce your name right and you felt like you had to change your name to make it
easier for someone else? How did this make you feel? Why should people have to
During this time we I will read aloud The Name Jar and My Name is Blessing. The
students will be activity listening and thinking about commonalities and differences
between the stories.
After the reading of each book we will have short discussions of what we heard in the
stories. Students can state observations or ask questions or make inferences about the
next story.
After reading both stories and having small discussions on each book, the class will
come together to state similarities and differences of the two cultural books. Each
student will have their own venn diagram to copy down notes onto and will have the
opportunity to write their own statements up on the board where I will have a large
venn diagram drawn. Students will form their own thoughts and opinions about the
characters in the story and their own lives.
The students will answer questions about how they think their name is connected to
their culture and how many cultures are very similar.