Lesson Plan Description
Creating understanding among community, creating an opportunity for youth to build a partnership with one another, creating a connection of oneness among diversity. Youth will be able to serve as community transformers in mobilizing their communities as "peacemakers" in building bridges where all children can cross.
Primary Learning Objective(s):
Although there are many traditions and cultures, at the core of all of us there lies a scientist ready to share with the world. Each person when they are permitted to share in their freedom, freedom to share their resources within community, it creates a strong social system for all citizens within that particular community.
Additional Learning Objective(s):
Understanding the components of an individual being part of making the "whole". The "link truly is only as strong as the weakest link". Learning to create a strong link, by creating a strong community.
Procedures/Activities:
This is an 8-week experiment. Students will have the liberty to work as a group in choosing 4-6 different cultures, presently part of America's experiment they would like to become more acquainted with in their community. If the classroom is multi-cultural, that is great, students can come together on a weekly basis for six weeks, to share their culture and traditions indepth and to plan to share a message of Unity with a larger community. The students will work together to create a "cultural festival" designed to carry a message of creating "Unity" within their community, in supporting the healthy development of "all" children. If the classroom is not a multi-cultural one, it will be more fun for the students, to create opportunities to act out by walking in someone elses shoes. The theme of this experiment is to create a "New American" experience that will be inclusive of all. On the last week of the eight week experiment, students will invite guests to partake in a Cultural celebration that will provide food for thought on how communities can support a "New American" experience that can be inclusive of all.
Example: If there is not a multicultural classroom: Students can choose i.e., an Urban African American character, a new African American (someone from an African country that has moved to this country), Native American, Latino, Asian, etc. Once the characters are chosen, and the students are chosen to act out the character, it will be up to the students to research his/her particular character's traditions, i.e., family, foods, religion, how they view the world. The youth will then come together to decide on how they would sponsor a cultural event, such as a festival, representing all cultures, that would present a message to the community on how a "New America" can be birthed through cultural understanding and acceptance.
Materials/Equipment:
Students can possibly find maps of the countries represented, artifacts, dress in clothing of the particular culture being represented, etc.
Assessment Guidelines:
To have the guests complete a survey prepared by the students on the feedback of the event they have pulled together. Ideas the guests have on creating a "New America" where all children can experience a healthy development. Students will collectively pull together a short summary of the impact they felt this experiment had on their consciousness and the overall consciousness of the community they brought together.
