Culture Capital Who are our student?

Grade level: 4TH

Content Area: Reading, Writing, and Communicating
Colorado Academic Standard:
Standard: 1. Oral Expression and Listening
a. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
(CCSS: SL.4.1)
i.

Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that
preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
(CCSS: SL.4.1a)

ii.

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles. (CCSS: SL.4.1b)

iii.

Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments
that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others. (CCSS: SL.4.1c)

iv.

Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the
discussion. (CCSS: SL.4.1d)

2.

Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats,
including visually, quantitatively, and orally. (CCSS: SL.4.2)

3.

Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points. (CCSS: SL.4.3)

4.

Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using
appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at
an understandable pace. (CCSS: SL.4.4)

Standard: 3. Writing and Composition

a.

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (CCSS: W.4.4)

WIDA Standard:
1.

Organized, cohesive, and coherent expression of ideas

Overview of Activity (explanation/instructions)- Be detailed enough for a substitute to use this in

your absence:
Have the students gather on the meeting area and watch a video about cultural diversity (on the
PowerPoint). When the video is over give the students a few minutes to discuss with a neighbor what they
thought was the main message in the video. Once they are done discussing come back together as a class
and have a quick discussion (just to make sure the students are on the right page). Then, give them a
worksheet and send them back to their desks to work. The worksheet will ask for a short description of the
video (which they just discussed with a neighbor as well as the class), then it will ask for a description of
their home culture as well as a picture. Give the students about 15-20 minutes to complete the worksheet.
Once completed the student will gather in a circle on the meeting area and share with the class what their
picture is and what it means to them.

Justification for the Activity (with citations from the readings)- Explain how this supports students
oral language development.
This supports students oral language development because first students are working on improving their
listening skills. When students improve their listening skills they are more likely to reach higher levels of
English proficiency (Wright, 2015). Students are also working on their speaking skills. They have to
communicate one-on-one with someone, within a group, and in front of a class. Speaking one-on-one with
other students as well as in a group setting can help students become more aware of gaps in their
developing language and push them to pay more attention about what they need to successfully
communicate with others (Wright, 2015). Oral presentations are also very effective especially with the
traditional show-and-tell. In this activity students are performing something very similar to a show-and-tell
but instead of bringing something from home they are drawing a picture they want to share with the class.
This activity promotes meaningful interactions. The student showing and telling is highly motivated to
speak, and the other students are highly motivated to listen (Wright, 169). It also gives ELL students a
chance to share something about their culture and help the other students in class learn more about it.
Artifacts All materials and documents needed to deliver your activity (instructions for students,
handouts, photographs of realia, technology, examples, etc.):