Milagros Acosta Carmona

6-5-2015
EDU 280
Grades 6-8
Todays lesson is about Differences between Culture and Race
Goal: To help students differentiate and understand between the concepts between
cultures, race, and how ethnicity goes hand to hand with culture.

First I will have the class answer daily warm-up questions related to todays lesson:
1. Describe in your own words, what exactly is culture?
2. Describe in your own words, what exactly is race?
3. Now, describe to me your favorite foods (be specific):
4. What do you think the word melting pot means?
First two warm-up questions will be gone over with the class. We will talk how culture is
about personal beliefs and values of someone, and race is the physical appearance
each individual has. After this is done, teacher will call on students and have them
explain their favorite foods (pizza, tacos, ice cream, Chinese food, sushi, etc). As
students explain their favorite foods, teacher will write them on the board. Teacher will
then ask students to explain where these foods originally come from (pizza Italy, sushi
Japan, tacos Mexico). Teacher will then grab a real cooking pot, and have students
explain what culture they are or their parents are (Mexican, French, Chinese, Japanese,
El Salvadorian, etc.). Teacher will write each culture down on a piece of paper, and
place in pot. After a variety of cultures are given, teacher will pretend to heat-up the

pot; what will happen to these cultures now? Answer They will melt, or blend together,
hence a melting pot. Teacher will explain the importance of this melting pot theory with
the United States, and how we are made up of a variety of different races and cultures
that make the U.S. so great. Las Vegas, for example, is a great melting pot of cultures
and races. Food is the best example of this, if you want any type of different food here
in the city, you can get it (Greek, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, etc.). Students will then be
paired up and each student will be give an iPad (every school has iPads available to
check-out for classrooms), and students will research the following questions and work
with their partner:
5. How does culture define who a person is?
6. What is a common belief about race?
7. Identify some stereotypes you know of about a particular group of people.
8. List some of your values, beliefs and customs (3 of each).
9. What are some of the things from your culture that you are proud of?
10. What are some of the things about your culture that you dont like?
11. How would you describe American culture?
12. What are some cultural issues in America today?

Ethnic Groups:
This class is the continuation of the culture and race, here I will ask the student to pairup and research/answer questions together. After groups are done, I will have a group
discussion with the class about cultural traditions, and provide feedback of their familys
nationality(s). I will then hear their discussion and clarify the differences about race and

ethnicity, and how we can have the same physical traits yet belong to a different ethnic
groups.
Exit Ticket:
Students will describe what they learned today with different cultures and races. How
does race and cultural play a role in their life? How was your partners culture(s) different
from yours (thinking of holidays they may or may not celebrate)?