Lesson Plan: What is culture?

African American History

Unit 1: African Culture and Civilization
Elaine Kuoch

Enduring Understandings
Students will understand the different components of culture and recognize the
similarities between different cultures
Students will recognize that their knowledge from home is a valuable source of
knowledge

Essential Questions
What is culture?
How is your culture similar or different from other peoples culture?

Objective
SWBAT will define culture and components of culture.

State Standards
CC.8.5.9-10.D. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a
text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of
history/social science.
CC.8.5.9-10.J. By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend history/social studies
texts in the grades 910 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Learning Activity Sequence

1. Do Now (5 minutes): What is culture? Write a definition of culture.
2. Introduction (5 minutes): I will define culture as a way of life and provide
students with examples of culture.
3. Interview a classmate (30 minutes): Students will develop questions to interview
a classmate about their culture and then interview a classmate. After, I will ask a
few students to share out what they learned about their classmates culture.
4. Introduce Components of Culture (1 minute): What are different components of
culture? I will ask students to generate a list as a class.
5. Introduction to Folk Tales (5 minutes): One component of culture is the way
people tell stories. People in Ancient West Africa used folk tales to share stories
with each other. I will introduce what folk tales are and we will go over some
examples of folk tales from American culture (Johnny Appleseed, Santa Claus,
Thanksgiving, Tortoise and the Hare, etc.).
 6. Read Folk Tales (30 minutes): Students will read numerous West African folk
tales to better understand West African society and culture. (Optional: I will read
one folk tale aloud and then ask students to write it from memory to simulate
the oral storytelling of folk tales and to emphasize how elements of the story
may change with each storytelling.) While reading examples of African folk tales,
students will answer guiding questions.
7. Exit Ticket (4 minutes): Students will write the definition of culture and examples
of different components of culture.

Accommodations:
Depending on students needs and reading levels, students may work in pairs or
small groups to read examples of West African folk tales.
This lesson plan aims to accommodate for different student learning styles
through a variety of learning activities. The interviewing portion of the lesson
plan is geared towards students who enjoy socializing with their classmates and
talking through their ideas, while the reading folk tales portion fosters students
reading habits and literacy.