What can we expect from Culture and Diversity Day?
Families from our school (Roach, 2015) will be exhibiting various aspects of their cultures so that all of our learners (Sager, 2022) can celebrate the diversity of our community for at least one day in the year. As we take the journey of the 21st century together, we should be more aware of the different cultures and practices of the global community. While some people can have breakfast in France and dinner in New York, most of us could have breakfast at home and dinner down the road and experience the same valuable difference.
Families can register to have a booth set up. Design your booth to represent your culture (Mendoza, 2020); supplies are available upon request. Please email or call to specify your choice of activity and needs.
How are students grouped?
Our scholars (Sager, 2022) are grouped according to their Houses: Earth, Wind, Water, Fire. There will be an upper and lower group for each House.
This will allow for friends (Sager, 2022) to be grouped with others in, above, and below their grade level thus diversifying the ages with whom the child collaborates.
Why is it important?
Curriculum connection
AERO Social Studies Standards and/or SEL standards
GK SEL Goal 2:
Recognize the existence of various groups based on social and cultural variables (e.g., age, race, ethnicity, shared interests, religion, and disability).
Describe what one has learned about the ways cultural groups differ from one another (e.g., holidays, foods,music, and customs).
G1 SEL Goal 2:
Describe how interactions with individuals from different cultures enrich one’s life
Recognize that people from different cultural and social groups share many things in common.
G2 4.2.e. Describe the expectations of how to act in one’s own culture and compare this with behavioral expectations of other cultures
G3 4.5.e. Explain the elements of culture (language, norms, values, beliefs, etc.)
G4 4.5.f. Define the elements of a belief system (creed, code of behavior, rituals, community).
Schedule of Events:
PlanningTimeline
PTA President communicates with PTA Council
PTA Council shares answers to general questions with PTA President, and she in turn with school
PTA Council shares details with school; work together to support event
Event
Day Schedule
Time Activity Location
8:00–8:30 homeroom time
8:30–8:40 Welcome to the day; explanation of the stations and rotations
8:50–9:05 country station 1
five minute rotation/transition
9:10–9:25 country station 2
five minute rotation/transition
9:30–9:45 country station 3
five minute rotation/transition
9:50–10:05 country station 4
five minute rotation/transition
10:10–10:25 country station 5
five minute rotation/transition
10:30–10:45 *5th graders to assist with clean-up
10:55 lunch bell
References:
Mendoza, C. (2020, April 19). 7 Great Multicultural Classroom Activities To Involve Parents. ClassTag. https://home.classtag.com/blog/multicultural-classroom-activities/
Roach, C. (2015, October 27). Celebrating Your Schools Cultural Diversity. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/celebrating-your-schools-cultural-diversity-clare-roach
Sager, J. (2022, January 3). The Best Gender-Neutral Terms for Teachers to Use In Elementary Classrooms. Teach Starter. https://www.teachstarter.com/us/blog/gender-neutral-terms-teachers/