Draft--Theme I--Culture

Culture—Learning Expectations

Early Grades

Purposes:

The learner will understand how human beings create, learn, and adapt to culture. They will understand how multiple perspectives derive from different cultural vantage points in order to better relate to and interact with people in this and other nations.

Key Questions for Exploration (exemplars)

• How are groups of people alike and different?
• What is culture?
• How do the beliefs, values and behaviors of a group of people help the group meet its needs and solve problems? name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]
• How does culture unify a group of people?
• What is cultural diversity and how does diversity develop both within and across cultures?

Knowledge — the learner will understand …

• that “culture” refers to the behaviors, beliefs, values, traditions, institutions, and ways of living together of a group of people;
• concepts such as: similarities, differences, values, cohesion, and diversity;
• how cultural beliefs and behaviors allow human groups to solve the problems of daily living and these may change in response to changing needs and concerns;
• how individuals learn the elements of their culture through interactions with other members of the culture group;
• how people from different cultures develop different values and ways of interpreting experience;

Processes — the learner will be able to …

• explore and describe similarities and differences in the ways different social groups meet similar needs and concerns;
• give examples of how information and experiences may be interpreted differently by people from different cultural groups;
• describe the value of cultural unity, as well as diversity, within and across groups;
• demonstrate how holding different values and beliefs can contribute or pose obstacles to understanding between people and groups;

Forms/ products — learners will demonstrate their knowledge, skill and dispositions by:

• through interview and observation, develop a description of a sub-culture to which they belong or have access (e.g. friends, school, neighborhood).
• select a social group and investigate the commonly held beliefs, values, behaviors and traditions which characterize the culture of that group;
  a.present a comparison and contrast chart demonstrating the similarities and differences between to or more social groups in given cultural categories (such as food, shelter, language, religion, arts, beliefs);
  b.present ways in which cultural differences between two or more groups can cause conflict and can contribute to solving problems.

Middle Grades

Purposes:

The learner will understand how human beings create, learn, and adapt to culture. They will understand how multiple perspectives derive from different cultural vantage points in order to better relate to and interact with people in this and other nations.

Key Questions for Exploration (exemplars)

• What is culture and what roles does it play in personal and group behavior?
• What are different ways in which various cultures solve common problems such as food, shelter and social interaction?
• How does culture unify a group of people?
• What is cultural diversity and how does diversity develop both within and across cultures?
• How do people’s cultural beliefs, such as religion or political ideals, influence other parts of a culture?
• How does culture change to accommodate different ideas and beliefs?

Knowledge — the learner will understand …

• that “culture” refers to the socially transmitted behaviors, beliefs, values, traditions, institutions, and ways of living together of a group of people; href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="">[3]
• that the beliefs and behaviors of a culture form an integrated system that helps tha activities and values of that culture;
• concepts such as: values, institutions, cohesion, diversity, accommodation, adaptation, assimilation and dissonance.
• how cultural traits allow human groups to solve the problems of daily living and may change in response to changing needs and concerns;
• how individuals learn the elements of their culture through interactions with other that people from different cultures develop ways of ;
• how people from different cultures develop different values and ways of interpreting experience;
• that behaviors and beliefs of different cultures can pose barriers to cross –cultural understanding.

Processes — the learner will be able to …

• predict how data and experiences may be interpreted by people from diverse cultural perspectives and frames of reference;
• describe the value of cultural diversity, as well as cohsion, within and across groups;
• explain how patterns of behavior reflect cultural values and beliefs;
• demonstrate how holding diverse values and beliefs can contribute or pose obstacles to cross-cultural understanding;
• Draw inferences about the ways in which given cultures respond to persistent human issues;

Forms/ products — learners will demonstrate their knowledge, skill and dispositions by:
* through interview and observation, develop a description of a sub-culture to which they have belong or have access (e.g. adolescents, jocks or other student sub-groups).
* select a social group and investigate the commonly held beliefs, values, behaviors and traditions which characterize the culture of that group, hypothesizing about how those elements of culture contribute or fail to contribute to meeting the needs of the members of that group;
* analyze a current or past conflict between two or more groups of people by identifying the relevant cultural beliefs and behaviors of the groups involved, the differences and similarities of those beliefs and behaviors, and the ways in which these contribute to or present obstacles to resolving conflict.

High School

Purposes:

The learner will understand how human beings create, learn, and adapt to culture. They will understand how multiple perspectives derive from different cultural vantage points in order to better relate to and interact with people in this and other nations.

Key Questions for Exploration (exemplars)

• What is culture and what roles does it play in human and societal development?
• What are common characteristics of different cultures?
• How is unity developed within and among cultures?
• What is the role of diversity within a culture?
• How is diversity maintained within a culture?
• How do belief systems, such as religion or political ideals, influence other parts of a culture?
• How does culture change to accommodate different ideas and beliefs?

Knowledge — the learner will understand …

• that “culture” refers to the socially transmitted behaviors, beliefs, values, traditions, institutions, and ways of living together of a group of people; href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="">[2]
• that culture is an integrated whole that explains the functions and interactions of language, literature, the arts, traditions, beliefs and values, and behavior patterns;
• concepts such as: norms, mores, values, institutions, cohesion, accommodation, adaptation, acculturation, assimilation and dissonance.
• how cultural traits develop and change in ways that allow human societies to address their needs and concerns; (culture as problem solving)
• individuals learn the elements of their culture through collective experience;
• that people from different cultures develop diverse cultural perspectives and frames of reference;
• thatbehaviors and beliefs of different cultures can pose barriers to cross –cultural understanding.

Processes — the learner will be able to …

• predict how data and experiences may be interpreted by people from diverse cultural perspectives and frames of reference;
• compare and analyze societal patterns for preserving and ttransmitting culture while adapting to environmental or social change;
• demonstrate the value of cultural diversity, as well as cohsion, within and across groups;
• interpret patterns of behavior reflecting values and attitudes that contribute or pose obstacles to cross-cultural understanding;
• construct reasoned judgments about specific cultural responses to persistent human issues;
• explain and apply ideas, theories and modes of inquiry from anthropology and sociology in the examination of persistent issues and social problems.

Forms/ products — learners will demonstrate their knowledge, skill and dispositions by:

• analyze a current or past problem or issue through an analysis of the cultural patterns of the groups involved and the ways in which these contribute or present obstacles to finding solutions;
• through interview and observation, develop a description of a sub-culture to which they have access (e.g. adolescents, jocks or other student sub-groups, workplace groups).