Additional to the fact that learning about culture is an Atlas standard(the website which compiles state teachign standards), cultural understanding is imperative to deepening our sense of self and the world, especially in such a culturally rich place as Worcester.
My students have family who have recently immigrated from Ghana, Albania, Japan, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Panamá, and Mexico! Culture goes way beyond the borders of a country, but geography, relationships with the land, and history of place are certainly determining factors in the creation of a culture. My students carry this wealth of knowledge with them every day and have a palpable energy to learn more about themselves (as is very human).
In the spirit of learning more about ourselves as individuals and the cultures within our culture and Worcester, my essential questions for this unit are as follows:
- What is culture?
- Why is it important?
Read more about why these essential questions are so broad here.