In this unit, we explored our cultures within and beyond our classroom and how our culture is related to our identities and backgrounds. We also covered migration to America including what it means to be an immigrant and a plethora of reasons why people move. A critical discussion and wondering about the reasons why people and communities move pushed students to be conscious, empathetic, and considerate researchers in their discoveries about cultures. Using the Statue of Liberty’s core values to guide us, we identified the main elements of culture in both new and familiar texts, as well as learned more about the specific cultures embodied in our classroom, primarily Ashanti (Ghana) and Puerto Rican and Dominican (Caribbean). Focusing on how we all got to this place and what makes us all different allowed us to connect in genuine ways and create a space of respect for difference which can be applied outside the school walls and into future experiences.

In this portrait, you can find our learning goals, the rationale behind my unit plan, the curriculum standards this unit covered, the assessments used, the learning activities, some student work examples, and a brief video from the unit.

The complete culture CUP can be found here.