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LESSON 1: CULTURAL-BASED VOCABULARY
Pre-Reading Discussion
Break students into smaller groups and have them answer the questions below, then come back together as a larger group and discuss prior
to reading Chapter 1.
Ask your students the following questions:
• What are the definitions of American, culture, ethnicity, multicultural and nationality?
• How does your culture shape who you are?
• With what culture do you personally connect?
• What are your special cultural traditions?
• How can we be respectful of the customs, traditions and values of other cultures?
• Why is it important to study and learn about different cultures?
READ CHAPTER 1
Post-Reading Discussion
We learned about celebrating New Year’s through the eyes of Deng Her, whose family celebrates the Hmong New Year.
(Note: Hmong is pronounced “Mung”)
1. What did you learn about how Hmong people celebrate the New Year?
2. How is this similar or different to how your own family celebrates the New Year?
3. What are the customs you learned from your parents and grandparents? Will you pass these on to your children?
4. What does being “American” mean to you?
5. Do you consider yourself American? Why or why not?
6. How would you describe mainstream American culture?
7. Can a person choose or change their culture? Why or why not?
8. Has the definition of being American changed over time? Why or why not?
9. Do you see your school, neighborhood and city as being multicultural? Why or why not?
10. What are the benefits to living in a diverse city?
VOCABULARY ACTIVITY
Have students use classroom resources (or this can be done as a home activity) to find the definitions to these words. Ask students to create
a sentence with each word that demonstrates the definition of the word.
American
Of or pertaining to the United States, but often used as a substitute for “U.S. citizen.” However, there are also North
Americans, South Americans, Latin Americans, etc.
Bicultural
When an individual identifies with more than one culture they can be called “bicultural” or “multicultural.”
Culture
The social patterns (ways of living), values (ideas of right and wrong) and customs (holidays, games, etc.) taught within
a certain group of people.
Ethnicity
This term refers to the racial and cultural group into which one is born.
Multicultural
The existence of many cultures.
Nationality
This term refers to the nation that a person belongs to by birth or naturalization.
