Genetics & Bioengineering
10 Days
Social Studies
Lesson Plan
Grade: 7th
2013-2014 School Year
Lesson Title:
Inheriting Culture: Cultural Traits and Transmission
STRANDS
Culture
LESSON OVERVIEW
Summary of the task, challenge, investigation, career-related scenario, problem, or community link.
Just as there are biological traits, there are also cultural traits, that is, the unique characteristics of a community. In this unit, students will be examining how those
cultural traits are passed from generation to generation and person-to-person—they are not genetic, after all! Students will focus on their own cultural sensitivity and
degree of ethnocentrism and then use case studies from the Sudan and Native American history to examine acculturation and assimilation.
After doing some familial investigation, students will connect with the science content by constructing a “pedigree chart” of the cultural traits that they have “inherited”
in the Go, baby, go! project. Additionally, this unit has a heavy emphasis on writing and interpreting primary sources. The unit concludes with a problem-based learning
scenario that requires students to take their knowledge of culture, acculturation, and assimilation and create a cultural orientation program for refugees to the United
States.
Hook for the week unit or supplemental resources used throughout the week. (PBL scenarios, video clips, websites, literature)
MOTIVATOR
The unit hook, Bioengineered Nutrition, will serve as the unit hook. As a half-day project, students will carry their food-culture connection to Social Studies where they
will watch a TED talk by Jennifer 8. Lee, The Hunt for General Tso, which uses food to demonstrate what happens when cultures collide.
DAY
Objectives
(I can….)
Materials &
Resources
Instructional Procedures
Differentiated
Instruction
Assessment
1
I CAN describe
cultural
adaptations
demonstrated
in foodways.



iPad
Video: The
Hunt for
General Tso
(Appendix A)
Apple TV or
Projection
System
Essential Questions:
How does culture influence food and food influence culture?
Enrichment
Formative




Project Half Day – Refer to Unit Plan
Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring
Online Activity:
The Meaning of
Food
Bioengineered Nutrition
Summative
Remediation
I.
Set:
a. Discuss/debrief with students the Bioengineered Nutrition
activity. Pay particular attention to the cultural ties to
each student-created imaginary produce item.
II.
Teaching Strategy
a. Explain to students that just as there are biological traits
that are passed along from generation to generation, so
too are there cultural traits that are passed from person
to person.
b. Play Jennifer 8. Lee’s video, The Hunt for General Tso.
III.
Summarizing Strategy:
a. Review some of the key concepts presented in the video
and then review the below follow up questions for
students to answer for homework:
i. How does a food item/cuisine (e.g. the fortune
cookie) morph into something that is barely
recognizable by the cultural group it is meant to
originate from?

Classroom
discussion
Video
response
questions




Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring
Extended time on
assignments for
selected students
Check often for
understanding of
subject matter

Students will
demonstrate
their mastery
of the content
in the
problem-based
learning
scenario
Cultural
Orientation.
ii. "These people who eat foods different than us
must be different than us." This quote is referring
to a fundamental difference on the human level,
not just culturally. This mentality has been
grounds for excluding a cultural group or ethnicity
within culture. Respond with your own reaction to
this quote.
iii. Can you think of another example of a cuisine
(other than "Chinese") that has morphed as a
result of outside cultural influence? Explain your
answer.
2
I CAN describe
ethnocentrism
and cite
examples of
ethnocentric
points of
view.





Socrative.com
iPad
Apple TV or
projection
system.
Doceri App or
other
whiteboard
app.
“Assessing
Your
Ethnocentrism
” (Appendix A)
Essential Question: How does my own culture shape how I view other
cultures?
I.
II.
Set:
a. Explain to students that all people form judgments of
another culture (to varying degrees).
b. Using the short answer function of Socrative.com, ask
students to submit one opinion of a behavior or belief of a
culture that is different than their own. Remind students
to keep their language and viewpoints school appropriate.
c. Display student responses for the class to view.
Teaching Strategy:
a. Explain to students that an important aspect of learning
about other cultures is to understand one’s own
ethnocentric biases.
b. Write the word “ethnocentric” on the board/whiteboard
app and divide the word in half (e.g. “ethno|centric).
c. Ask students to brainstorm a list of words they know that
may be related to one of the two halves of “ethnocentric”
Enrichment
Formative



Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring
Remediation




Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring
Extended time on
assignments for
selected students
Check often for
understanding of
subject matter


Classroom
discussion
Student
observation
Exit ticket
Summative

Students will
demonstrate
their mastery
of the content
in the
problem-based
learning
scenario
Cultural
Orientation.
(i.e. “ethnic” and “center”).
d. Define ethnocentrism (the tendency to use one’s own
cultural standards and values to judge the behaviors
and beliefs of people with different cultures.) and
refer back to the anticipatory set for examples.
e. Discuss with students that we are all ethnocentric to
some degree and that by being aware of our own
biases, we can then be more objective in our views
towards other cultures.
f. Allow students time to take McCroskey and Neuliep’s
“Assessing Your Ethnocentrism” quiz.
III.
Summarizing Strategy:
a. Allow students time to score their ethnocentrism
assessment and then discuss the results with a
partner.
b. Using the exit ticket function of Socrative.com, ask
students to reflect upon the results of their assessment.
Were you surprised by the results of your ethnocentrism
assessment? Why or why not?
3
I CAN
compare and
contrast
acculturation



Socrative.com
iPad
Digital
notebooks
Essential Question:
How is culture changed through acculturation?
How is culture changed through assimilation?
Enrichment
Formative


Heterogeneous
grouping
Class
discussion
and
assimilation.


Smithsonian
Folklife and
Oral History
Interviewing
Guide (pages
23-27)
(Appendix A)
Cultural Traits
Interview
(Appendix B)
I.
Set:
a. Using the short-answer function of Socrative.com, have
students reply to the following:
Yesterday, we discussed ethnocentrism. Please describe
ethnocentrism in your own terms and give an example of
ethnocentrism you have encountered (or exhibited!)
II.
Teaching Strategy:
a. Review with students the concept of cultural diffusion
(from previous unit).
b. Introduce the concepts of acculturation (the process of
adopting the traits of a cultural group) and assimilation
(process by which people acquire the culture and habits
of the dominant group with no characteristics of the
minority group remaining). These should be included in
students’ digital notebooks.
c. Provide three stations around the room through which
students will rotate, working in collaborative groups of
two or three. The stations will be designated: Skit,
Drawing, Research
d. Skit: Students will write a brief skit demonstrating either
assimilation of acculturation.
e. Drawing: Students will create a drawing that
demonstrates either acculturation or assimilation.
f. Research: Students find a real-life case study that
demonstrates either acculturation or assimilation.
g. Require students to choose to at least two of the three
stations, allowing approximately 15 minutes at each.
III.
Summarizing Strategy


Peer Tutoring
 Stations: Skit,
Drawing,
Advanced learners
Research
may incorporate
both elements of
acculturation and
assimilation in one Summative
drawing/skit/rese
 Students will
arch.
demonstrate
their mastery
Remediation
of the content
in the
 Shorter articles
problem-based
may be assigned
learning
to
scenario
developing/strugg
Cultural
ling readers.
Orientation.
 Heterogeneous
grouping
 Peer Tutoring
 Extended time on
assignments for
selected students
 Check often for
understanding of
subject matter
 Student Choice:
students choose
which stations
they visit.
a. Regroup the class as a whole and allow time for students
to share their skits, drawings, or case studies (one per
team).
b. Introduce students to the Cultural Interview Assignment
and accompanying interview guide. This information will
be used for the project day on day 8.
4
I CAN describe
acculturation
via a real-life
scenario.





Socrative.com
iPad
Reading: The
History of the
Lost Boys of
the Sudan
Video: The
Lost Boys of
Sudan
(Appendix A)
Acculturation:
The Lost Boys
of Sudan
Assignment
(Appendix B)
Essential Question: How do the Lost Boys of the Sudan exemplify
acculturation?
I.
II.
Set:
a. Using the short-answer function of Socrative.com, have
students write and submit their own definition for
acculturation.
Teaching Strategy:
a. Explain to students that they will be examining a real life
scenario that exemplifies acculturation.
b. Reading strategy: Stump the Teacher
Instruct students to begin reading the background
information regarding the Lost Boys of Sudan. Make your
reading of the text evident to students. Once all students
have finished reading, allow them two minutes to ask you
contextual questions about the text. After two minutes is
up, give students two minutes to answer questions asked
by the teacher.
Enrichment
Formative



Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring
Remediation




Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring
Check often for
understanding of
subject matter
The reading text
may be chunked
into smaller
sections for
increased
comprehension



Student
observation
Stump the
Teacher
Acculturation:
The Lost Boys
of Sudan
Assignment
Exit Ticket
Summative

Students will
demonstrate
their mastery
of the content
in the
problem-based
c. Play the Lost Boys of the Sudan video, pausing after
crucial points or to clarify misconceptions raised by
students.
d. Allow students time in class to begin the Acculturation:
The Lost Boys of Sudan Assignment.
III.
(simply play
additional rounds
of “Stump the
Teacher”)
learning
scenario
Cultural
Orientation.
Summarizing Strategy:
a. Using the exit ticket function on Socrative.com, ask
students to formulate an answer to the essential question
of the day.
Essential Question:
5
Project Day – Refer to Unit Plan
Guest Speaker Day
6
I CAN draw
conclusions
about
assimilation
from primary
sources.

iPad

Assimilation:
Indian
Boarding
Schools
Assignment
(Appendix A)
Essential Question: How do the Native American Indian boarding schools
exemplify assimilation?
Enrichment
Formative


This lesson was adapted from a Library of Congress Teacher Resource.
I.
Set:
a. Ask students: Are you civilized?
b. Facilitate a classroom conversation addressing this
question. Students should incorporate their own
understandings of ethnocentrism, acculturation, and
assimilation.


Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring
Advanced
students may not
require the
guiding questions
that accompany
the primary


Student
observation
Stump the
Teacher
Assimilation:
Indian
Boarding
Schools
Assignment
II.
III.
Teaching Strategy
a. Explain that the question of “What is civilized?” has been
asked and answered by humankind all around the world
throughout time.
b. Specifically, in American history this question was asked
with regard to the Native American Indians. Explain that
one such (ethnocentric) solution by the American
government in the 19th and 20th centuries was to establish
Indian boarding schools. Pose the essential question to
students.
c. Talk students through the Indian Boarding Schools
assignment sheet, providing them with the Library of
Congress Indian Boarding Schools Galleries: Appearances,
Dwellings, Daily Life and Customs.
d. Depending on student experience with primary source
analysis, coaching or individualized instruction using the
primary source analysis tool may be necessary.
Summarizing Strategy
a. Allow students to airplay their galleries of selected images
demonstrating the assimilation of Indian culture. Discuss
the shift that occurred from Native culture to a more
“civilized”.
b. Direct students to the Library of Congress Indian Boarding
School Journal Resources.
c. For homework, students are to select one person or
group of people and read the related primary source
excerpts. Additionally, they should conduct research using
reliable resources to learn more about the individual(s)
selected.
source analysis
tool.

Student gallery
Remediation
Summative





Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring
Check often for
understanding of
subject matter
The guiding
questions
accompanying the
primary source
analysis tool will
help guide
students in their
analysis of
primary source
photographs.
Students will
demonstrate
their mastery
of the content
in the
problem-based
learning
scenario
Cultural
Orientation.
7
I CAN draw
conclusions
about
assimilation
from primary
sources.



Socrative.com Essential Question: How do the Native American Indian boarding schools
exemplify assimilation?
iPad
Online
discussion
This lesson was adapted from a Library of Congress Teacher Resource.
forum (via a
I.
Set:
learning
a. Using the short-answer function of Socrative.com, instruct
management
student to respond to the following statement:
system such
as Moodle,
Indian children should have attended Indian boarding
Canvas, or
schools so that they could be more civilized.
CourseSites).
II.
Teaching Strategy
a. Explain to students that they will be participating in and
19th/20th century discussion forum. Students are to
assume the role of the historical figure they researched
for homework on day six. To enhance the activity, identify
the figure each student selected and only refer to
students by that historical name.
b. Give students approximately ten to fifteen minutes to
write an initial post in the discussion forum, responding to
the following prompt in character:
Indian children should attend Indian boarding schools so
that they may be more civilized.
c. After the time period of writing the initial response to the
prompt, allow students ten to fifteen additional minutes
to respond to a historical figure different than their own.
Instruct them to try to think and act as their assumed
identity would have during the given time period.
d. The writing rounds may be repeated as many times as the
class period allows or until students begin to run out of
Enrichment
Formative



Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring

Remediation




Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring
Extended time on
assignments for
selected students
Check often for
understanding of
subject
Informal
questioning
Electronic
notebook
entries
Summative

Students will
demonstrate
their mastery
of the content
in the
problem-based
learning
scenario
Cultural
Orientation.
people to respond to.
***This activity may also be completed on paper with
students simply exchanging papers and journaling back and
forth to one another on paper. ***
III.
Summarizing Strategy:
a. In their electronic notebooks, ask students to reflect:
Through the completion of this activity, have your ideas of
what it means to be civilized changed? What are your
opinions regarding the treatment of Native American
Indians by the non-natives? Can you think of related
examples either from history or today?
Essential Question:
8
Project Day – Refer to Unit Plan
Go, Baby, Go!
9
I CAN identify
and compare
the cultural
traits of my
culture and



iPad
Apple TV or
Projection
System
Faces of
Essential Question: How would I prepare a refugee for their cultural
transition to the United States?
I.
Set:
Remediation
Formative



Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring
Student
observation
and
another.



Resettlement
(0:00-3:10)
Appendix A
Office of
Refugee
Resettlement’
s 2011 Report
to Congress
Mind Map
software such
as bubbl.us.
Problembased
scenario
grading rubric
(Appendix B)
a. Using the short-answer function on Socrative.com, have
students respond to the following:

Imagine being plucked from your homeland, the United
States, and dropped into a brand new culture that you
have never encountered before. How would you feel?
What would you need to know?

b. Play the three-minute excerpt of Faces of Resettlement.
c. Provide students with the following information:

You have just accepted a position with the United State’s
Office for Refugee Resettlement. As part of your new
position, you have been charged with the task of writing
cultural orientation programs for some of the prominent
refugee groups entering the United States.
How will you prepare the refugees for their cultural transition
to the United States?

Extended time on
assignments for
selected students
Check often for
understanding of
subject
Individualized
instruction
Students may
require examples
of real-life cultural
orientation
materials,
available through
the office of
Refugee
Resettlement.
Enrichment
II.
Teaching Strategy
a. Present students with data from the Office of Refugee
Resettlement’s 2011 Report to Congress:
-
-
Burma remained the largest country of origin
among refugee arrivals between 2006 and
2011. The next largest was Iraq, Bhutan,
Somalia, then Iran.
Arrivals from Cuba comprised the largest group
in 2011 alone.
During 2006 to 2011, however, there were 102
countries represented by the refugee
population in the United States.
b. Allow students to work in collaborative groups of two or
three on this problem-based learning scenario.
c. After student groups are selected, they will need to select
Depending on the
level of depth, this
assignment may be
extended to allow
students to
investigate further,
address multiple
refugee populations,
or derive more
complex solutions.
conferencing.
Summative

Students will
demonstrate
their mastery
of the content
in the
problem-based
learning
scenario
Cultural
Orientation.
a refugee population with which to work (use prominent
countries from ORR report above).
d. In order to leave the assignment open-ended, allowing for
multiple products or artifacts to be created (yet still
keeping students focused) conduct a brainstorming
session using a bubbl.us mind map. Brainstorm the two
questions below with students, displaying responses as
they work:
-
What are some potential formats of your
cultural orientation?
What do I need to know in order to design a
successful cultural orientation?
e. Give students the remainder of the period to derive a
solution to the problem. Monitor student progress and
serve as a coach. Students should focus solely on the
planning of the cultural orientation with the
construction/creation reserved for day 10.
III.
10
I CAN identify
and compare


iPad
Apple TV or
Summarizing Strategy:
a. Conference with each group to monitor their progress,
provide guidance, and assess whether additional planning
time may be needed.
Essential Question: How would I prepare a refugee for their cultural
transition to the United States?
Remediation
Formative
the cultural
traits of my
culture and
another.


Projection
System
Mind Map
software such
as bubbl.us.
(Including
map from
previous day)
Problembased
scenario
grading rubric
(Appendix B)
I.
II.
III.
Set:
a. Allow student groups to brief the other student groups on
their approach and progress to the problem. Allow
students to give one another feedback.
Instructional Strategy:
a. Students will use the class period to carry out their plans
for their cultural orientation.
b. If additional class time is needed, this PBL scenario may
be extended into a third day.
Summarizing Strategy:
a. Host a gallery walk for students to display their own work
and view one another’s work.






Heterogeneous
grouping
Peer Tutoring
Extended time on
assignments for
selected students
Check often for
understanding of
subject
Individualized
instruction
Students may
require examples
of real-life cultural
orientation
materials,
available through
the office of
Refugee
Resettlement.
Enrichment
Depending on the
level of depth, this
assignment may be
extended to allow
students to
investigate further,
address multiple
refugee populations,
or derive more
complex solutions.

Student
observation
and
conferencing.
Summative

Students will
demonstrate
their mastery
of the content
in the
problem-based
learning
scenario
Cultural
Orientation.
STANDARDS
Identify what you want to teach. Reference State, Common Core, ACT
College Readiness Standards and/or State Competencies.
Grade Level Expectations
1.01 Understand the nature and complexity of culture.
1.03 Identify the role those diverse cultures had on the development of the Americas.
Student Performance Indicators
7.1.spi.1. Recognize cultural definitions (i.e., language, religion, customs, political system, economic system).
7.1.spi.2. Locate cultural information on a thematic map (i.e., languages, political systems, economic systems, religions).