Vanishing Cultures Series
Ten Themes of Social Studies (NCSS Standards)
Theme 1: Culture
The Vanishing Cultures series explores indigenous cultures around the world. This series relates
directly to learning about different cultures and the importance of cultural diversity. Through the
Vanishing Cultures series, children can familiarize themselves with the cultures home country
geography and the specific cultural practices of that culture. They can also become aware of the
challenges and social issues these Vanishing Cultures face.
Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change
Each of these cultures has been around for centuries. All of them still practice some of the same
activities as their ancestors. Their lives are inextricably tied to ancient ways of life and ancient
traditions. History is ongoing and Vanishing Cultures explores how the ways of our forbearers
shapes the landscape and life styles of people today.
Theme 3: People, Places and Environments
Each of the seven books in the Vanishing Cultures series includes a world map and a shaded area
where the specific culture can be found. By first studying these maps, children can not only
familiarize themselves with world geography but also the geography of six of the seven
continents. Reynolds includes close up maps of the continent and environmental terrain that can
be found there. As Reynolds emphasizes in the opening paragraphs, we as humans are connected
to our land. We should all take lessons from these cultures on how they treat the environment.
Theme 4: Individual Development and Identity
Each book explores the actual life and daily practices of a child within the culture. Their own
identity and development is laid out by showing the chores they do and the games they play. An
American child can see the similarities they share with these children, through the games they
play and the things they do with their family. We are not that different after all.
Theme 5: Individuals, groups and institutions
An individual culture is itself an institution. The cultural practices shape the way an individual
grows up and perceives the world. Just as we are formed by how our parents raise us or what
religion we adhere to, so too are these people formed by their spiritual believes and practices. We
can learn a lot from how they live their daily lives.
Theme 6: Power, Authority and Governance
In reading the Vanishing Cultures series the class should spend time learning about the politics
of the continent or country these cultures originate from. That way they can further understand
how their practices and lives have been forced to change. Each culture itself also has their own
hierarchical system based on gender or age. Those who hold more authority organize how the
culture is run and maintained.
Theme 7: Production, distribution and governance
Each of the Vanishing Cultures has to provide for themselves by using what the land gives them.
We can learn a lot about sustainability by exploring how they farm or hunt or herd. Our way of
life is impeding on theirs and as members of the human family we have a responsibility to see
that these ways of food distribution and livelihood do not end.
Theme 8: Science, Technology and Society
The Vanishing Cultures series emphasizes how advances in technology and modernization have
changed the way these cultures survive. These cultures are vanishing in part because of advances
in technology but also because of the world’s neglect.
Theme 9: Global Connections
One of the many goals behind Vanishing Cultures is to create an awareness of our
interconnectedness. Automobiles and roads have taken resources and livelihoods from most of
these seven cultures. While these issues may seem distant and foreign they directly relate to us.
Theme 10: Civic Ideals and practices
In exploring civics we can teach ourselves how to be effective citizens of the world and how to
help our brothers and sisters around the world.
Activities: Vanishing Cultures
Amazon Basin
Environment/earth sciences: study the Amazon Rainforest before reading the book flora and
fauna that can be found there, seasons…environmental issues today
Geography: learn about general geography of South America coloring a map of South
America highlighting where the Yanomama live
Read book…after reading:
Reading comprehension:
-Vocabulary (word searches, crossword puzzles
Plantains, heris, machete, kapok, deer, tapir, shaponos, wayumi, shaman, rasha,
-short answer questions for discussion what kind of food do the Yanomama eat
What are their houses made of?
What chores does Tuwenowa perform? What chores do you perform?
How do Tuwenowa and his family find food? What do they eat?
Explain the fishing process
What do they do for fun?
-short essay writing: Explain the significance of the jungle to the Yanomama?
Significance of dancing
Compare/contrast funerals
Art activities paint faces, make dye from natural ingredients
Social justice: human rights to the land
Environmental issues: maybe get the kids involved in local or international/national rainforest
movements
Sahara
Geography: Where is the Sahara? What can you find there? People, animals, plants, struggles
Environment: Desert studies
Read the book…after:
Vocabulary
Hoggar Mountains, Blue men, couscous, hobbles, dates, atai
Short questions
How do the Tuareg live? How do they make a living?
What kind of items do they trade?
What do they eat?
What are their homes made of?
Why is their way of life disappearing?
What do the men wear?
How does Manda help his father?
Short essays
What does matriarchal mean? What do you think of this?
Coming of age? (veil)
What is trading?
What is the significance of the camel racing?
Art Activities cooking/eating (couscous, dates, atai)
-rock carving
Social Justice
Environmental Issues
Down Under: Australia
Geography of Australia history of colonization (aborigines)
Environment:
Vocabulary
Walkabout, dreamtime, string bark, bandicoot, carpet snake, boar, malaki, mangrove
worms, crocodiles
Short questions
How do they make their homes?
How do they get water?
What do they eat?
Where does Amprenula and her family play?
Short essays
What is dreamtime? Why is the land so important to the Tiwi
Why do they burn the land? What are its benefits
Activities
Dreaming dance, basket making, pole carving (make a small spirit pole from someone
you know that has died)
Social Justice
Environmental issues
Mongolia
Geography: Asia, Mongolia bordering countries etc, basics
Environment: high mountains, grassland, desert
Vocabulary
Gers, cows, goats, sheep, aaruul, koumiss
Short Questions
How do they make a living?
What are their houses like? Compare to other cultures
What is their connection to their horses?
Describe a typical day
When are the cows milked?
What do they do with dried dung?
Name all the different animals the Mongolians live with?
Short essays
Describe the celebration at the end of the book
Art activities mock celebration
Social Justice
Frozen Land The Inuit
Geography: North America, etc History
Environment: Hudson Bay, tundra, snow
Vocabulary: Inuit, Igloos, caribou, tuktu, paniq, inuksuk, ulu, Ptarmigan, hare, sastrugi,
Kaylauzak
Short Questions
Explain the fishing process
What is life spirit
How do you build and igloo?
Describe the Kaylauzak
Short Essay
When did their way of life begin to change and why?
Explain the Inuit’s connection to the caribou?
Activities
Learn traditional songs, build an igloo if wintertime!
Himalaya
Geography: Asia, Himalayas  Watch movie first! Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan
Environment: Himalaya highest mountains, rocky etc
Vocabulary: Sherpas, Tibetans, yaks, Namche Bazaar, chia, lowland, highlands, rupees,
monastery, monks, Lama, Mani Rimdu, Namaste
Short Questions
What do they make their houses out of?
How do these people make a living? What do they trade?
Daily chores?
What do the Sherpas do?
How do the yaks help?
Short Essays
What is the significance of the prayer wheel
Activities: make rice drink, pretend to have Market day, make sand mandalas, put on plays to
show how to be good and helpful
Study Buddhism! Tibetan Buddhism
Far North
Geography: Europe, Finmark
Environment: Sun shines all day and all night sometimes (summer)
Vocabulary: Samis, Lapland, land of the midnight sun, shaman, lavvo, yoiking, goatti
Short Questions
How do they make their homes?
What is the purpose of the mark on the reindeer?
Short Essays
How and why do they closely follow the seasons? Explain the cycle of the changing
seasons
Reindeer? How do they use every aspect of them, nothing is wasted
Spring celebration: lasso throwing, reindeer race?
Activities
GENERAL/END of Series Questions:
Choose one of these questions to write a two page essay on:
In what ways are each of these cultures tied to the land and animals?
Many of these Vanishing Cultures believe that everything has its own spirit. What do you think
of this? If we also believed that everything had its own spirit, what would our country and world
look like?
Has this series made you think differently about your own life?
What could we do to keep these communities alive? Why should we?
In what ways are we similar to these Vanishing Cultures?
Each vanishing culture has its own celebrations? How are these celebrations similar? How are
they different? Do we have celebrations like these?