II. Lesson Plans and Activities
Lesson1: Communicating Culture and Values Through Art
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What is culture?
What are values and how do they help define one’s culture? Art is a universal language that can convey cultural
norms and values.
What are the advantages of using art (non-linguistic
communication) instead of written or verbal means of
conveying ideas? Expanding one’s awareness of other cultures enhances
appreciation of the lives of peers living in another
country.
Activity
Description and Important Points
Materials
1. Cultural Art Working in small groups, students use the art examples, analyzing each
and
piece for details and clues that illustrate the artist’s cultural norms and
Analysis
values.
Worksheets
a. Answer the questions by first looking only at the art.
b. Read the artist’s description and re-examine initial answers.
c. Groups share their analyses of each art example. Point out that
the activities presented (attending a wedding, learning
Arabic, washing clothes, etc.) and the noted details (types of
clothing, animals, etc.) are visible aspects of culture. The
reasons why the artists chose to share these scenes (family
obligations, education, love of nature, etc.) illustrate values,
the invisible aspects of culture.
d. Review the many insights into culture and values the class
discovered in these pieces. Have students develop definitions
for culture and values based on class discussion.
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Analysis Work-
sheets #’s 1-6
ArtLink Tool Box: Strategies for Deeper Understanding
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Students work in small groups or individually depending on age/grade and ability level. Check the U.S. Grade
Level Learning Standards for specific objectives for age/grade appropriate content.
As a whole or in small groups, have students do further research to discover facts about your partner’s city,
country, and culture.
Students create a personal preference web, comparing personal preferences to cultural norms and values
(See Personal Preference Web in Appendix).
US Learning Standards
Addressed Grade 3 4 5 6 7 8 9-10 11 -12
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