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Ashley McConnell
EDU-280-1005
Professor Joni Flowers
May 11, 2015

Multicultural Lesson Plan

Title: What I See, When I Look at Me
Grade: Preschool to Kindergarten
Topic: This lesson will be an introduction to different cultures. Also this lesson will help
students recognize differences and similarities when it comes to their own cultures.

General Goals: This activity is to help students learn about different cultures. Now since this
is for a young group of students, this activity is a simple way of introducing physical differences
to students. This in turn, will eventually allow students to identify the different characteristics
as they pertain to different cultural backgrounds.

Specific Goals: In my opinion it is very important for children to be able to self-identify. Kids
start at a very young age asking, why their skin or hair is a different way. Once of the main
things they ask is why they have physical differences from their peers. With this activity,
students will learn the many differences that make up cultures. I want this lesson to give
students a fun and interesting way for them to learn, self-examine, and examine their peers. As
well as teaching them to have respect, for all the different cultures their peers might identify
with.

Required Materials: Handout each of the following:

Construction paper-skin tone colors (these will already be cut into gingerbread/body
templates).
Yarn different common hair colors, black, brown, blonde, etc.
Buttons different common eye colors brown, blue, green, etc.
Markers
Crayons
Glue sticks
Colorful construction paper
Scissors
Mirrors

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Anticipatory Set (Lead in):

Teachers will ask the following questions:

Can anyone tell me the color of their hair?

Is your hair curly, straight, braided, or short?
What color are your eyes?
Do you have freckles? Or a mole?

Step- By- Step Procedures:

Step One: First, put all the students at their tables in groups of 3 to 4.
Step Two: Secondly, handout mirrors to each table. Once all the mirrors are dispensed,

tell them to pick up the mirrors and look at themselves. Once they take a few moments,
ask them what they see when they look in the mirror. While each student is looking in
the mirror, the teacher should be looking in theirs too.
Step Three: While each student is looking in the mirror, the teacher should explain
what they see while looking in the mirror. For example, the teacher would say, When I
look into the mirror I see brown skin. Then the teacher would ask, what do you see
when you look in the mirror?
Step Four: Now that the students have an idea of what they see when they look into
the mirror handout the first set skin toned construction paper. Allow them to pick which
skin tone they see when they look into the mirror. Once they do so have them share
with class what color do they see when looking in the mirror?
Step Five: Now, have the students pick the yarn and the buttons to identify their eye
color and hair color. Once again have each students share with the class what they see
when looking in the mirror.
Step Six: Once all the students have picked their person templates, hair color, and eye
color, have them take the glue sticks and paste everything where it should be. Now be
sure to walk around and make sure each student has everything in the appropriate
place.
Step Seven: Lastly, you will have the students draw the rest of the physical features
they see with markers and crayons. For example, if they see freckles they will draw
freckles. They will also use markers and crayons to draw on their clothes.
Once each student is complete let them take time to share with one another their
depictions of themselves.

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Plan for Independent practice:

Students will go home and ask family members to tell them what they see while looking
in the mirror.
Students will also go home and share their self-templates with their families and explain
what they learned during the activity.

Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set):

Teachers will ask students the following questions:

What did you see when looking at your peers self-templates?

Can you name one thing that you liked about another peers self-templates?

Assessments Based on Objectives:

I will listen to each students mini presentation to their peers. I will look for each child being
able to identify differences between themselves and their peers. As well as showing respect for
each peer and their physical differences.

Possible Connections to Other Subjects:

Identifying physical differences could lead to history and geography. Students will eventually be
able to match general physical characteristics to different cultures.

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List of Multicultural Lessons:

1. America, A Home for Every Culture: K-4
Topic: Connecting history to culture
Through teacher-guided discussion and hands-on activities, students will explore how
various cultures have contributed to making the United States the unique and diverse
country that it is today.
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-34/America_A_Home_for_Every_Culture#Overview
2. Teaching Tolerance and Diversity
The Diary of Anne Frank: 6th -10th
Topic: Tolerance and Diversity
The aims of this unit are to develop an altruistic attitude which enriches the life of the
student through enhanced insight into different social patterns and ways of life. I want
my students to be reflective thinkers who are principled, open-minded, caring, and
balanced communicators. Students will be given the opportunity to use a multimedia
tool of their choice to illustrate the knowledge gained through the reading of Anne
Frank. Topics for the project will include, but are not limited to; modern day genocide,
discrimination of any group of people, diversity in the community and the attitudes
presented by the community, and how different cultures impact varying social patterns.
http://alex.state.al.us/lesson_view.php?id=29403

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3. What is Culture? -9th-12th

Topic: Culture
This lesson gives students an opportunity to examine the complex concept of culture
and to understand that while all people have a culture, for some it may mean the
country or region of their ancestors, and for others it may encompass areas including
family, religion and community. Students learn that no matter how it is defined, culture
gives people a sense of who they are. Before students examine their own cultural
backgrounds and United States culture, they will develop a working definition of culture.
http://www.adl.org/assets/pdf/education-outreach/ABSG-Secondary-SampleLesson.pdf
4. Food and Culture 1st- 5th
Topic: Food as it pertains to culture
We associate different kinds of cuisine with specific places in the world, but why do
people eat what they eat? This lesson plan for the fifth-grade, from the Food for
Thought nutrition curriculum, explores world cultures and ethnic groups and the foods
in their diets.
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nutrition/6495

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5. The Meaning of Food- 6th- 8th

Topic: Culture and Food
Hosted by Marcus Samuelsson, the award-winning executive chef of New York's Aquavit
and Ringo, THE MEANING OF FOOD travels across America, breaking bread with
Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life. We visit home kitchens, restaurants,
pastry bake-offs, lunch trucks, burger joints, an Italian wedding, a Bengali fertility feast
and more, as we explore the profound role that food plays in our lives. Produced by Pie
in the Sky Productions in association with Oregon Public Broadcasting, THE MEANING OF
FOOD, a three-part series, airs nationally on PBS on April 7th, 14th and 21st, 2005 at 10
p.m. (check local listings).

http://www.pbs.org/opb/meaningoffood/classroom/pop-lesson_plan.shtml

6. Everyone Has a Culture- Everyone Is Different- 3rd- 5th , 6th- 8th, 9th -12th
Topic: Cross Cultural Understanding
This activity invites students to identify aspects of the culture that influence our own
behavior and sometimes make it difficult to understand the behavior of other people.
Culture is a complex idea, and teachers should be prepared to offer students many
examples of cultural features.
http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/lesson-plans/everyone-has-culture-everyonedifferent/

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7. The intercultural interview- 8th 12th

Topic: Intercultural awareness, communication
After the activity the students will be more aware about cultural differences and
sensitized in the way they talk to each other. They will experience that its not so easy to
think intercultural... Possible challenges: the students shouldnt be too shy and
motivated to talk to each other.
http://www.teaching-culture.de/en/products/lesson_plans/Activity%20%20The%20intercultural%20interview.pdf

8. True or False? 8th -12th

Topic: Stereotypes, cultural knowledge/ awareness
At the end of the activity, the learners will be more aware of the culture they are
studying: habits, customs and behaviors. They will also express the differences they find
with the cultures they come from, so they will need to share that information with the
rest of the group.
http://www.teaching-culture.de/en/products/lesson_plans/Activity%20%20True%20of%20False.pdf
9. Code Switching 9th -10th
Topic: Multiculturalism
In this lesson, students will practice writing, listening and discussion skills as they learn
about "code switching" who does it, when, where and why they do it and how it is
problematic when it reinforces discrimination.
http://www.pbs.org/pov/americanpromise/lesson_plan.php

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10. Exploring identity- 9th 10th

Topic: Multiculturalism
In this lesson, students will explore how factors such as race, religion and family shape a
person's personal identity. They will then create self-portraits made up of objects,
symbols and/or imagery that represent various parts of their identities.
http://www.pbs.org/pov/offandrunning/lesson_plan.php