Samantha McHone

Sloane Leppen
Kelley Sasser
Lauren Warner
Kiersten Olsen
Kyla Masserant

Big Idea Integrated Arts Unit

Big Idea:
The big idea of our unit is to have 2nd grade students understand the importance of their
own identities and identities of different cultures. We chose this idea because we want students
to understand where they came from and understand the identity of other cultures. Learning
about their identity and the identity of different cultures helps students learn to accept themselves
and accept others. It also teaches them to have empathy toward others. This lesson integrates
social studies with many different aspects of art.
Context:
Grade: 2nd
Background: Before beginning this unit, students should have a basic understanding of
cultural identity. In order to do this, teachers should ask students to think about their
personal lives and cultures. They should ask students to think about their traditions and/or
rituals. Are they the same as their classmates? Do they do the same things as their
friends? Do they dress the same? Eat the same foods? Etc.
Objectives:
Students will learn about their own identity and be able to describe components of their
identity to each other.
Students will understand ways in which ethnic cultures represented in Michigan are
similar and different from each other.
Art Concepts:
Drama: Students will learn how to take on the role of someone from a different culture by
manipulating their body movements in terms of shape, level, presence, facial expression,
and self-control. Students will also manipulate their voice in terms of projection and
volume.
Music: Students will learn how to recognize the sounds of different instruments. They
will also learn how the differences in rhythm, dynamics, pitch, and form/style
differentiate one cultures music from another. Finally, students will learn how music
can evoke emotion.
Content Area: This unit addresses the content area of social studies.
2 G4.0.3: Use components of culture (e.g., foods, language, religion, traditions) to
describe diversity in the local community.

Materials:
Map of the world
Multicultural Childrens Songs by: Ella Jenkins CD
CD player
Activities:
1. Culture Box - Introduction/Warm-up
Students will be given the culture box assignment as homework on Friday. A letter to
their parents and a rubric (provided below) will be sent home with them. Students will be asked
to bring in 5 items that represent their individual identity/culture. It must include family
composition, ethnicity, values, beliefs (religion & spirituality), and personal interests in the form
of pictures, art, documents, collections, books, heirlooms, or any other stuff that is meaningful
to them. The students will present their items to the class and tell what they represent/mean to
them. This project will allow students to understand themselves as a cultural being within their
family, community, and society.
Follow-up mini-activity: Have students write their names on small sticky notes and place them
on the location on a map where their family is from. Display the map somewhere in the
classroom where it will be able to be seen throughout the entire unit.
Map link: http://geology.com/world/world-map.shtml
Letter home to parents:
Dear Parents/Guardians,
This upcoming week we are going to learn about cultural and individual identity. At
some point during the weekend, we ask that you connect with your child to review the aspects of
their culture, and assist them in creating a culture box to share with the class. Their cultural box
must include five items/artifacts that represent your familys ethnicity, culture, family traditions,
interests, and experiences. These can include pictures, documents, art, collections, books,
heirlooms, trinkets, or any other stuff that is meaningful to your family. The process of
constructing a cultural box will allow your child to examine himself/herself as a cultural being
within their family, community, and society. On Monday we will present our cultural boxes to
the class. Students will be expected to tell a story of their items, what they mean to them, and
how they impact their values, beliefs, and/or attitude.
Specific areas you must include:
* Family composition
* Ethnicity
* Values
* Personal Interests
* Beliefs (religion, spirituality)

Cultural Box Grading Rubric:

0

Did not

Covered

Covered all

complete

most areas

areas

assignment

sufficiently

sufficiently

Comments

Family composition

Ethnicity

Values and beliefs

Personal interests

Presentation:
Connects all
artifacts to oneself
through the art of a
story.

Total
(10 points possible)

2. Can Words Tell Me What I Mean? - Drama

Source: http://www.teaching-culture.de/en/products/lesson_plans/Activity%20%20Can%20only%20words%20tell%20you%20what%20I%20mean.pdf
Make enough copies of the ethnicity cards handout below so that each student will have
one card. Then cut out the cards, shuffle them, and have each student pick one. Each card has an
ethnicity that is prominent within Michigan on it (Caucasian, African American, American
Indian, Chinese, Hispanic, Indian, or French) and lists some attributes of that specific ethnicity.

Then inform students that they are at a birthday party and must act according to the
attributes that are on their cards. To do this, students will get up and move around the room while
interacting with each other. Students cannot tell each other which ethnicity they are role-playing
and their goal is to group themselves according to the different ethnicities. At the end of this
activity, students will understand how people from other cultures behave when meeting other
people. The rubric below can be used to assess this activity.
After the activity, guide the students in a class discussion with the following questions:
How did you feel while you were role-playing?
Was it easy to find your group members?
How was it difficult?
Was each ethnicity similar? Or, did you notice differences?

Ethnicity Cards:
Caucasian:
Use a handshake, smile, or say hello when
greeting someone you dont know
Use first names
Maintain eye contact
Speak directly and get straight to the point
Keep distance when talking
Uncomfortable with silence
Smile a lot

American Indian:
Do not interrupt others when they are speaking
Speak softly and with a clear voice
Do not look at others when you are talking to them
Do not walk in between people who are talking
Do not point; use your lips and point your eyes or
nod in the direction you are referring to

African American:
Use a handshake, smile, or say hello when
greeting someone you dont know
Use first names
Maintain eye contact
Speak directly and get straight to the point
Keep distance when talking
Uncomfortable with silence
Smile a lot

Chinese:
Use a handshake or nod when greeting someone
you dont know
Look towards the ground when greeting someone
Laugh a lot while in a conversation
You dont like being touched
Refrain from being loud
Use family names (last names)
Point with an open hand

French:
Men initiate handshakes with women
Use last names when introducing each other
Keep your hands out of your pockets
Keep your voice low

Indian:
Do not show affection in public
Keep an arms-length distance between yourself and
others while talking
A smile and jerking your head backwards means yes
Use only your right hand to touch someone (the left
hand is thought to be unclean)
Do not point with your fingers; point with your chin,
whole hand, or thumb
Men signal friendship by patting each other on the
back

Hispanic:
Do not make eye contact when talking
Stand close to the person/people you are talking to
Shake hands or give a slight bow when introduced to
someone
Women do not shake hands
Do not stand with your hands on your hips because
that signifies anger
Always say goodbye

Can Words Tell Me What I Mean? Rubric:

2

Exploring Ideas and

Feelings through
Drama

Student participated
verbally and
nonverbally in roleplaying. Student was
able to accept the role
of the ethnicity they
were given.

Student did not

participate verbally
and nonverbally fully.
Student did not accept
the role of the
ethnicity they were
given.

Student did not

participate. Student
did not accept the role
of the ethnicity they
were given.

Responding to the
Ideas and Feelings of
Others

Student worked well

in the group. Student
developed role
through interactive
involvement.

Student kept mostly to

himself or herself.
Student somewhat
developed role
through interactive
involvement.

Student did not work

well in the group.
They did not develop
role through
interactive
involvement.

Communicating Ideas
and Feelings to Others

Student used
gesturing, miming,
movement,
improvisation, or
interpretation. Student
maintained
appropriate mood and
atmosphere.

Student used some

gesturing, miming,
movement,
improvisation, or
interpretation. Student
maintained some
appropriate mood and
atmosphere.

Student did not use

any gesturing,
miming, movement,
improvisation or
interpretation.
Student did not
maintain appropriate
mood and atmosphere.

Reflecting upon the

Drama Experience

Student revealed and

shared insight.
Student connected
drama to personal
experience.

Student revealed and

shared some insight.
Student somewhat
connected drama to
personal experience.

Student did not reveal

and share insight.
Student did not
connect drama to
personal experience.

Able to discuss how

people from other
cultures behave when
meeting one another

Student participated in
the discussion. Shows
understanding of
different ethnicities.

Student participated in Student did not

the discussion but
participate in the
does not show
discussion at all.
understanding of
different ethnicities.

3. Multicultural Music - Music, Reflective

Source: http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/music-across-america#sect-introduction
In this reflective activity, students will be listening to a variety of multicultural music
from the CD Multicultural Childrens Songs by: Ella Jenkins. In order to develop their listening
skills, they will be using a worksheet (provided below) to record their observations and
impressions about the music they are listening to. In addition to identifying musical instruments
and the cultural context of the music, students are encouraged to think about their own personal
responses to the music and how it makes them feel.
Instructions:
Students will listen to music from different cultures.
To introduce each selection, supply background information about the musicians (provide
video clips or photographs if available).
Play each selection several times as students complete their worksheet.
After the worksheet is completed, lead a discussion that encourages students to share and
talk about their answers and responses to the music.
Guiding Questions:
What does this music tell us about the culture it comes from?
How does the use of different instruments change the way the music presents itself?
How does each type of music make us feel?

Multicultural Music Worksheet

1. Title of music: _______________________________________________
2. Name of musician or group: ____________________________________
3. What culture does this musical selection represent? __________________
4. What instruments can you hear in this selection (circle all that apply):

Piano

Percussion

Woodwind

Strings

Brass

5. Write down three words that describe this selection:

a. ____________________________________
b. ____________________________________
c. ____________________________________
6. How did you feel when listening to this music?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________