Life in a Spanish Mission: A Comparative View of Different Cultures

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Description: Students will discover the daily trials of life for all people who lived in the Spanish missions in California in the 1800s by analyzing the diary entries and accounts from a family living in Monterey, California, in 1838.  The students will compare and contrast the range of feelings among the different groups by analyzing the diary entries as well as determine the cultural influences, good and bad, that the Spanish had on the Native Americans of the time.

 Grade level(s): Middle                     Standards: PASS, GFL             Produced By: Denise Aquilar

Geo-Dancing Around the World

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Description: We live in different geographic locations with special celebrations, cultural influences and traditions in history.  This lesson will help students understand the relationships of these features by using the different types of dances that are performed all around the world.  How do people dance in different parts of the world?  Why are dance traditions different?  What kind of dancing do you do?  What characteristics of specific countries determine the type of dances for that region?

 Grade level(s): Middle                 Standards: PASS, GFL             Produced By: Dianne Hill

Hindu Coming-of-Age Ritual

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Description: In this lesson, students learn about a coming-of-age ritual for upper-caste Hindu boy, and practice textual analysis in small groups.

 Grade level(s): Middle                     Standards: PASS, GFL             Produced By: Janet Hall

Culture of Comix

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Description: Students will be able to apply cultural characteristics to a graphic novel with a storyline which has a logical beginning and end.

 Grade level(s): Middle                     Standards: PASS, GFL             Produced By: Heather Braucher