Cultural Diversity
3rd Grade Cultural Diversity Inquiry
How Does Our Culture Make Us Similar and Different?
Download Entire Inquiry Here

Staging the Compelling Question
Because culture is such a complex concept, it would useful to give students an open-ended opportunity to offer their initial ideas through a brainstorming activity whereby they respond to the question, “What does culture look like?” Teachers should chart the students’ responses and return to them throughout the inquiry to see if they want to add to, delete from, or modify their list.


 
Supporting Question 1- What is culture?
  • Source A: "Discovering Culture"

Supporting Question 2 - How does history impact cultures around the world today?
  • Source A: "Brazil Today--Carnaval! The Celebration of Brazil"
  •   Source B: Rachel Grack, book chapter on life in France, Exploring Countries: France (excerpts), 2010
  • Source C: Shruti Priya and Katherine Darrow, article about the Indian tradition of Rangoli, "The Ancient Art of Rangoli,” Calliope, March 2013 Priya, Shruti, and Katherine Darrow. "The Ancient Art of Rangoli." Calliope Mar. 2013: 34. by Carus Publishing Company. Reproduced with permission.
NOTE: Featured Source B, an excerpt from the book Exploring Countries: France by Rachel Grack, is used in Grade 3 NYS ELA Module 2B as part of the Unit 2 Assessment.

Supporting Question 3- How are the lives of children similar and different in global communities?
  • Source A: Day in the Life