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Brandon Pearce EDC 448 Coiro Diverse Text Assignment October 13, 2008 ** “Everyday Diversity” **


 * Context for using the text set:** The context for this assignment is quite unique. It is intended for a 9th grade social studies class teaching the culture of the United States. It is very important for students because many do not understand the diversity that exists that makes the culture of the United States. The texts selected represent a variety of reading levels, from a standard grade text book, to a picture book, to articles accessed online. The variety allows students of all reading levels to involve themselves in the lesson. The lesson is intended to show students how the United States culture is made up of a variety of cultures from around the world, and that their everyday lives are affected by it.

Citation: Scott, John Anthony. __The Story of America__. National Geographic Society publishing. 1992. Text Summary: This is a book published by National Geographic in which they use pictures and illustrations to describe the struggle of America. It begins with an introduction until 1630, and then ends in the 1980s. There is thorough text and pictures. Rationale: I have chosen this text because of the great illustrations. The students can see pictures of the old world, including old style baseball, and how people were forming their own culture in the United States. Use of Text: The reading in this book is above a 9th grade reading level, and so many lower level students will struggle. However, I have chosen this for the pictures, and the captions are easy to read. The students will not be required to read any of the articles, and so I will read aloud from “To Go to America”, on page 237, a section about immigrants coming into the United States. The students will thumb through the pictures in groups to get a firsthand look at the culture of the United States through these images. Attachment: This is a 316 page book and so it is not included.
 * A. Print Resources:**
 * Text #1: Culture of the United States**
 * Citation:
 * Text Summary: This is core lesson 4 from a younger students’ text book. It lays out great background information on the “American Way of Life”, as they call it, through vocabulary, and different headings. They discuss U.S. religion, arts and entertainment, science and technology, and world culture and globalization. This is very important to students’ background knowledge and facts of the lesson.
 * Rationale: I have chosen this as an opening text for the lesson. The textbook does an excellent job laying out vocabulary and how the world affects the United States culture. The text explains how many American activities are actually new concepts of games from different parts of the world. It has an excellent “Spotlight” section on baseball, and how it evolved from an English game to an American phenomenon. This is from a 6th grade reading level, and will be easily read by the class.
 * Use of text: This entire chapter should be read by the whole class. They will respond by a classroom discussion of examples of how their lives are affected by diversity.
 * Attachment: This was a large text book, not included here.
 * Text #2: The Story of America**

Citation: Golenbock, Peter. Bacon, Paul. __Teammates__. Voyager Books, 1990. Text Summary: This an award winning picture book about the story of Jackie Robinson and his coming into baseball. It describes how his teammates rejected him at first, until his teammate PeeWee Reese stands up to them at a game. Rationale: This book is intended to show how the United States did not always accept a variety of diversity into their culture. The example of baseball is repeated over and over because it is the American pastime and it was not always as diverse as it is now. The students can easily relate. Use of Text: I will read this book aloud to the class and show the corresponding pictures. We will discuss the story afterward, and the students can tell me what they think about the United States not always being culturally diverse. Attachment: I have included a picture of the cover in the hard-copy passed in. Citation: Norton, Mary Beth, et al. __A People and a Nation.__ Brief Seventh Edition. Houghton Mifflin, Boston 2007. Pages 630-632. Text Summary: I have chosen a section from this text book titled “A More Diverse Culture” on page 630. It describes the American culture and family in the present century. There is also a map of the country highlighting different ethnicities in different areas. Rationale: This is important for the students to read because it describes America in the present day. The chapter will reinforce the students’ understanding of the lesson. Use of Text: The students will receive a copy of the section to be read, and we will read it out loud as a class. After we are finished, we will analyze the map provided as a class and discuss how diverse our community and school are. Because the reading is intended for college reading levels, by reading out loud the class as a whole can help each other get through the text. Attachment: This is from a 600 page text set, with two parts, and is not included. Citation: Datesman, Maryanne Kearny, et al. __American Ways: An Introduction to American Culture__, Third Edition. Pearson ESL. 2005. Pages 245-260. Text Summary: This is a text book devoted entirely to teaching American Culture. It opens with an introduction to the teacher, and then is broken down into chapters from beginning American Culture, to the United States in the present day. Rationale: This is a lot for 6th grade students to take in for one lesson, so I will break it down and take only the chapter most relevant to the lesson. Use of Text: I will make copies of chapter 12, American Values at a Crossroads, because this is the chapter of America in the 21st century. The students will read what I have highlighted out loud, a couple sections relative to today’s society and culture. Along with the other text book, this will increase student awareness and understanding of the American culture. It will also highlight world culture. Attachment: This is a textbook and is not included.
 * Text #3: Teammates**
 * Text #4: A People and a Nation**
 * Text #5: American Ways: An Introduction to American Culture**

= Text #6: Open Sesame: Understanding American English and Culture through Folktales and Stories (audio cassette/ compact disc) = = Citation: Price, Planaria J. __Open Sesame: Understanding American English and Culture through Folktales and Stories__. University of Michigan Press, 1997. = = Text Summary: This is an audio cassette or compact disc set which includes various American folk tales such as “The Three Pigs” and “Johnny Appleseed.” The cassettes tell the stories for learners who have not yet acquired all the vocabulary needed to read these original stories and folktales on their own. There is text included with the stories as well. = = Rationale: This is to help students who are struggling with reading, and it is a fun way to include folk stories into our discussion. = = Use of Text: This will be used to help build reading and listening skills. The students will be asked to explain how these stories are important to American culture and the idea of diversity. We can choose as a whole which stories the students want to listen to and discuss. This should help develop critical thinking skills, by explaining how folklore is a major part of culture. = = Attachments: This is a cassette and text set, not included here. =
 * B. Media Resources**
 * Text #7: Don’t Touch the White Woman!**
 * Citation: //Don’t Touch the White Woman!// Directed by Marco Ferreri. Image Entertainment Studios. 1974.
 * Text Summary: This is a video, an Italian director’s comedic take on a traditional American Western. He sympathizes with the Indians instead of the Cowboys, and tells the story of General Custer and Little Big Horn in a satirical manner.
 * Rationale: This movie will be used to show an outside interpretation of American media, film, and history, in a comedic way. The satire and comedy will keep the students interested, rather than showing a documentary.
 * Use of text: This video will be watched in class and then discussed by the students. I will aim the discussion at how a foreign view of American culture differs from the students’ own view. By showing a comedy, the students can easily relate and stay interested.
 * Attachment: This is a DVD and I have not included it here.


 * C. Online interactive resources**
 * Text #8: United States Culture**
 * Citation: Fass, Paula S. //United States Culture.// From Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2008 [|http://encarta.msn.com]. Accessed September 23, 2008.
 * Text Summary: This is an article from an online encyclopedia which does a great job defining American culture for students. It provides much information giving a wide understanding of how popular arts play a major role in American culture. It also describes how democracy is a major part of our culture as well.
 * Rationale: I will use this for more excellent background information for the students. They will now have a great understanding and be able to define American culture for themselves. Each text focuses on something differently, and now they can see how wide United States culture really is.
 * Use of text: The students will go online and search for American Culture at the Encarta website. They will read the article on their own, note important information, get in groups and come up with their own definition of American culture to describe to the class.
 * Attachment: I have attached the article in the hard copy handed in.


 * Text #9: American Family Traditions**
 * Citation: American Family Traditions online. [|www.americanfamilytraditions.com]. Accessed October 10, 2008.
 * Text Summary: This website highlights traditions from an American household of various ideas from holidays, to weddings, to food and the such. Each idea is on its own separate link.
 * Rationale: This is to give students an idea of specific traditions used in America. It may or may not be tradition in their own family, and that will be discussed later.
 * Use of text: The students will access this website in groups or small pairs. They will then pick a tradition from the links on the right hand side and prepare a small minute presentation of their choice for the class. We will then discuss traditions that the students participate in, and describe how that is part of their own cultural understanding.
 * Attachment: See the accompanying link.


 * D. Instructional Resources**
 * Text #10: Rand McNally World Atlas**
 * Citation: Rand McNally and Company World Atlas. //Rand McNally World Atlas//. Published by Rand McNally and Company 1994.
 * Text Summary: This is a detailed atlas of the world, with populations and census information from 1990.
 * Rationale: This is an excellent resource to use instead of just a map. It shows detailed information of the areas we are looking at, and the students can gain much more information than looking at a political map.
 * Use of text: The students will be asked to pick something used in American culture that comes from another country. The students will then find the country from which their artifact/tradition/cultural item comes from. They will find population information and the country’s neighbors. This will give them a deeper sense of world culture and where American culture comes from.
 * Attachment: This is a large atlas and is not included.


 * Using these texts together in the classroom:** These texts have been arranged for the lesson titled “Everyday Diversity.” This has been intended to teach a 9th grade social studies class about American culture and how it is made up of diverse people and affects their lives every day. The students have a variety of text and media options here for them, and the teacher can choose which ones they would prefer. They all address different reading levels, and so all the students will be accommodated. The text should be accompanied by discussion, that is where critical thinking and understanding of the idea of American culture can be learned. Once the students have a clear definition, discussion within the classroom will open their eyes to how they live this everyday.

GLE’s R 7.2 Use explicit information to answer questions, to state main ideas, provide supporting details, or interpret maps, charts, timelines, tables, diagrams. R 8.1 Connect info within and across texts or ideas W 6.4 Synthesize/draw conclusions
 * Learning Objectives:**

RI Social Studies Standards

Students will gain perspectives on their own life experiences so they see themselves as part of the larger human adventure in time and place.

Students will use a variety of texts to gain an understanding of American peoples and the unity and diversity of world history, geography, institutions, traditions and values.

Brandon, I think this is a very topic and can definitely see the benefits of the selected texts. I especially like the //Don't Touch a White Woman// video because it is very important to show students different perspectives in all contents, but history especially since it is supposed to be factual. I also like your first objective because adolescents need to feel a sense of belonging, so reminding them that they are a part of the "big picture" is great. ~Joy Erickson

Brandon, This is a great lesson topic! History is often stereotyped as the story of rich white men. It is great that you want students to see beyond that, and learn that America's history is filled with different cultures and opinions. Good job! Ashley Grady Hi Brandon, What an ambitious project! I was particularly interested in finding the student’s content is Social Studies because it has so much potential, yet is often taught dryly. I too like the //Don’t Touch the White Woman!// (I want to see it now). I sense it pokes fun at the objectified/or possessive image of women. I also like the sympathetic take on Native Americans. This is particularly important because America was naturally diverse from the beginning, and I’m not entirely sure the Native Americans are adequately represented because their culture was verbal, rather than written, and sometimes transient to European descendants. I’m curious if your folktales include folklores. I also like “American Family Traditions”( I took a peek). No better way to understand culture than through how people celebrate or mourn. A couple of things that stem from your text come to mind when developing a text on culture. Music is one. During the slave period people used music to communicate their sorrow (and what a progression to follow). History is part of us and it’s interesting how music tends to stay rooted in its origins. Black, Hispanic, Native American and etc. music could add to this and it’s fun. Another idea is FOOD. Who doesn’t like food? Different nationalities have unique seasonings, meats, and vegetables and such (and I’m sure for varying reasons). Perhaps there are some texts that explore that issue. Even recipes can show how similar ingredients are used and are synonymous to particular cultures. I’m just stemming from your ideas, however. Well done and very interesting. Denise Simard

Brittany Hedger- I really wanted to take a look at your text to see how you would open students up to realizing the diversity of the united states today compared to other countries. #10 I feel is a great way to wrap up the unit. Allowing the students to first see the census that will give them further details about the united states. What makes this even better is that you will then have them compare this to some other country. Looking at how diversity started in the US to where it now is today I think will also help with students understanding.