Students consider the elements of a culture and then look specifically at some of these elements in France. Then they work in groups to research some of the cultural elements in an assigned Western European country. Finally, students explain what aspects of their assigned country’s culture they like most and least compared to American culture.
Students are introduced to the lesson focus on Western European culture and the objective of identifying and explaining cultural elements. They view an image of the Grand Palace in Paris and respond to a class wall prompt about what aspects of a country’s way of life (such as food, buildings, activities, or arts) they would most want to experience when visiting another country.
Teacher MovesPreview the experience, highlighting that students will explore cultural elements in France and other Western European countries. Clarify the lesson objective. Lead a discussion of student wall responses, connecting ideas such as food, landmarks, sports, museums, and music to the broader concept of culture. Emphasize that these categories represent cultural elements they will examine throughout the lesson, then transition students to the next scene when ready.
Students view an image of French macarons and watch the video Destination: France to learn about key features of French culture, including architecture, food, art, and landscape. They then respond on a class wall by imagining they have lived for two years in a Western European country they previously researched, explaining in one or two paragraphs which aspects of that country’s culture they like most and least compared to American culture, using prior and optional additional research. As a class, they discuss what they found in their research.
Teacher MovesConnect the visual of French macarons and the video content to the idea of cultural elements. Prompt students to draw on their earlier research as they compare their assigned country’s culture with American culture. Facilitate a whole-class discussion of students’ findings, encouraging them to support their opinions with specific cultural examples. Before moving on, organize students into small groups and assign each group one Western European country (United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, or Austria), ensuring that each country is represented.
Working in their assigned small groups, students research the culture of their Western European country using the internet. They collaboratively write a script for a short video modeled on the France example, ensuring it includes multiple cultural elements such as architecture, food, artists, writers, sports, and holidays. A designated group note taker posts the script to the shared wall. Students then review other groups’ scripts and discuss them within their small groups, comparing cultural elements across countries.
Teacher MovesClarify expectations for the group research and script, emphasizing inclusion of a range of cultural elements and accurate information. Circulate to support research, help students locate reliable sources, and prompt them to explain why selected examples are culturally significant. After scripts are posted, provide time for students to read and discuss one another’s work, and facilitate a whole-class conversation where students can ask questions and compare countries. Encourage interested groups to extend their script into an actual video or slide presentation. When group work is complete, prepare students to continue the remaining scenes individually.
Individually, students imagine hosting a visitor from another country in their own town. On a class wall, they list places to visit and activities to do that would best reflect the culture of their community, explaining why each is an important cultural element. They then review classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with a question or a positive comment, engaging in peer-to-peer discussion about local culture.
Teacher MovesPrompt students to think broadly about cultural elements in their community, such as local foods, festivals, landmarks, sports, arts, and community traditions, and to justify their choices. Monitor the wall posts and guide students to provide thoughtful explanations and respectful, substantive comments or questions on peers’ entries. Use examples from student responses to reinforce the concept of culture and to connect local cultural elements to those studied in Western Europe.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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