This unit will NOT include as a purpose or objective, “to learn about THEATER”—but will emphasize the use of Drama as an educational tool. I am most interested in Drama as CONTEXT, as the medium within which learning can take place. This CONTEXT can be applied to an infinite variety of CONTENTS. The content I have chosen for this unit is multiculturalism. I think that Drama is a particularly good tool to use when teaching multiculturalism, since it allows students to learn through action and experience.
After students have completed this unit they will be able to:
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1) Define culture. “The culture of a particular group is its total way of life. It includes all the things the group as a whole thinks, believes, and does. To study a group’s culture is to study its art, literature, religion, philosophy, sports, clothing, politics, customs, and habits. We may speak of the culture of a country (American culture), the culture of a region of the world (Southeast Asian Culture), or the culture of a racial group (black culture). A culture that is especially large and complex is called a civilization.”
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2) Identify at least three cultures which have helped to make up the U.S.A.
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3) Count from one to ten in each of the following languages:
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Spanish, the language of Puerto Rico (U-no, DOS, TRES, CUAT-tro, CINC-o, SEIS, si-ET-e, O-cho, nu-EV-e, di-EZ);
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Twi, a language of one group of people in Ghana (o-HUN, BAA-ko, MI-enu, Mi-EN-sa, E-NAN, E-num, N-sia, N-son, nMOU-cha, Nk-RON, E-du);
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Russian, the official language of the U.S.S.R. (ah-DEEN, dvah, tree, chih-TEE-reh, pyaht, shayst, seeaym, VOH-seeaym, DYEH-veht, DYEH-
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seht).
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4) Locate on a map the continents of North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
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5) Locate on a map the U.S.A., Puerto Rico, the U.S.S.R. and the republic of Russia, and Ghana in West Africa.
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6) Tell at least two folk tales, each from a different culture.
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7) Sing at least two songs from two different cultures.
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8) Name at least 2 natural resources from each culture studied.
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9) Identify traditional folk music of Puerto Rico, Russia, and Ghana.
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10) Draw three different scenes which could each be identified as being one of the cultures studied.
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11) Take part in a performance which will focus on some aspects of life in Russia, Puerto Rico, and Ghana.
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12) Demonstrate pride in their performance, and their classmates’ performance.
