This eighteen week literature course is built around short stories and novels whose theme ideas mirror "every" child's culture (as determined by the group's ethnic backgrounds.) It is designed as a classroom reading program for independent readers who have been identified for New Haven's TAG Program. Designed as a child- centered approach to learning about self and others, it is most easily adaptable to any grade level and reading ability.
The intended class is an ethnically diverse group of eight to ten year old students who come together from various elementary schools across the city. They meet one day per week, for four hours, in one of three designated TAG Resource Rooms. This unit will be incorporated as a part of their larger core study unit of Mythology and implemented by two teachers. The challenge is to structure the time and activities to fit students' individual skill abilities and address the cultural needs of each represented group, while at the same time allow for personal growth.
The unit is divided into three segments. Each segment is a lesson with background information for teaching and/or learning about differences among cultures. Each lesson features a plan for one skill activity in either reading ( analyzing literary elements and social issues of the stories) discussion (synthesizing information about cultural myth and fact) or personal writing (evaluating multi-ethnic perspectives) to be used with all of the readings. Each can be used independently as a cursory thematic focus or skill practice study. All hinge largely upon effective presentation can Minorities through Research-Related Activities. Carthage: Good Apple, 1990
Gilson, Jamie. Hello, My Name is Srambled Eggs, New York: Pocket Books: 1985
Glazer, Nathan. We Are All Multiculturalists Now, Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1997
Pickering, John. Comparing Cultures; A cooperative Approach to a Multi-cultured World, Portland: J. Weston Walch Publisher,1990.
Skabelund, Grant Paul et. al. eds.. Culturegram "98 Provo: BYU's David M Kennedy Center for International Studies, 1997.
Smith, Gary and Otero, George. Teaching About Cultural Awareness, Denver: CTR Publications, 1983
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Stark, Rebecca. Creative Ventures Ancient Civilizations, Hawthorne: Educational Impressions,1987
Steidl Sakamoto, Kim. Portraits of Asian Pacific Americans, Carthage: Good Apple.1991
Westridge Young Writers Workshop. Kids Explore America's Hispanic Heritage, Santa Fe: John Mir Publications, 1993.
