According to renowned Psychologist Erik Erikson, identity is a process rooted in the core of the individual, yet it is very much influenced by where a person sees themselves fitting in to their world.
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Erikson grasped that individuals can be understood within their social context, that the individual and society are intricately woven. By learning to embrace one another, and our cultural differences, students, educators, and society overall can strive to develop healthy and engaging ways to connect with others. Inviting children to explore themselves and others through an identity lens is a terrific way to segue into learning about diverse cultures within and beyond our immediate communities.
My students and I establish a pact, asserting that our community is a safe haven where all members can collaboratively interact, work with, and truly get to know one another. In time, we embrace that each member has a unique persona that contributes to the beauty within us all: our goal is to respect, appreciate, and thrive together within the community. We agree to be able to disagree, to bring multiple viewpoints into perspective, and to come to consensus regarding rules to be embraced by each community member. Laying the foundation in this way helps us to tangibly define social identity. Relationships deepen. In time, students recognize that each community member possesses a unique style and persona, identities to be valued and respected.
Affirmation in Song
This introductory discourse and interaction is complemented by an engaging folksong entitled “Turn the World Around” (visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= GlPjUvOxAf0). Created by renowned vocalist Harry Belafonte and sung throughout the Caribbean and beyond, its lyrics remind listeners to go deeper than the surface in getting to know our fellow man irrespective of race, color, or creed. Via this musical complement, students soon grasp that the way we identify ourselves and others shapes our relationships with one another. As we delve further into the unit, young learners will become familiar with the works of several Cuban musicians. Through that experience, they will discover that identity can be conveyed through song. Students will also come to realize that being mindful of ways in which a people define themselves and others opens doors to our effectively interacting and communicating with one another. This will help foster a genuine, unbiased understanding of diverse people within our immediate communities and beyond.
Related Activity: A Supplemental Prelude
To enhance the understanding of cultural identity as it pertains to cultural groups, have students identify themselves in a social context via familial ties, community interaction, and traditions embraced therein. Interviewing family members and friends, gathering photos, and jotting down info regarding family history—specifically pinpointing family members and ancestors from whence they hailed— are great ways to begin. Through this activity, students will discover that identity encompasses relationships and interactions that impact our lives over time. It also accentuates that relationships often cross racial and social boundaries. This approach can be applied when comparing and contrasting people in context with the way they live and identify themselves within their society.
Getting Started
Have students brainstorm to create a listing of ways that people identify themselves: you will find that the children come up with a wealth of ideas. Highlight that one of many ways in which a people identify themselves is via their birthplace and geographic locale. In this regards, have students locate Cuba on the map. Use visual images to highlight select landmasses and geographic terminology (e.g., island, cays, mountains, plateaus…). Doing so will help children gain a sense of the environment in which a people reside.
In addition to key geographic vocabulary, introduce words to highlight the culture itself. (I introduced vocabulary via a PowerPoint presentation that highlighted key aspects of Cuban culture; I also introduced personality words as a prelude to select readings.) Regarding Cuba, below are a few vocabulary words with which to begin:
aboriginal
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agrarian
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Arawak
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communism
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Convertible Peso-CUC
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culture
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customs
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democracy
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embargo
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export
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heritage
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identity
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embargo
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Guantanamo Bay
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Guantanamera
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plantains
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Merengue
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mores
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mosaic
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nationalize
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nationality
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Peso-CUP
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ration
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resident
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revolution
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salsa
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sanctions
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Taíno
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The Cold War
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totalitarianism
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Establish Essential Questions
Throughout this learning adventure, young learners will investigate multiple aspects of Cuban culture. They will formulate enduring understandings by making use of quality, non-fiction text and on-line resources, along with fables, folktales, and other literary works to help bring perspective to the identity of Cuban people. They too will be afforded opportunities to meet with and interview entrepreneurs and people of Cuban descent. Students will be encouraged to ask and answer probing questions as they relate to select aspects Cuban culture. This will help them make inferences, draw opinions, and gain deep insight regarding identifying Cuba and her people. Points of view will be examined in multiple perspectives. In this regard, focus questions will be examined, to include:
How are the identity of a country and its people created?
How have various people contributed to the country’s identity?
What are some of the country’s historic and cultural resources, and how do they affect where how people live?
How does culture influence or impact the way people adapt to their environment?
What words best describe a people with regard to how they adapt to their environment or circumstance(s) therein?
Based on objective research and consequential discoveries, how does one identify Cuba?
How might Cubans identify or define themselves?
Can perceptions of identity be impacted based on who is making the observation(s)?
These probing questions are to be revisited and addressed throughout each facet of the study to help students analyze character traits as they relate to motivations, feelings and/or actions in correlation to events and/or circumstances that impact a nation and its people. In this regards, help students develop a personality word list. (Students often make use of basic personality word terminology. Provide them with sophisticated terminology to bolster vocabulary like
gregarious, spontaneous, artistic, generous, persevering, instigative, innovative, industrious, hopeful, resilient, revolutionary, adversarial, survivalist, enduring, disheartened
…, powerful words that can be used to describe a person and/or people in context with their culture and societal circumstance.)
A Precautionary Note
Cuba has a rich and penetrating history. Some aspects of its historic past are too intense to share with young learners at the elementary grade. Socially-sensitive information included within this overview (under the subheading “Corruption Befalls The Island”) has been included for instructors to gain insight into the interaction between the U.S. and Cuba. For example, versus elaborating on specific details regarding life in Cuba during totalitarian President Batista’s rule, generally state that unfair business practices occurred between the U.S. and Cuba, in many instances to the advantage of United States’ interest beginning with Guantanamo Bay. Bottom line: use discretion where required.