Culture in the Content Areas

We begin this activity with the following quote from S. Ana Garza, 1996:

"Multicultural education ensures that all children will be provided with an equitable educational experience. In order to accomplish this, schools must first be recognized as social systems that have predominately been established and developed to meet the educational needs of middle class European males. Schools have traditionally ignored ethnics, sociocultural, linguistic, gender, religious, and other forms of diversity inherent in our pluralistic society. Fortunately much effort has gone into reforming schools so that they are beginning to reflect the reality of our demographics. Since this diversity will continue into the next century, this restructuring is much needed."

This activity will assist you in considering how multicultural information and viewpoints can be incorporated into the different content areas.

Step One: 

Choose an article from pages 56-82 in your Study Guide that most closely corresponds with what you currently teach (or plan to teach). Then answer the questions below that coincide with the article you read. You may submit your answers to the facilitator using either the downloadable document or pp. 83-85 in the Study Guide.

Science:  Accessible Science

  1. What do you think led the author to write this article?
  2. What is the main goal/purpose of the article?
  3. Describe a lesson appropriate to your students using the "Learning Cycle." Be sure to answer the following in your description:  What science concept are the students learning? What are your primary objectives? Describe each phase of the "Learning Cycle" for your particular lesson. Can/will you use this lesson? Explain why or why not.

Mathematics:  Making Mathematics Multicultural Through Meaning & Empowerment

  1. What led the author to write this article?
  2. What does the author mean by "student voice"?
  3. Describe a lesson appropriate to your students using "the achievement approach".  Be sure to answer the following in your description:  What mathematical concept(s) are the students learning?  How are the students going to express "voice" (how were they empowered)?  Can/will you use this lesson?  Explain why or why not.

Social Studies/Literature:  Achieving Multicultural Goals Through Children's Non-fiction

  1. Why has non-fiction often been overlooked in a teacher's goal of capturing students' interests and motivation?
  2. What is the author's purpose in writing this article?
  3. Describe a lesson appropriate to your students using an excerpt from a multicultural literature selection.  Describe the objective of the lesson as well as the pre, during, and post reading strategies that you will utilize. Cite the source of the excerpt including author, title, year, and publisher and tell whether it is fiction or non-fiction. Will/can you use this lesson?  Explain why or why not.
Download the document in Microsoft Word format 

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