Second Graders Exploring Mexico #cesuvt #resvt #vted

Scholars in Mrs. Riggs' second grade class were busy today making maracas.  The second grade social studies curriculum includes a unit called It's a Small World: Comparing Cultures.  Below is an excerpt from our curriculum outline.  You can find more information about the CESU curriculum by clicking here.

Description:
The 2nd grade social studies curriculum is focused on comparing and contrasting the student's own culture to characteristics of other cultures. The focus of this unit is on comparing cultures, not countries. There can be many different cultures within a country, community/place. "By recognizing various cultural perspectives, learners become capable of understanding diverse perspectives, thereby acquiring the potential to foster more positive relations and interactions with diverse people within our own nation and other nations."
Essential Questions:
1.*	What is culture?
2.*	How is culture different and the same around the world?
3.*	Why is understanding different cultures important?
4.*	How does your life/culture compare/contrast with other cultures?
5.*	(Technology) How do we use digital tools to effectively communicate and share ideas or information with others?
Basic Concepts:
1.*	Culture is a way of life. Cultural characteristics may include traditions, language, food, recreation, shelter, clothing, the arts, tools, money, education, etc.
2.*	Technology impacts culture.
3.*	The geography of where you live and the resources available affect culture.
4.*	Map Skills The land on Earth is divided into 7 continents. Continents may be divided into countries. The earth is mostly water. The United States of America is a country that is divided into 50 states. The Northern and Southern Hemispheres are separated by an imaginary line called the equator. Each hemisphere has a pole, the North Pole and the South Pole.