Celebrating Cultural Diversity
Creating a World of Understanding
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Each of us is special and our diversity is shown in many ways: the color of our eyes, the religion we practice, the games we play, the language we speak, the holidays we celebrate, the songs we sing, and in many other ways. What makes our family at A.V. Baucom so special is that it is composed of so many different people with various backgrounds, and we are given a chance to share our own cultures and values with others.

Pledge to demonstrate your commitment to embracing all people by making the Agreement to Value Differences a way of life.

To those of you who are different than me:
I promise:
To learn about you,
To understand you,
To befriend you,
To value you and your differences,
And to appreciate that our
similarities are larger than our differences.

Things you can do:

* Create a diversity quilt. Each person can create a square for the quilt that focuses on what makes him/her special and unique. Piece all the squares together to make one quilt.

* Create a culture collage. Independently or in a small group work on a collage about one culture you have studied. The collage should demonstrate the similarities and differences of the culture to your own.

* Make paper chains, with each link representing a country, as wish for the future or for a boy or girl in that country.

* Have children bring in something special from a country they have been to or from their cultural heritage to share. They could also share a special tradition from another country.

* Discuss the similarities and differences in cultures around the world and talk about tolerance, understanding, and appreciation.

* Hold a cultural game day. Bring games to play from another culture. As they are played, discuss their significance.

* Learn about other people who have dedicated their lives to promoting diversity. What were their contributions to diversity? What factors might make someone committed to promoting diversity?

* Host an international food festival. Everyone brings in a food from another culture to share.

* As a family, go out to dinner and experience a new cuisine.

* Visit a local museum or cultural center to learn the history, customs, traditions, and practices of another culture.

* Learn different dances and songs from around the world. Listen to music from other cultures.

 

Web Resources

KultureKids - Learn new games, recipes, crafts, and interesting facts from around the world.

CultureGrams - Get a kids-eye view of 66 countries .  Find cultural and geographical information, history, maps, flags, and colorful images.

Kids' Page - from Cobblestone Publishing - Be in touch with kids from around the world. Read articles and stories by them. Take interactive quizzes, participate in contests and be sure to check out the Activities page with recipes, games, crafts, and more.

National Geographic Kids and National Geographic World for Kids are great online magazines with articles from around the world, activities, news, games, and more.

United Nations Cyberschoolbus - Hop aboard and find out what's happening around the world. Be sure to check out the Community Events and Gallery and the resources section will give you great info. about UN countries. There are also wonderful games and quizzes.

The Africa Game - Learn about different countries in Africa by clicking on a board space.

Cultures on the Edge - An Open Look at Cultural Diversity Around the World - Follow photographers and journalists around the world and learn about cultural diversity through their stories and photos. Currently on exhibit are South and Southeast Asia and the Andes (great for 5th graders). You can also view past exhibits from other regions. A picture here is definitely worth a thousand words.

Aaron's Storybook - Enjoy folktales, legends, tall tales, and more from around the world.

What's in the News? Check out these kid's news sites from around the world.
CBC4Kids - from the Canadian Broadcasting Company
BBC-CBeebies - get coloring pages, games, stories and more from the British Broadcasting Company.
Newsround - from the British Broadcasting Company.

Around the World in Eighty Days - A Geography Adventure - Follow Phileas Fogg on his venture around the world. Remember what you learn about the different countries you visit so you can play a game and see how long it takes you to travel around the world.

Mr. Dowling's Electronic Passport - Browse the world and learn about different cultures throughout history.

The Earth Calendar - This awesome site is a daybook of holidays and celebrations from around the world. You can search by date, country, religion, or lunar phases. Check it out to find out what's happening somewhere in the world today.

Holidays on the Net - Just for fun, find out about the various holidays celebrated by different cultures.

Geographia.com - Take a trip to many different countries in the world.