Different Culture Days

Overview

Today students explore how groups show belonging through daily life: foods, clothing, sports and everyday activities. They will compare cultures using a simple chart and create a short classroom presentation to show similarities and differences respectfully, linked to group rules and routines for learning together.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify ways groups express culture in daily life using foods, clothing, sports and activities.
• WALT describe similarities and differences between cultural expressions.
• WALT work respectfully in a group by listening, taking turns and using agreed routines.
• WALT share learning using pictures and simple sentences.

Success criteria

• I can name at least two cultural expressions (for example food, clothing, sport, activity).
• I can say one similarity and one difference using sentence starters.
• I can contribute respectfully to my group and follow our discussion routine.
• I can present my ideas clearly with a picture and short words.

Curriculum links

• Social sciences, Civics and Society (GROUP RULES, ROUTINES, AND SOCIAL ORGANISATION): students learn how to participate in groups using agreed rules and routines.
• Social sciences, Civics and Society (Cultural practices as group belonging): students recognise cultural practices in traditions, language and everyday practices.
• Social sciences, Civics and Society (New Zealand includes different cultural backgrounds): students build understanding that people bring different traditions and ways of life.
• Communication: students share ideas using oral language, drawings and simple written/labelled responses.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome routine + hook. Teacher shows 4–5 picture cards (example: a meal, a traditional garment, a team sport, a community activity) and asks, “What can we notice about everyday life?” Students respond with a quick turn-and-talk.

2. 5–12 min · Mini lesson: what “culture” looks like. Teacher explains in child-friendly language: “Different groups show culture in daily life—through what they eat, what they wear, sports or games they play, and activities they do.” Students repeat the four categories and point to picture cards under each heading.

3. 12–25 min · Group work: create a culture slide/panel. Teacher puts students into 4 groups of 5 and gives each group a set of culture example images (or printed picture sheets). Each group chooses one “culture set” to present. Students fill in a simple slide/panel template:

• Food (draw + label 1 word)
• Clothing (draw + label 1 word)
• Sport/activity (draw + label 1 word)
• One everyday thing people do (draw + label 1 word) Teacher circulates, prompting: “What do we see? How is this part of daily life?”

4. 25–33 min · Whole-class sharing: gallery walk. Teacher sets the routine: walk quietly, look closely, then give one kind comment using a stem: “I notice…” Students move in a loop viewing each group’s panel, then return to seats.

5. 33–47 min · Comparative chart: similarities & differences. Teacher introduces a large class chart with two columns for two selected culture sets (teacher chooses two groups’ cultures to keep it manageable).

• Similarities: “Both cultures…”
• Differences: “One culture… the other….” Students, with teacher support, add sticky notes or write short labels from the groups’ ideas. Teacher models careful language: “We are comparing what we see in daily life, not saying one is better.”

6. 47–55 min · Presentation practice (short and structured). Teacher teaches a simple 3-sentence script on the board:

• “In this culture, people show culture through…”
• “I can see these examples: (food/clothing/sport/activity).”
• “A similarity/difference is…” Each student takes a turn to present part of their group’s panel using the script and a pointer. Students practise in their groups first, then present to the class.

7. 55–60 min · Exit ticket + closing routine. Teacher gives each student an exit card with two prompts:

• “One way culture shows up in daily life is…” (picture or one-word answer)
• “One similarity/difference I noticed is…” Students complete independently, then place cards in a basket and close with a positive class routine reminder: “We listen, we take turns, we speak respectfully.”

Resources

• Picture cards/printouts showing foods, clothing, sports/games, everyday activities from different cultural groups in New Zealand and globally (age-appropriate and respectful)
• Culture panel template (4 boxes) for each group
• Large class comparative chart (paper or whiteboard) with “Similarities / Differences”
• Sticky notes or marker pens for adding chart ideas
• Sentence-starter strips: “I notice…”, “Both cultures…”, “One culture… the other…”
• Exit ticket cards and pencils/colouring pencils
• Gallery-walk routine visuals (smiley/quiet/point)

Assessment

• Teacher observation during group work: can students identify cultural expressions and use the categories?
• Quick checks during chart creation: students can state at least one similarity and one difference using stems.
• Exit ticket: shows understanding of daily-life cultural expressions and at least one similarity/difference idea.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters, word banks (food, clothing, sport, activity, similar, different), and pre-labelled picture options for students who need less writing.
• Support for EAL: allow drawing as the main response; teacher prompts orally and accepts single words/phrases.
• Challenge/extension within task: ask some students to add a “Why do you think this is important?” idea using teacher-supplied prompts (for example “because it is part of their daily life”).
• Inclusion: ensure images are chosen to avoid stereotypes; encourage students to talk about “what we see” and “how it connects to daily life,” not judgments.

Extension (optional)

• SKIP (not requested)