What Shapes Cultural Identity?

Overview

In this first lesson of the three-part unit Culture, Identity and Belonging, students build a shared understanding of cultural identity. They examine carefully selected examples from Māori, French, Mexican and Greek contexts, then apply their learning by creating a personal or fictional identity web. The lesson establishes respectful discussion practices for the unit.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify how language, values, traditions, place and relationships shape cultural identity.
• WALT compare cultural examples without stereotyping or assuming that one person represents a whole culture.
• WALT communicate ideas respectfully using evidence from examples and our own experiences.

Success criteria

• I can define cultural identity in my own words.
• I can identify at least three influences on identity.
• I can describe one similarity and one difference between cultural examples using respectful language.
• I can explain that people may belong to several cultural groups and may express identity differently in different contexts.

Curriculum links

• Civics and Society — Cultural practices and identity: explaining how cultural practices express identity and belonging.
• Civics and Society — Belonging and community: recognising that people belong to groups such as whānau, school, teams and cultures.
• Civics and Society — Expressions of belonging: considering greetings, symbols, clothing, group activities and other expressions of belonging.
• Civics and Society — How groups shape belonging: explaining how group membership influences people’s experiences and sense of belonging.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Respectful hook. Teacher opens the hook and discussion slides with the question, “What might tell us something about a person’s identity—and what might we wrongly assume?” Establishes discussion agreements: listen carefully, use people’s chosen descriptions, say “some people” rather than “all”, and pass if a personal example feels private. Students think silently, then share one possible influence on identity with a partner.

2. 4–8 min · Build the concept. Teacher introduces cultural identity as the ways people understand and express who they are through connections, experiences, practices and belonging; models a simple example using language, values, traditions, place and relationships. Emphasise that identity is personal, layered and not fixed, and that no culture is a single, uniform experience. Students co-construct a class definition and record or sketch three possible influences on identity on the cultural identity investigation sheet.

3. 8–17 min · Compare cultural examples. Teacher places students in three groups of four and distributes four short, read-aloud, teacher-curated examples on the worksheet: one focused on Māori, French, Mexican and Greek cultural contexts. Examples should show varied practices such as language use, food, celebrations, relationships, place or shared values, while making clear that these are selected examples rather than descriptions of everyone in a culture. Students identify influences, then discuss: “What is similar?” “What is different?” and “What evidence supports that?” Each group prepares one respectful similarity and one respectful difference.

4. 17–21 min · Share and challenge assumptions. Teacher returns to the comparison and discussion slides, inviting each group to share. Prompt students to improve statements such as “Māori people always…” into more accurate language such as “In this example…” or “Some people may…”. Students listen for respectful wording and add one new influence or comparison to their worksheet.

5. 21–27 min · Create an identity web. Teacher models a web with “CULTURAL IDENTITY” in the centre and branches for language, values, traditions, place and relationships. Students independently create a personal or fictional web on the identity-web page, choosing words, short explanations, symbols or drawings. Remind students not to disclose anything private and that a fictional identity is equally valid. Students include at least three influences and one explanation of how an influence may shape belonging.

6. 27–30 min · Exit reflection. Teacher displays the plenary and exit-question slide and asks students to complete the final prompts on the worksheet: define cultural identity, name three influences, and give one respectful similarity and difference from the examples. Invite two volunteers to share an insight, then preview that the next lesson will investigate how identity is expressed and negotiated in communities.

Resources

• the complete Culture, Identity and Belonging introduction deck
• the cultural identity investigation and identity-web worksheet
• Four short, teacher-curated cultural examples: Māori, French, Mexican and Greek contexts
• Projector or interactive display
• Board and markers
• Pens, pencils and coloured pencils
• Optional headphones or text-to-speech access for read-aloud sources

Assessment

• Listen during group discussion for accurate identification of influences and respectful comparative language; intervene immediately if students generalise or stereotype.
• Check worksheets for a workable definition, at least three influences, and evidence-based similarity and difference statements.
• Use the final written response as an exit check. Note students who need further support with the concept of identity, comparison or respectful language before Lesson 2.

Differentiation

• Provide visual vocabulary cards or a word bank for identity, culture, belonging, values, traditions, language, place, relationship, similarity and difference.
• Offer sentence starters: “In this example…”, “A similarity is…”, “A difference is…”, “This may shape belonging because…”, and “Some people might…”.
• Use mixed-ability groups, read the examples aloud, chunk instructions, and allow students to respond orally, in writing, through labelled drawings or a combination.
• Provide a partially completed identity web, scribing or speech-to-text for students who need it. Avoid requiring disclosure of whakapapa, religion, ethnicity or family information.
• For advanced learners, explain how one person may belong to several cultural groups and how identity can change across contexts, such as at home, school, online or with friends. Ask them to identify a possible tension or overlap between two influences and justify their thinking.

Extension

• Students add a second web for the same person in a different context and annotate what might change, what might remain constant, and why.
• Students write a short guidance note for next lesson explaining how to compare cultures accurately without treating a cultural group as homogeneous.