Culture and Identity

Overview

This 60-minute lesson explores global perspectives on culture and identity through a personal and creative approach. Students will design a family shield that symbolises elements of their cultural identity and heritage. This activity encourages self-reflection, critical thinking, and appreciation of diversity while aligning with the National Curriculum for England's objectives on citizenship, personal development, and cultural understanding.

National Curriculum Links

• Citizenship (KS3):
  • Pupils should learn about the diverse identities and communities in the UK and worldwide.
  • Developing understanding of cultural identity and mutual respect.
• PSHE Education:
  • Understanding self and others; promoting respect for diversity and different cultures.
• Art and Design:
  • Use visual language to reflect ideas, identities, and experiences.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Explain key elements that contribute to cultural identity (NC KS3 Citizenship).
2. Analyse their own family and cultural background and identify symbols representing it (NC PSHE).
3. Creatively design a family shield illustrating their cultural identity using visual arts techniques (NC Art and Design).
4. Reflect and present the meaning behind their family shield to peers (Developing communication skills).

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Resources Required

• A4 card sheets
• Coloured pencils, markers, crayons, collage materials (magazines, fabric scraps)
• Rulers and pencils for sketching
• Whiteboard and markers / projector for input
• Dyslexia-friendly printed reading sheets on 'Culture and Identity' (simple fonts, larger size, bullet points)
• Visual examples of traditional shields and family crests from various cultures

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Starter question: "What makes up your identity?" Gather quick student ideas on culture, family, traditions, language, religion, hobbies. Record on whiteboard.
• Mini input: Define culture and identity using simple, dyslexia-friendly notes. Explain that identity is complex and includes family heritage, beliefs, and what makes us unique. Show images of traditional family shields or cultural symbols globally.
• Differentiation: Use visuals and spoken explanations to support dyslexic learners and EAL students.

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2. Exploration & Discussion (10 minutes)

• Students discuss in pairs: "What symbols or elements represent your family or culture?"
• Share examples with class voluntary sharing. Teacher models thinking aloud: e.g., "My shield might have a book to represent learning."
• Group mind mapping on whiteboard to collect a variety of cultural symbols (food, music, animals, colours, words).

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3. Main Activity - Create a Family Shield (30 minutes)

• Task: Each student designs their own family shield on A4 card.
  • Divide the shield into 4 sections – each reflecting an important cultural or family element.
  • Encourage use of colours, symbols, and personal items.
  • Can include words, images, patterns or mixed media collage.
• Teacher circulates to support, asking probing questions about meaning behind choices.
• Use rulers and templates for students who need extra scaffolding.
• Differentiation:
  • Provide stencil templates for students struggling with drawing skills.
  • Give extension learners the option to research one additional cultural symbol or create a digital version of their shield after class.
  • Dyslexic students offered printed symbol bank and pre-prepared colour palettes for simpler choices.

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4. Presentation & Peer Feedback (8 minutes)

• Each student presents their shield briefly (1 minute): what elements they chose and why.
• Class provides positive feedback using sentence stems:
  • "I like how you used… because…"
  • "Your shield made me think about…"

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5. Plenary and Assessment (2 minutes)

• Quick reflective question: "What did you learn about yourself or others today?" Students write one sentence on mini whiteboards or in books.
• Teacher collects shields and assessment notes using a simple rubric aligned with learning objectives:
  • Understanding of cultural identity (explanation clarity)
  • Creativity and effort on shield design
  • Communication in presentation

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Assessment Criteria

Criteria	Emerging	Expected	Exceeding
Understanding of culture	Limited explanation	Clear explanation	Insightful explanation
Creativity in family shield	Basic design	Thoughtful design	Highly original design
Presentation skills	Minimal explanation	Clear communication	Confident and reflective

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Differentiation Strategies

• Use multi-sensory inputs (visual, verbal, kinaesthetic).
• Scaffold writing with sentence frames and word banks.
• Peer support and pair work for idea generation.
• Provide templates and symbol banks for artistic support.
• Quiet workspace options and extra time for those with processing difficulties.

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Extension Activities

• Research a cultural symbol from a different global community and design a second shield representing this.
• Write a short story or poem inspired by their family shield.
• Digital creation: Use simple design software (if available) to transfer their shield into a digital format. This could enhance ICT skills alongside cultural learning.

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Dyslexia-Friendly Reading Tip

All printed materials will use:

• Open Sans or Comic Sans font, size 14 or above
• Left-aligned text, with clear spacing between lines and paragraphs
• Bulleted lists for key points
• Simple language avoiding jargon or abstract terms

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This lesson provides a rich, creative, and reflective experience for Year 8 students, helping them connect personally to global themes of culture and identity while practicing communication and artistic skills.