Teacher Resources for
Celebrating Cultural Diversity at Our School
How to implement engaging research, including mini skills lessons, learning objects, and student reference sheets.

 TIME FRAME

Introduction and Task #1:
3 class periods
Task #2: 3 class periods
in the Library/Computer Lab



Grade Level
Content Area
Unit
Grade 6 World Cultures: What is Culture?
Focus:
Enduring Understanding
or Essential Question
How can we use the research process to learn about the cultural diversity of our school?
MSDE Voluntary
State Curriculum:
Social Studies
Content Standards/
Core Learning Goals

Describe characteristics that are used to organize people into cultures.

  • Describe and compare the elements of culture, such as art, music, religion, government, social structure, education, values, beliefs, and customs, from civilizations in world history.
MSDE Voluntary
State Curriculum:
Library Media
Content Standards/
Core Learning Goals
 1: Students will demonstrate the ability to locate and use information resources, equipment and other technologies effectively and efficiently.
2: Students will demonstrate the ability to review, evaluate and select media.
3: Students will demonstrate the ability to learn and apply reading, research and critical thinking skills to organize, and synthesize information in order to communicate new understanding.
5: Students will demonstrate the ability to retrieve and manage information.
7: Students will demonstrate the ability to create materials in various formats.
8: Students will demonstrate the ability to apply ethical behavior to the use of information.

National Content Standards for Social Studies
(National Council
for the Social Studies)

1. Culture
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity.
National Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning
(American Association
of School Librarians)

The student who is information literate:

  • Accesses information efficiently and effectively.
  • Evaluates information critically and competently.
  • Uses information accurately and creatively.

The student who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation.

The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and:

  • Practices ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology.
  • Participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.
National Technology Education Standards
for Students
(International Society for
Technology in Education)
  • Students are proficient in the use of technology.
  • Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
  • Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
  • Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.
enGauge
21st Century Skills
(North Central Regional Educational Laboratory)
  • Technological Literacy: Knowledge about what technology is, how it works, what purposes it can serve, and how it can be used efficiently and effectively to achieve specific goals.
  • Visual Literacy: The ability to interpret, use, appreciate, and create images and video using both conventional and 21st century media in ways that advance thinking, decision making, communication, and learning.
  • Information Literacy: The ability to evaluate information across a range of media; recognize when information is needed; locate, synthesize, and use information effectively; and accomplish these functions using technology, communication networks, and electronic resources.
  • Multicultural Literacy: The ability to understand and appreciate the similarities and differences in the customs, values, and beliefs of one's own culture and the cultures of others.
  • Global Awareness: The recognition and understanding of interrelationships among international organizations, nation-states, public and private economic entities, sociocultural groups, and individuals across the globe.

Last update: November, 2010, by Michael Morgan
Created by: Kelly Ray and Donna Anderson, Baltimore County Public Schools

BCPS Research Model, Copyright 2005, Baltimore County Public Schools, MD, all rights reserved. This Research Model may be used for educational, non-profit school use only. All other uses, transmissions, and duplications are prohibited unless permission is granted expressly. The Baltimore County Public schools does not guarantee the accuracy or quality of information located on telecommunications networks. We have made every reasonable attempt to ensure that our school system's web pages are educationally sound and do not contain links to any questionable materials or anything that can be deemed in violation of the BCPS Telecommunications Policy. The linked sites are not under the control of the Baltimore County Public Schools; therefore, BCPS is not responsible for the contents of any linked site, links within the site, or any revisions to such sites. Links from BCPS Copyright © 2005 Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, MD 21204, all rights reserved. Images used through subscription to clipart.com, or public domain unless otherwise noted. Documents and related graphics may be duplicated for educational, non-profit school use only. All other uses, transmissions and duplications are prohibited unless permission is granted expressly. Contact Margaret-Ann Howie, Esq. 410-887-2646.