Cultural Curriculum |

Graphic Novels for Global Citizenship

UPDATE: FULLY FUNDED! As part of a larger 10-week elective course I’m preparing for, I wanted to teach a short unit using graphic novels. However, we have no communal library at our school and acquiring a class set of texts can be expensive. Regardless, I think that Global Citizenship is an important worthwhile goal, and graphic…

Winter Concert: A new approach to old ideas

With another year in the books I wanted to take a look at what I felt was one of the most successful Winter Concert / Holidays Shows I’ve ever put together. A thematic show is something that a lot of music teachers struggle with, since there are only so many options year after year….

Beyond What: The Why & How

I tend to focus on a lot of practice and tangible activities. Functional thoughts and ideas that you can take directly into the classroom and implement immediately. Sometimes as an educator you need to take a step backwards and look at your lesson from a philosophical standpoint thought and think beyond simply ‘what’ you are working on,…

Puerto Rico: Rhythm & Culture

Puerto Rico has been coming up in the news a lot lately. A US Territory, that has been absolutely devastated by Hurricane Maria, but there is more to the country than what we hear in the news. My school has a large Puerto Rican population and so I wanted to share and celebrate their rich and diverse…

The Anniversary of Hip Hop

On August 11, 1973, an 18-year-old, Jamaican-American DJ who went by the name of Kool Herc threw a back-to-school jam at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, New York. During his set, he decided to do something different, and thus the first iteration of Hip Hop was born. Hip Hop has done exactly what its…

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day and if you’re not from Chicago it’s a big deal here! For starters we didn’t have school that day, and also the city dyes the Chicago River green! In grades K – 4th we spent the last 2 weeks focusing on not just fun Irish songs and dances, but…

Native American Heritage Month: Unit Plan

November is Native American Heritage Month and with Thanksgiving, as well as all the news stories about the pipeline protests, it’s more important than ever to include it in your classroom. This unit uses news articles, podcasts, music, and even an MTV broadcast to help discuss issues that are facing the Native American communities, while portraying them in a…

Dia de los Muertos: The Day of the Dead

Just because Hispanic Heritage Month is coming to an end, doesn’t mean you have to cease all cultural education in your classroom. Take a break from the Halloween lessons this October and incorporate some cultural curriculum by discussing the amazing holiday of Dia de los Muertos, or The Day of the Dead

Sakura, Cherry Blossoms – A Spring Song

“Sakura,” or “Cherry Blossoms”, is a traditional Japanese folk song that invokes the season of spring. Probably one of the most popular songs of all time, it’s an incredibly easy and accessible choral piece in both English and Japanese.

Why a Global Curriculum Matters

“Teaching children about global issues and encouraging them to see the world through the eyes of another is of huge importance”, according to Campbell and a growing movement of internationally-minded educators. In an increasingly interconnected world, today’s young generation need to learn be able to engage in communication with people from a wide range of different…