1. English 10 UNDERSTANDING CULTURE

2. WORLD LITERATURE
In English 10, we focus on different genres of literature and informational texts from across different countries and cultures, from ancient to contemporary.
We study World Literature because we are human, and literature connects us to universal experiences across time and place. An understanding of all cultures helps us thrive in an increasingly globalized world.
Before we begin our units of study, we are going to take some time to learn about CULTURE.

3. WHY STUDY CULTURE? 1. COMPLETE THE CULTURAL DIVERSITY PROFILE
2. Add up the total number of “A” answers.
3. Add up the total number of “B” answers.

4. Results of Cultural Diversity Profile
Each of the “A” answers are those most closely associated with AMERICAN CULTURAL VALUES.
Think about your own answers in terms of this.

5. What do Americans value?
TIME (What do Americans value most?)
Past
Present
Future

6. What do Americans value?
ACTIVITY
Doing
Becoming
Being

7. What do Americans value?
HUMAN INTERACTION
Concerned with the Individual
Concerned with continuation of the group
Concerned with the group

8. What do Americans value?
VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE
Good
Mix
Evil

9. What do Americans value?
HUMANS’ RELATIONSHIP TO THE ENVIRONMENT
Mastery over
Harmony
Nature over man

10. Copy this quote into your Journal
Why examine U.S. Culture?
Copy this quote into your Journal
“If we are not aware of our own cultural values, we are likely to assume other cultures share the same values.
We may often assume OUR way of doing things is the only way until we are confronted with another culture which does it differently.”

11. What is Culture?
Culture is a set of common beliefs and values shared by a group of people and that binds them together into a society.
All people are members of a least one culture.
Think about and brainstorm different cultures in our own school and community.

12. Norms
The norms of a culture define roles and provide a framework that makes people’s behavior predictable and understandable to one another.
Activity: Consider the “cultures” you identified from our community and our school – list several “norms” for one of those cultures.
Ex: football (uniforms, strength and conditioning, male, aggressive, Friday nights, teamwork, etc)

13. Drawing conclusions about culture --
GENERALIZATIONS
Generalizations are statements that describe behavior that is common, but not relevant all the time.
We can make generalizations about cultural groups, but we must be careful not to assume that the generalizations are true for everyone within a culture.

14. Drawing conclusions about culture -
STEREOTYPES result when an individual over- generalizes and attributes the actions and behavior of a few people from a specific group to the whole group.
Stereotypes are damaging because they lead to distorted perceptions and judgments.

15. Generalizations vs. Stereotypes
Generalizations = large group / evidence
Stereotypes
= small group/evidence applied to whole group

16. Drawing conclusions about culture -
ACTIVITY: Think about your earlier example of a culture and its “norms” – What is one GENERALIZATION? Ex. Football players are physically fit and tough. What is a STEREOTYPE? Ex. Football players are dumb jocks.

17. TYPES OF CULTURE Food Fashion (dress) Fun (entertainment) Holidays
SURFACE CULTURE
CORE CULTURAL VALUES
Food
Fashion (dress)
Fun (entertainment)
Holidays
Famous people
Religious stereotypes
Family
Traditions
heroes
Authority
Gender roles
Environment
Work and play
Competition
Government/human rights

18. Types of culture ACTIVITY:
Brainstorm: Where do our judgments or stereotypes about people from other cultures come from –
Surface culture?
or core cultural values?
Why is this?

19. KALIMA
ACTIVITY: Read the passage (handout) about KALIMA and then answer the questions that follow.

20. KALIMA TRIBE REFLECTION
Read the following and then REFLECT on your initial responses, especially regarding what we have been discussing about cultural values.
The people go from the sleeping village to the eating village because it is considered unclean to eat in a place in which one has slept.
Most of the men head up the line, with a few taking the rear, because there are numerous wild and carnivorous beats along the trail, as well as a neighboring tribe that is hostile. This is for the protection of the women and children, the most highly esteemed members of the society. The women are esteemed mostly because they are able to bear children. Children are also highly esteemed as being newly arrived from the spirit world and the only chance for the tribe to continue to exist for future generations. The tribe considers it less of a loss to lose several men than to lose even one woman or child.
The older men eat first because food poisoning is common in the climate of their land. Again, it is better for many older men to get sick or even die than for even one woman or child to suffer such fates, but younger men who can still hunt, go to battle, and procreate are allowed the privilege of eating when the women and children do.
The eldest woman is the most revered member of the tribe. The eldest man takes her by the hair to perform the thanksgiving ritual before eating because it would be an affront for him to touch her body. Only she can perform the ritual. No man is worthy of it. (Did you assume he HIT her forehead on the ground?)

21. KALIMA TRIBE REFLECTION
REFLECT: Given the information above, write a REFLECTION on your initial responses ---
(Write this on the BACK of your Kalima passage handout)
Organize your reflection
1) Your initial reaction to the article and their culture
2) Your present reaction to their culture after you understand the reasons behind their actions.
3. CONNECT to one thing we have studied today about the definitions of CULTURE, GENERALIZATIONS, STEREOTYPES