Preschoolers like to investigate! They enjoy learning about the world around them. The Project Approach involves children in studies of the world around them.
Scenario: You are a three-year-old preschool teacher. As a preschool teacher, you have noticed an increased need to create a multicultural and linguistically responsive classroom for your children. For this assignment, you will research how teachers create a multicultural classroom and prepare a lesson that you would teach 3 and 4 year old children about culture. You may use learning centers in your description of the assignment. For instance, you want to teach the children about cultural foods from around the world. You will type out your lesson to include learning objectives, materials, purpose of the lesson, directions to complete the activity, and an assessment at the end.
Computer Area
Library
Science/Discovery
Dramatic Play
Kitchen/Cooking
Blocks
Art
Sample Answer
Creating a Multicultural Classroom
Creating a multicultural and linguistically responsive classroom for preschoolers involves intentionally integrating diverse perspectives, languages, and traditions into the daily routine and learning centers. It's about more than just celebrating a single holiday; it's about making a child's culture visible and valued. Here's how a teacher can do it:
Learn About the Children and Their Families: Conduct surveys or have casual conversations with families to learn about their cultural backgrounds, home languages, traditions, and favorite foods. This information is crucial for making the curriculum relevant and personal.
Diversify Materials: Ensure the classroom library, dramatic play props, and art supplies reflect a variety of cultures, skin tones, and family structures. Include bilingual books and music from different countries.
Incorporate Language: Use greetings in multiple languages. Label objects in the classroom with words in English and other languages spoken by the students.
Invite Family Participation: Encourage parents to visit the classroom to share a story, a song, a dish, or a tradition from their culture. This positions families as valuable resources and experts.
Focus on Similarities and Differences: Guide discussions to help children notice and appreciate both the things that make them unique and the ways they are alike.
Lesson Plan: "Foods from Around the World"
Age Group: 3 and 4-year-olds
Learning Objectives:
Cognitive: Children will identify and name at least two foods from different cultures. They will learn that different cultures have unique foods.
Emotional: Children will express curiosity and respect for foods that are different from their own.
Physical: Children will use fine motor skills to help prepare a simple snack.
Materials:
Library: Books about food from different countries (e.g., Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley).
Dramatic Play: Play food from various cultures (e.g., tortillas, pasta, dim sum), child-safe pots, pans, and utensils.
Kitchen/Cooking: Ingredients for a simple, culturally significant dish (e.g., guacamole for a lesson on Mexico, hummus and pita bread for the Middle East). Child-safe knives, bowls, spoons, and small plates.
Art: Paper, crayons, play-doh in different colors, and pictures of various cultural foods.
Purpose of the Lesson:
The purpose of this lesson is to introduce children to the concept of cultural diversity through the universal experience of food. By exploring different foods, children will learn that people around the world eat different things, and that these foods are a special part of their culture. This lesson promotes curiosity, respect, and a sense of community by celebrating everyone's unique traditions.
Directions to Complete the Activity (Learning Centers):
Circle Time (Introduction): Begin with a read-aloud session using a book that showcases diverse foods. Discuss the foods shown in the book and ask the children to share some of their favorite foods from home. Explain that today, we're going to be "food explorers" and try some special food from another country.
Kitchen/Cooking Center (Main Activity): Guide a small group of children in the preparation of a simple, no-cook dish. For example, if making guacamole, have children help mash avocados and stir in ingredients. Talk about the ingredients and where they come from. As you work, use simple language to explain how this food is important to a certain culture.