We all See the World in our Own Unique Way! Back to School Activity

This is an activity I used in the beginning of the school year. Give students a shape and have students make something out of it. I have used a straight line with a triangle at the end You can use any shape. It is amazing the different creations students create from the same shape! Some of my students turned the shape into a stop sign with a car, others created a face, a pyramid scene, mountain view, etc.

You can also use this as a creative writing giving students another student’s drawing and write a paragraph about the drawing.

You could also use this activity to discuss individuality and tolerance.

1. Why do we have different viewpoints on a similar topic?
2. How should you react to someone viewpoint if is isn’t the same as your?
3. Do you have something that you feel makes you unique?

4. Have you ever experienced someone making fun of you? How did you react?

You can expand this as an introduction to cultures to discuss a culture’s uniqueness.

For example, in the United States, we shake hands. How do people greet one another in another culture? Discuss the ways of a group of people are called customs.

Have students share examples of customs of different people of the world. 

Here are some examples of different cultures’ customs:

• Chinese and Japanese people bow to greet one another. Chinese and Japanese people also use chopsticks. Shoes are removed before entering a building in Japan.  

 •In Indonesian, you point with your thumb.                                     

• In Greece, it is good luck to thrown a child’s tooth onto the roof.            

• In Morocco, after shaking hands, people in Morocco often place their  right hand on their heart - a sign of friendship.                              

• In Netherlands, family and friends usually kiss the cheek three times. 

• In Vietnam, white is the color of death.                                       

• Some people hiss to get someone’s attention in India.

• In Tibet, it is considered respectful to stick your tongue out at someone.

Hope you find this latest posting of interest. :-)

Gail 

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