As a part of international month at South Side Elementary School, students will be participating in a classroom study of a country. This unit is a classroom study of Costa Rica that reflects the goals of international month. I chose Costa Rica for its unique cultural diversity and natural beauty that the country is known for. My main goal, as well as the school's, is to help students realize and appreciate the diversity that is among them in the world. Each lesson is designed to give students a comprehensive overview of the country. Lessons are designed to actually place students in the culture of Costa Rica. At the conclusion of the unit, students will have experienced another culture and will have learned to appreciate the diversity in cultures among ourselves.
Having studied in another country, I know there is more
to a country's culture than one or two aspects. Therefore, I feel strongly
that students should be taught to appreciate other cultures through immersion
in that culture. Through immersion, students experience all aspects of
the culture. Along with experiencing the culture, students learn that people
are diverse and unique. Through a cultural study, such as this comprehensive
study of Costa Rica, students become aware and appreciate of the diversity
within their world. Students are not in isolation in their culture and
therefore, need to be aware of the others that do exist outside their communities.
As a result of this unit, students will not only be experts on the country
of Costa Rica, but will also be more sensitive to the diversity that lies
within their multicultural society.
Return to the Costa
Rica Unit page
Return to the Exemplary Lesson Plan
page