MINI-GEOGRAPHY
AND MULTI-CULTURAL ED: To provide a frame of reference, show children where continents and countries are located on your classroom globe or map, and if possible, provide related pictures and books:
MINI-GEOGRAPHY
AND MULTI-CULTURAL ED:
To
provide a frame of reference, show children where continents and countries are
located on your classroom globe or map, and if possible, provide related pictures
and books:
Clothing Around the World
Reminder: Information below is a result of random research and isn't meant to be comprehensive or all-inclusive. For example, I do not mean to say that the poncho is worn only by cowboys in Brazil.
Afghanistan (continent
of Asia):
Some nomadic farming families of Afghanistan make
their own clothing from the sheep they herd.
Brazil (continent
of South America):
What's a Poncho? Introduce children
to a real "poncho" or show pictures of them. It's a blanket-like garment
with a hole for the head. They are often worn by cowboys in Brazil.
What's
a turban? Introduce children to a real "turban" or show pictures of
them. It's a long scarf that gets wound around the head. These are
sometimes worn by men in parts of Asia, Africa, Middle East, and India.
Veils
and scarves are sometimes worn by women in North Africa to cover their heads,
and they wear long robes. Under the robes, they might wear a long blouse
and skirt or loose-fitting trousers (called a chalwar). Some men
might wear a "kaftan" which is a long-sleeved tunic.
Native dress
for the Fulani people of North Africa includes the wearing of veils by men.
Women wear bright cotton robes, fancy hairdos, and earrings.
In Kenya,
some people paint their bodies in bright colors.
In West Africa, many
women wear long wrapped skirts, loose blouses, and head wraps. Some men
wear long robes (called gandouras) with loose-fitting trousers underneath.
In other areas of Africa, people wear pants and shirts as we might
wear here in America.
China
(continent of Asia): In China, you might see images of dragons,
kites, birds, and clouds in clothing.
Japan
(continent of Asia): Many Japanese people dress as we do here in America, but
for special holidays, women might wear "kimonos" that wrap around their bodies
and are tied at the waist with a sash called an obi.
India (continent
of Asia): Most women wear a brightly-colored dress called a "sari."
This garment is put on by wrapping one end around the waist and draping the other
end over the shoulder or head.
Guatemala (continent
of North America): Women might wear long skirts with bottom embroidery
and a loose blouse called a "huipil." Men might wear jackets with
embroidery and striped shirts tucked into loose-fitting calf-length trousers.
Iran
(continent of Asia): Women might wear jeans and T-shirts
around the house, but cover up with a robe called a "chador" when going
outside the home.
If you have anything to add to the above information, or you can help with the on-going research, it will be greatly appreciated:
Somalia
(continent of Africa):
From
Ummibrahim
in Canada:
In Somalia, for casual wear, men use a wrap-around cloth from waist to ankles
called a "Ma-awis" (pronounced ma-ah-wee-s).
Pants are worn at other times. Women wear gold jewelry, and traditionally
wear a long colorful shawl and a long dress (ankle length) with a colorful long
slip underneath. This covering of the hair and body is called "Hijab"
(pronounced with a short "i" as in him
-- jab). "Hijab" is a broad term which can mean the head covering
only, or a way of defining Islamic dress. Many Somalian women cover their heads
(or Hijab), but at the same time may wear their traditional "style."
(If you go to Malaysia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, etc., you will find many different
styles of Hijab). Women who don't Hijab (cover their heads) will still wear
the same "Somalian style" but just not cover completely. Be it
hijab or not, the cloth will be colorful and the dress will be long. Little girls
don't usually wear a head cover, but rather, dresses or shirt and skirt are traditional.
From Stormie:
Group Time Discussion Points:
*Shorts and jeans
are worn in many places throughout the world -- not just in America.
*Talk
about how we have clothes we wear for every day, and then we have clothes we wear
for special occasions. Talk about how we wear heavier clothing when it's
cold outside and light-weight clothing when it's warm outside. Talk about
how that if we live where the weather is warm most of the time, we dress differently
than if we live where the weather is cold most of the time. It's
the same throughout the world.
*Let children
explore silky articles of clothing.
China (located on the continent of Asia) gave
us silk. Special worms called "silkworms" make the silk with their bodies.
*Provide various textures and colors of clothing for children to compare (sweaters, jeans, velvet, suede, leather, silk, etc).
*Creative Drama Kits: A good way to introduce other
cultures to the children in your classroom is through Creative Drama Kits:
*Option
1: You might place a "Multi-Cultural Clothing Kit" in your Creative Drama
Center: kurta (shirt) (India), poncho (Mexico), kente (wrap) (Africa),
kimono (Japan), chogori (blouse) (Korea), etc. Unfortunately,
I don't have access to real clothing and other items from various cultures so
I rely strongly on teaching multi-cultural lessons through the use of library
books, but also with help from books like "GLOBALCHILD (MULTICULTURAL
RESOURCES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN)" BY MAUREEN CECH, which enable me to
extend the children's learning with limited supplies.
*Option 2: Rather
than discuss just clothing of various countries, you might focus on several details
of just one culture/country. For example, a "Japanese Kit" might consist
of: kimono, game of badmitton (in Japan, it's called Battledores), chopsticks,
rice, oshiroi powder (which can be any powder; this is worn by dancers in Japan),
pictures of Japanese culture and people for the walls of your Creative Drama Learning
Center, Japanese food items (bought from Asian markets), shirt-pants-belt to represent
a karate suit, etc. Store all the items in its own specially labeled box
to be brought out for dramatic play when Japan is your theme.
*People Drawings (Creativity Within the Limits of a Theme): Give children paper or fabric cut-outs in the shape of an outfit (example: kimono). Have them finish the picture by drawing the person inside (head, arms, legs, etc). What a great time to discuss (in celebration) how people are all the same, yet different (women in Japan might wear a kimono). Another example: a kurta and shalwar (shirt and drawstring pants) worn by children in India. (The "Globalchild" book mentioned above can help tremendously with this activity.)
Suzanne K from
New Jersey shares this with us:
I
have Indian and Pakistani neighbors. I ask for their children's
clothes once the children grow out of them. The fabrics are just beautiful!
My students use the gorgeous chemise(s) (shiftlike without a fitted waistline)
as dresses.
World
Celebrations:
Please click on the link below to review world
celebrations (I will add more of them over time so check back every now and then). Don't
worry, you shouldn't get lost if you go there now as you will be able to link
back to this February page from there.
WORLD HOLIDAYS, CELEBRATIONS, AND FESTIVALS
-------------------
Reminder
from Stormie: If you would like to begin collecting ALL my current classroom
ideas (each on a 4 x 6" index card), as well as new ones that I create, you
can do so by ordering my "Activity Cards." Click here
to check them out.
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