nmulticultural

If you'd like to help with the research for any of the multi-cultural ed sections of my website, or have specific activities or children's books to share, or can tell us where to get posters and/or other related information, just e-mail me at stormie@preschoolbystormie.com.

MINI-GEOGRAPHY AND MULTI-CULTURAL ED:
Homes/Family Life AROUND THE WORLD
To provide a frame of reference, show children where places are located on your classroom globe or map, and if possible, provide related pictures and books:

From Stormie:

Click here to read my thoughts (and yours) on teaching "Native American" themes.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT GETTING LOST AS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN TO THIS SECTION OF MY WEBSITE FROM THE FOOT OF THAT PAGE.

Afghanistan (located on the continent of Asia):

Some people in Afghanistan (not everyone) are farmers. These families are nomadic, (meaning they move from place to place, taking their tent homes with them as they tend their sheep). Some tent homes are made of black goat hair. Some of the tents are felt-covered and round, called yurts. Nomadic families buy tea and other things they need when passing through towns, and the townspeople buy milk and wool from them. Still other families live in mud-brick houses. In some family homes, rugs and jewelry are made. Family life for some means that mommies and daddies work in the fields, while the older children care for the younger children.

Australia (located on the continent of Australia/Oceania):

In parts of Australia, some people live in apartments called "flats."

Israel (located on the continent of Asia)From Stormie and Dina G.:
When I, Stormie, worked at Temple Israel Preschool in Columbus, Ohio, we used to sing a very special song with the children on Fridays. It had a wonderful little tune and the theme was that of welcoming everyone in the family to come home for the weekly Jewish celebration of Shabbat. I had forgotten some of the Hebrew words for the various family members and other details, but Dina G. has been more than willing to help me out. I'm sorry I don't have the sheet music to share with you, but it can also be spoken as a poem, and it provides a great opportunity for introducing new words and just celebrating the concept of "family": Friday Night It's Friday night and I'm looking out my window,looking out my window for my abba to come home,my abba, my abba, my abba to come home. It's Friday night and I'm looking out my window,looking out my window for my imma to come home,my imma, my imma, my imma to come home. It's Friday night and I'm looking out my window,looking out my window for my ach to come home,my ach, my ach, my ach to come home. It's Friday night and I'm looking out my window,looking out my window for my achot to come home,my achot, my achot, my achot to come home. It's Friday night and I'm looking out my window,looking out my window for my saba to come home,my saba, my saba, my saba to come home. It's Friday night and I'm looking out my window,looking out my window for my savta to come home,my savta, my savta, my savta to come home.

abba (pronounced ah-buh) = father imma (pronounced ee-muh) = mother ach (pronounced auk) = brother
achot (pronounced auk-aut) = sister) saba (pronounced saw-buh) = grandfather
savta (pronounced sof-tuh) = grandmother

*Shabbat is the Jewish Sabbath, celebrated on Friday night and Saturday morning with festive meals that are shared with family, guests, and other community members as a time to connect and focus on each other and a relationship with God. Shabbat is celebrated in Jewish homes around the world.
*If you have the very simple piano sheet music for the rhyme above, please e-mail it to me.

Favorite Books:

*A is for Aloha, by Stephanie Feeney: Here's a neat book that includes photographs of family life in the American state of Hawaii:

*Houses and Homes (Around the World Series); by Ann Morris; Ken Heyman (Illustrator); Ken Hayman (Photographer): Here's a book with wonderful real-life photos of various types of homes around the world.

*Building a House, by Byron Barton: This is a short little book that simply helps children to understand a little something about the stages in building a house.

I have much more coming! Share your ideas too:

Pam Bruns Works, from Topeka, Kansas (an educational consultant for teachers, preschools, and a state museum) suggests this book:

Houses Around Our World [National Geographic Board Book], By Patricia F. Frakes, Illustrated By Gwen Connelly: This colorful, richly illustrated board book invites children to explore different countries while learning about the different houses that children call "home." The houses included range from a leaf hut located in the Central African rain forest to a yurt, located in Mongolia. What is fun about this book, is that most educators and parents will learn along with their children (which is so important for children to see)! There are even suggested questions to spark additional learning on the back of the book. ISBN: 0-7922-1994-5

China (located on the continent of Asia):
From Heide & Gwen, in Wyoming:
Family words in Chinese: child = "hizuh" father = "bah bah" mother = "mah mah"

Click here on this map if you need to remind yourself where the world's continents are located.(Don't worry, you won't get lost. You can return to this page from that one by hitting your "Back" button.)

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 November page from there.

WORLD HOLIDAYS, CELEBRATIONS, AND FESTIVALS

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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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My website address: http://www.preschoolbystormie.com