Sample Introductory Activities
Guess My Language: Provide students with some words in your own language. You can speak them aloud and/or write them on the board. Ask students to guess what the words mean, and ask if they can guess what country you come from.
Cultural Music: Play a song from your country. Have students guess which country you are from after they hear it.
Where is my country? Bring in a globe (or find out if the classroom has a map- most do), and ask students to identify where your country is on the map.
Name Game: Teach students how to say “What is your name..” and “My name is…” in your language. Have students stand in a circle and pass a ball around from student to student. Asking “What is your name” and saying, “my name is..” in your language.
My Flag: Bring in your country’s flag and ask students if they know where it is from or want to guess. Explain what your flag represents. Ask students if they know what the American flag represents. Traditional Dress: Bring in your culture’s traditional outfit or clothing. Explain its origin and how it is worn. As an activity, you may be able to teach students how to wear it. For example past Global Guides from India have taught students how to wrap a sari.
True/False game: Make one side of the room the “true” side. Make one side of the room the “false” side. State interesting facts (or misperceptions) about your country, and have students move to the side of the room that they think signifies the truth about the statement.
Telephone: Play “telephone” in your language. Ask students to sit in a circle. Whisper a word into one kids’ ear, have them say it to the next kid, and on and on. See what the final result is.
All my neighbors: Have students sit in a circle, with you in the middle. You say something that is true about yourself. (IE I have ridden on an airplane before, or I like listening to Reggae music) If that is also true of other students, they must run into the middle of the circle, then find another empty chair. The last person standing must be in the middle of the circle. At the end of the game, link back to cultural sharing.. “Even though I am from country X, I share a lot of similarities with you all. Let me tell you more about your culture..”
Cultural Music: Play a song from your country. Have students guess which country you are from after they hear it.
Where is my country? Bring in a globe (or find out if the classroom has a map- most do), and ask students to identify where your country is on the map.
Name Game: Teach students how to say “What is your name..” and “My name is…” in your language. Have students stand in a circle and pass a ball around from student to student. Asking “What is your name” and saying, “my name is..” in your language.
My Flag: Bring in your country’s flag and ask students if they know where it is from or want to guess. Explain what your flag represents. Ask students if they know what the American flag represents. Traditional Dress: Bring in your culture’s traditional outfit or clothing. Explain its origin and how it is worn. As an activity, you may be able to teach students how to wear it. For example past Global Guides from India have taught students how to wrap a sari.
True/False game: Make one side of the room the “true” side. Make one side of the room the “false” side. State interesting facts (or misperceptions) about your country, and have students move to the side of the room that they think signifies the truth about the statement.
Telephone: Play “telephone” in your language. Ask students to sit in a circle. Whisper a word into one kids’ ear, have them say it to the next kid, and on and on. See what the final result is.
All my neighbors: Have students sit in a circle, with you in the middle. You say something that is true about yourself. (IE I have ridden on an airplane before, or I like listening to Reggae music) If that is also true of other students, they must run into the middle of the circle, then find another empty chair. The last person standing must be in the middle of the circle. At the end of the game, link back to cultural sharing.. “Even though I am from country X, I share a lot of similarities with you all. Let me tell you more about your culture..”
Sample Closing Activities
Art:
· Create a paper craft that represents an item from your country (paper lanterns, origami, etc.)
· Create a mask from your country, or one that demonstrates the students’ own cultures.
· Have students draw a picture of themselves that includes their personality traits, their hobbies, their dreams, etc. Drawings can also include elements of their culture.
· Draw a picture that demonstrates what the students learned that day.
· Have students draw a picture that represents their perspective on a topic you talked about. For instance, if you talked about your school life, ask students to draw a picture that demonstrates their school experience.
Games:
· Play a game that is played by children/teenagers in your country
· Play a trivia game to review what the students learned about your country.
Food:
· Bring in a sample of food from your country.
· Teach students how to make a simple food from your country.
· Show pictures of unique foods in your country, and ask students to identify the foods
Song & Dance:
· Teach a traditional dance or song from your country.
· Bring in a musical instrument and play a song for the students.
· Create a paper craft that represents an item from your country (paper lanterns, origami, etc.)
· Create a mask from your country, or one that demonstrates the students’ own cultures.
· Have students draw a picture of themselves that includes their personality traits, their hobbies, their dreams, etc. Drawings can also include elements of their culture.
· Draw a picture that demonstrates what the students learned that day.
· Have students draw a picture that represents their perspective on a topic you talked about. For instance, if you talked about your school life, ask students to draw a picture that demonstrates their school experience.
Games:
· Play a game that is played by children/teenagers in your country
· Play a trivia game to review what the students learned about your country.
Food:
· Bring in a sample of food from your country.
· Teach students how to make a simple food from your country.
· Show pictures of unique foods in your country, and ask students to identify the foods
Song & Dance:
· Teach a traditional dance or song from your country.
· Bring in a musical instrument and play a song for the students.