436 Lesson 5- Culture

    Students learned how life in the past compares to life in the present by analyzing primary sources and exploring Hawaiian culture through music, dance, and interactive read-alouds. They compared past and present life in Hawaiʻi using informational texts and folktales, like Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, along with the nonfiction text Hawai‘i by Alaka‘i Swamp. Students also compared their own culture to Hawaiian culture by focusing on language, customs, and traditions, and they demonstrated their thinking through a Venn diagram and a hands-on craft. They also explored how human needs and wants influence cultural change, and created traditional Hawaiian leis using both primary and secondary sources.

    Students began the lesson with an icebreaker and vocabulary charades, where they actively participated and practiced key terms in a fun, movement-based way. 

    

    Then the students completed a "Hike n Seek" game where they had to choose a person to be in a picture and use the five senses to explain where they were. They had done this before and really enjoyed doing it again.

                                            

    During discussions about culture, students shared ideas and made connections between their own traditions and Hawaiian culture. In the Venn diagram activity, they identified similarities and differences in language, customs, and traditions between the two cultures. 

                                    

    Students all enjoyed and listened closely to the folktale Kapaemahu, and they found the story very interesting, engaging, and meaningful as they followed along with the legend and discussed the ideas and cultural lessons it shared. A brain break dance was used between activities to re-energize students and keep them engaged. 

                                       

    Students then completed a sorting activity using individual card sets, which they worked through independently and with interest.

                                        

                                        

    In the lei-making activity, all students created their own leis using felt flowers, string, and straws, carefully selecting and assembling their materials to design their own unique pieces. They stayed engaged throughout the process, followed the steps with support, and were proud of their finished work. Students were excited to take their leis home and share what they had created.

                                                

    Finally, students completed an “old vs. new” comparison task, where they either wrote their responses or glued images into their charts, showing different ways of representing their understanding.

    One area for improvement was sustaining engagement over time. Students were most engaged during hands-on and movement-based activities, but longer writing tasks were more challenging for them to maintain focus during. In the future, breaking writing into smaller sections or increasing movement between tasks would help support engagement and stamina.

    All objectives were met. Students demonstrated understanding of past and present life in Hawaiʻi through participation in discussions, activities, and written responses. They successfully compared and contrasted their own culture with Hawaiian culture using a Venn diagram and a craft activity. They also showed understanding of how needs and wants influence cultural change through discussions.

    This experience showed me that students learn best when lessons are hands-on, visual, and connected to culture and real-life experiences. Engagement was strongest during interactive activities like vocabulary charades, sorting, and lei-making, while longer writing tasks were more challenging for student stamina, so there is a need for better balance and pacing. Moving forward, I will continue to design culturally responsive, student-centered lessons with more movement breaks, shorter writing segments, and varied assessment options so all students can stay engaged and demonstrate understanding in different ways.