The Sights and Sounds of India

This CultureQuest project is designed to introduce 6th grade students to the sights and sounds of India in an interdisciplinary unit in conjunction with the state of Connecticut education framework and national science standards. Students will become engaged as they study such elements as geography of the land, including places of interest, the wilderness found within, and the different languages spoken throughout. The goal is to draw attention to a world very different from our own and to create a desire within our students to want to learn more.

 

This website is part of a collaborative project developed by

Kelley Creighton – creightonk@easternct.edu

Kari Fusconi – fucsonik@easternct.edu

Julie Kunzelman – kunzelmanj@easternct.edu

Kimberly Lussier – lussierk@easternct.edu               

Margaret Tiner – tinerm@easternct.edu

 

An Interactive Look into the History and Culture of India.

Created by Kelley Creighton

creightonk@norwichfreeacademy.com

          EDU 553 – Summer 2007

Introductory Unit Power Point on India’s History and Culture

http://kelleycreighton.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/indiashistoryandculture.ppt

Introduction:

This unit is designed for sixth graders as introduction to India’s recent history and culture.  India is full of history and tradition.  This subtopic unit will be exploring the modern history of India, which was home to a very influential person of the world, who was an advocate for peace and independence—Mohandas Gandhi.  After gaining independence in 1947 from Great Britain, India has been able to root their cultures and traditions freely. 

National Standards of the Project:

Taken from the National Council for Social Studies website (www.ncss.org):

Chosen from the Curriculum Standards of Social Studies: Ten Thematic Themes:

            Theme I: Culture

In this unit students will be exploring the culture and traditions of India and be able to identify that “Human cultures exhibit both similarities and differences” and that “Cultures are dynamic and ever-changing” as they explore the moments of Indian Independence Movement up to the recent craze of Bollywood.

            Theme II: Time, Continuity and Change

With this unit, the students will be able to see how over the fifty years or so, India has transformed from a British Colony to a thriving independent nation.  Learning about Gandhi and his perspective will help the students understand what was so influential about his words and the consequences of the Independence Movement.

            Theme III: People, Places and Environments

By focusing on this one country and its culture, students at a younger age express interest in places and people that are unfamiliar to them.

            Theme V: Individuals, Groups and Institutions

This unit focuses on individuals such as Gandhi and institutions such as the movie industry known as Bollywood.

            Theme IX: Global Connections         

India can be connected to the United States in many ways, but the focus of this mini unit will be how both countries were once British colonies and gained their independence from Great Britain. As well as the fact that Bollywood, the movie industry is influenced by America’s movie industry known as Hollywood.  The name Bollywood comes from the name Bombay (the former name of Mumbai) and Hollywood. 

                                    Theme X: Civic Ideals and Practices

The unit will also meet the Theme X standards because it evaluates the struggle for independence and how to balance the needs of individuals with the needs of the group.

            Lesson 1:

                        Title: Introduction to India’s History and Culture.

                        Materials:

1.      Television, with connection to computer.

2.      Microsoft PowerPoint

3.      Assignment Handout

4.      Notebook and writing utensil

Objectives:

1.      Students will examine an introduction to the History and Culture of India through a PowerPoint and movie clip from freeindia.org.

2.      Students will evaluate basic introductory information about the Indpendence Movement in the first half of the twentieth century.

3.      Students will review the assignment and direction for creating a newspaper set during the Indian Independence Movement by using Microsoft Publisher.

Procedure:

1.      The students will engage in an interactive PowerPoint on the History and Culture of India. The students are expected to take notes from the PowerPoint to help them prepare for the unit.

2.      There will be class discussion throughout the presentation, in which students will be encouraged to make connections between India and previous units/lessons as well as what the students know about American History to build connections between India and their lives.

3.      Teacher will distribute weekly project handout, which is a group assignment to further research the Indian Independence Movement, or any other topic introduced during the PowerPoint and create a newsletter/newspaper, using Microsoft Publisher.

4.      Students will be broken up into groups of four and have the remainder time in class to choose the focus of their newsletter and determine title, time period, and individual news stories to include in their newsletter. 

Assessment:

1.      Student participation in the PowerPoint presentation and discussion.

2.      Students are on task during group planning session.

 

Lesson 2:

            Title: Journalist’s Research

            Materials:

1.      Mobile Computer Lab

2.      Books that the teacher has picked out from the Library located at a large table in the room.

3.      Assignment handout (the students are responsible for bringing this for class, since it was handed out, but extra copies will be available).

4.      Notebook and writing utensils to take notes.

5.      Microsoft Word document if that is preferred for taking notes.

Objectives:

1.      Student will research their group topic as well as their individual topic in preparation for designing their newsletter.

2.      Students will write down notes to create their news story. 

Procedure:

1.      Students will review the assignment requirements and will have the class period to do all the research they will need to write their individual news stories on their topic as well as find information for the newsletter as a whole.

2.      While this might be a group project, a large part of the assignment is going to be conducted individually.

3.      The students will use the internet as well as the books selected by the teacher to find information on their topic.

4.      The teacher will be assisting students throughout the period as they work individually.

Assessment:

1.      Observation of on-task behavior and attentiveness.

2.      Research is complete for each student.  Whatever information they did not get must be completed for homework.

            Lesson 3:

                        Title: Write It Down and Make It Real!

                        Materials:

1.      Notes and Research from the previous class period.

2.      Assignment handout

3.      Microsoft Word

4.      Mobile Computer Lab

                        Objectives:

1.      Students will create a news story to be included in their group’s newletter.

2.      Students will use skills required for compiling information found into a concise three paragraph story about their individual topic.

                        Procedure:

1.      Students will write their story and type it into a Microsoft Word Document.

2.      Students must follow writing requirements and include at least one picture or photograph in their story.

3.      The teacher will be assisting students throughout the process.

4.      Students will print three copies of the story- one to be handed in for credit, and the other two for the following lesson which will be peer editing.

                        Assessment:

1.      Completion of the News Story with all writing requirements successfully met.

2.      On task behavior and attentiveness during the class period.

            Lesson 4:

                        Title: Send it to the Editor

                        Materials:

1.      Copies of the news stories (two per student).

2.      Colored pens for correcting.

3.      Mobile Computer lab

4.      Microsoft Word

                        Objectives:

1.      Students will edit their peers written work in preparation for their ‘published’ newsletters.

2.      Students will be implementing reading and writing skills into this process.

                        Procedure:

1.      Students will get into their groups and distribute their story to two of their group members, so each member will edit two different stories, to help eliminate the chance of overlooked errors.

2.      After each student has read both of the letters and made corrections or pointed out errors, the group will discuss the stories and the possible layout for their Newsletter.

3.      Students will make corrections to their letters as decided by their peer editors through Microsoft Word so that the documents are ready for pasting tomorrow when they create their newsletter.

4.      Students will print out the corrected stories.

5.      Students will hand in the edited papers stapled to the newly corrected word documents.

                        Assessment:

1.      Observation of on-task behavior.

2.      Collected edited works.

3.      Corrected Word documents.

            Lesson 5:

                        Title: Collaboration Station

                        Materials:

1.      Mobile Computer Lab

2.      Microsoft Word

3.      Microsoft Publisher

                        Objectives:

1.      Students will create a Newsletter by using Microsoft Publisher.

                        Procedure:

1.      Students will compile all of the individual stories into a predesigned or custom made template using Microsoft Publisher and their saved documents on Microsoft Word. 

2.      Students will print out the final copy of the Newsletter.

3.      Teacher will be assisting groups throughout the class period with their project.

                        Assessment:

1.      On task behavior and attentiveness.

2.      Printed copies of the newsletter, complete with individual stories, a well organized layout and colorful and meaningful graphics, pictures and colors.

            Lesson 6:                   

                        Title: Extra! Extra! Get Your Papers! Sharing Opportunity

Materials:

1.      Print outs of each of the group newletters compiled together in a packet to be distributed in class.

                        Objectives:

1.      Students will present their newsletter to the rest of the class and explain their findings.

                        Procedure:

1.      Each group will take turns going up in front of the class and present their newsletter, while the rest of the students look at an upclose copy in their individual packet. 

2.      Each individual in a group will describe their topic and one fact that they found to be most interesting about their topic or about India.

                        Assessment:

1.      Oral Presentation of the Newsletter.

2.      Individual presentation of topic and fun fact.

 

Required Technology for this Unit

1.      Mobile Computer Lab

2.      Internet Access

3.      Microsoft Office (specifically Word and Publisher)

 

            Links to Resources for the Unit

            India: Past and Present

                        http://library.thinkquest.org/11372/

            Kidipeded: History for Kids: Ancient India

                        http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/india/

            India eNews

                        http://www.indiaenews.com/america/20070722/61900.htm

            Free India Organization

                        http://www.freeindia.org/dynamic/

            Time Magazine 100- Gandhi

                        http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/gandhi3.html

            Guide to India

                        http://www.indax.com/culture.html

            Indian Independence

                        http://www.culturalindia.net/indian-history/modern-history/indian-independence.html

            Indian Child

                        http://www.indianchild.com/know_india.htm

            Quick Facts on India

                        http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/india/general.htm

            A to Z Home’s Cool Homeschooling on India

                        http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/explore/india.htm

 

 

 

This project is part of CultureQuest Connecticut, whose website is http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/dept/culturequest.html .

CultureQuest

Eastern Connecticut State University

The home website of Culture Quest is located at http://www.culturequest.us .

CultureQuest

For more information about the CultureQuest Consortium, please contact Dr. Sheila Gersh at sgersh@ccny.cuny.edu. 

For information about CultureQuest-Connecticut, please contact

David L. Stoloff, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Education Department, Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham Street, Webb Hall Room 129, Willimantic, CT 06226, tel. no. (860) 465 - 5501, fax. no. (860) 465 - 5099, email: stoloffd@easternct.edu , WWW: http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/stoloff.html

Disclaimer:  The CultureQuest Projects linked to this index represent the collaboration of students, teacher candidates, teachers, and/or university faculty members and do not  represent the official position of the Education Department and/or Eastern Connecticut State University.

this website was last updated on July 31, 2006.