1
Thomas Harefa Geography: Individuals and Societies
Grade 7
Lesson: 1 Introduction to Cultural Diffusion (Presentation)
Unit Overview
Main Idea (Claim)
The mixing of world cultures through different
ethnicities, religions and nationalities has
increased with advanced communication,
transportation and technology. In addition, the
mix of cultures lead not only to societal changes
but also lead to individual changes.
Understanding that culture now are changing
relates back to how the Great Commission are
impacting not only faiths but also the way that
people live. A secondary goal of this unit is to
also train students that the heart of a culture is
not in structures or traditions rather it lies in the
heart of people. This understanding relates to the
Great Commandment as understanding the
depth culture helps one to love their neighbors
more.
Guiding Questions
What is culture?
How can culture be further understood?
What is cultural diffusion?
How does culture spread?
Time
(45 Instructional Procedures and Strategies
mins)
Beginning the Lesson
2 min Outline of the lesson:
2 Weeks
Summative Assessment
A short five-minute skit that shows the spread of
culture that incorporates the aspect of time,
growth and change.
This assessment will help students to carefully
think about the depth of cultures and how it is
affected by another culture. This aspect of
culture will cover two components from the IB
MYP curriculum:
Criterion A: Knowing and
understanding (Secondary)
demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of subject-specific content
and concepts, using descriptions,
explanations and examples.
Criterion C: Presentation (Primary)
communicate information and ideas with
clarity
organize information and ideas effectively for
the task
Objectives (know/understand/do/value)
The students will be able to
Define the idea of culture.
Illustrate the two depths of culture (a visible
side and the visible side)
Define the term cultural diffusion
Explain why culture can spread between nations
and peoples
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Thomas Harefa Geography: Individuals and Societies 2 Weeks
Grade 7

1. Guess the Place!

2. Culture
3. Spread of Culture

Guess the Place!

5 mins Students will be shown three photos and they must guess where these places of interests
are. Two pictures will be of Chinatowns in Jakarta and San Francisco. One picture will be
of Little India in Singapore. Each photo will be assigned a minute to guess. If students fail
to at least get two places right, they must show respect and admit defeat to the teacher. If
someone does, the teacher must do a Bollywood dance in defeat. This is method is to stir
the creative tension in the classroom.

Developing the Lesson

5 Lecture:
mins Defining culture: A set of ideas, actions, beliefs and values shared by a group of
people.
Aspects of Culture: Different aspects of how culture is represented.
Depths of Culture: Culture can be fitted into an iceberg model

Activity:
The students will form their own diagrams of Edward Halls iceberg model and
10-12
answer the guiding questions on the presentation. Their answers on the
mins
model needs a picture if it is something that is visible and an explanation if it
cant be easily illustrated.

After forming their own diagrams students are to pair of form a triad to share
about their different cultures. They should discuss and show their own
diagrams. After doing so they will discuss together with the class and submit
to the teacher their work.
5-7
Lecture:
mins
The teacher will connect what the Guess the Place activity with the
understanding of the spread of culture. The definition of the term will be
discussed but the lecture will serve more importantly to be foundation of next
classs instructional methodindividualized and differentiation method.
10-12
mins
Activity: (If time is available)
Look up different cultures that student can observe in their everyday lives
and answer the following questions:
What is this culture?
Where did this culture spread?
Where is the origin of the culture?

Concluding the Lesson

5
mins
Review all the different things covered today:
1. Culture
2. Iceberg Model of Culture
3. Spread of Culture

Remind students that they will need to find the results from their activities the
following day. They also need to prepare to research the following day, so it is
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Thomas Harefa Geography: Individuals and Societies 2 Weeks
Grade 7

necessary to bring their laptops.

Formative Assessment Differentiation

Iceberg Diagrams Students are given choice to reflect on

their own culture or not. Students are also
given the choice to choose what culture
they will look into.

Resources