This post is part of a series featuring lesson plans developed by NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellows and grantees.
Don’t panic.
You still have a couple of months until the beginning of the new school year. Which means it’s the perfect time to dream big about what you want to do in your classroom!
We want to help you make those dreams a reality. That’s why we’re beginning a blog series to provide lesson plans for a variety of grade levels and subjects. All these lesson plans are available for free on open source platforms like VIF International Education and Curriki.
To start, we want to share lesson plans from NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellows, who participated in a year-long professional development experience to build global competency skills and to learn how to integrate global themes and cultural competency in everyday classroom settings. Today, we’re featuring lesson plans for early elementary classes, but watch out for other levels coming up soon!
Transportation: How, Who, Where?
Students will learn about different modes of transportation around the world and about how, why, and what different modes of transportation move.
- Author: Heather Anderson, Iowa
- Subject: Language Arts, Science, Math, Social Studies
- Grade: Pre-K – Kindergarten
- Length: 30 – 45 minutes daily for 2 weeks
Introduction to Foreign Languages
This global competency lesson will help young students to understand that other people may speak languages that are different from their own and learn a few words in foreign languages.
- Author: Brett Bigham, Oregon
- Subject: Language Arts, ESL, Spanish
- Grade: Pre-K – 1
- Length: 10 minutes
This lesson will introduce students to artifacts, music, and stories from around the world to help them define culture and recognize elements of their own culture.
- Author: Diana Wedl, Wyoming
- Subject: Language Arts, Social Studies
- Grade: 2
- Length: 1 hour
Students will learn about holidays in different countries and discuss the ways they celebrate holidays at home.
- Author: Precious Crabtree, Virginia
- Subject: Arts, Social Studies
- Grade: 3
- Length: 1 hour daily for 3-4 classes
Are You Talking Through Your Hat?
This experiential learning lesson uses hats to teach students about other cultures. Students will choose one type of hat and present its history and use to the class.
- Author: Allison Riddle, Utah
- Subject: Arts, Language Arts, Math, Social Studies
- Grade: 5
- Length: 1 hour daily for 3 classes
How do you share cultural knowledge with your students? Have you tried any of these global competency lessons? Let us know in the comments or on social media! And be sure to visit the NEA Foundation website for information on how to apply for NEA grant resources.
