Jigsaw Activity

Seven Elements of Culture (GRACE'S L)

Information

This jigsaw activity will be used to help us work in cooperative groups to learn the seven elements of culture. There will be seven members in each group and each member will become an expert in one of the seven elements. Each member will be responsible for teaching that particular element to the other members of your group.

Instructions

You will be divided into three or four home groups with seven members in each group. If we have an extra person in your group, Coach Flemmer will pair that person with another student of his choice. Each person in your group will have one of the seven elements of culture to research. You will follow the jigsaw links to learn as much as possible about that particular element of culture. You will then take your information and teach the other students in your home group.

Master Link for the Activity

1. Jigsaw Classroom: This is the official web site for the coorperative learning technique we will be using for our activity.
2. Seven Elements of Culture Powerpoint: The powerpoint presentation used to introduce the seven elements.

Group 1: Government

1. Governments Class Powerpoint: Review the powerpoint and take notes on the main points.
2. Types of Governments: Identify the various types of governments using the BBC web site. Write a one or two sentence summary for each type of government.
3. Democracy Project: Explore the Democracy Project for more information on our own type of government. Identify five items of interest to share with your home group.

Group 2: Religion

1. Christianity Use this web site to identify five important facts about Christianity.
2. Judaism Use this site to create a brief summary of Jewish beliefs.
3. Islam Identify the Five Pillars of Faith in the Islamic religion.
4. Hinduism Identify whether this religion would be considered monotheistic or polytheistic and why?
5. Buddhism Identify and explain the Four Noble Truths.

Group 3: Arts and Literature

1. Art and Literature Powerpoint: Take notes over the powerpoint and write a short summary to share with your group. (Just use the first two slides of this presentation).
2. Kid Space Culture Quest: Read three different folktales, each from a different continent.
3. Life in Ancient Egypt: How did art play a role in ancient Egypt?

Group 4: Customs and Traditions

1. Customs and Traditions Powerpoint: Take notes over the powerpoint and write a short summary to share with your group. (Just use the last two slides of this presentation).
2. Japan Guide: View and write down three different Japaneese customs and traditions.
3. Christmas Around The World: Look at three different countries and summarize how they celebrate Christmas..

Group 5: Economy

1. Types of Economies Powerpoint: View the powerpoint and write down the main points in your notes.
2. Types of Industries in Economies: Take notes on the various types of industries and be prepared to teach your home group about primary, secondary, etc. industries.
3. Differences between developed and undeveloped countries: Read the information and then think about how your life would be different if you lived in a third world country. Write a one page journal entry about, "The day I left the comforts of home and had to switch lives with the child from Chad." Information on Chad was given in class as we compared various statistics in different parts of the world. You may use you Chad notes to assist in the writing.

Group 6: Social Organizations

1. Social Oranization Powerpoint: How to use the text tool to enter text.
2. Social Groups: Write one or two sentences summarizing the non-kinship based section of this website. Summarize the gender-based and group-based sections as well.
3. Family Tree: Print this sample family tree. You may alter the tree if you need to for your family. The bottom box is for you to put your name. The next two boxes above are for your parents. The boxes above your parents will be for your grandparents. *Remember, if you need to alter the tree to meet your family's history, go ahea and make the necessary changes.

Group 7: Language

1. Define Language: We all know what language is, but it is hard to define. Write down the definition of language..
2. Fun with languages: Explore three different languages and write down any similarities and differences you find in comparing with English.
3. Babel Fish:Write down three simple phrases (i.e. How are you doing?) and have it translated by this web site. Write down your findings and share it with the group. This is meant to be a fun activity, but spark serious conversations within your group. Discuss the difficulties in translating from one language to another.
4. Language Slide: Look at the language slide which is the last slide on this powerpoint. Write down some notes from the information.