Lesson 1: Culture Gallery Walk

Reading adapted from McGraw-Hill, World Cultures

Religion is a central part of many cultures. It affects social life and customs as well as the arts and literature. Religion also shapes the way societies and individuals see the world. Some people view religion as the foundation of their life. Others regard it as merely a tradition to follow on special occasions. Religious holidays and observances provide a time for prayer and celebration.

Religion

Reading adapted from McGraw-Hill, World Cultures

Language serves as a powerful form of communication. Through language, people communicate information and experience and pass on cultural beliefs and traditions. Thousands of different languages are spoken in the world. Some languages have become world languages, or languages that are commonly spoken in many parts of the world. Some languages are spoken differently in different regions or by different ethnic groups.

Language

Reading adapted from McGraw-Hill, World Cultures

Customs are also an important outward display of culture. In modern European cultures, polite greetings include kissing on the cheeks. In some other cultures, people bow to others as a sign of greeting, respect, and goodwill. The world’s many cultures have countless fascinating customs. Some are used only formally, and others are viewed as good manners and respectful, professional behavior.

Customs

Reading adapted from McGraw-Hill, World Cultures

Economies control the use of natural resources and define how goods are produced and distributed to meet human needs. Some cultures have their own type of economy, but most follow the economy of the country or area where they live. This allows people of different cultures living in an area to trade and conduct other types of business with one another.

Economy

Reading adapted from McGraw-Hill, World Cultures

Government is another element of culture. Despite differences, governments around the world share certain features. They maintain order within an area and provide protection from outside dangers. Governments also provide services to citizens, such as education and transportation infrastructure. Different cultures have different ways of distributing power and making rules.

Government

Reading adapted from McGraw-Hill, World Cultures

Dance, music, visual arts, and literature are important elements of culture. Nearly all cultures have unique art forms that celebrate their history and enrich people’s lives. Some art forms, such as singing and dancing, are serious parts of religious ceremonies or other cultural events. Art can be forms of personal expression or worship, entertainment, or even ways of retelling and preserving a culture’s history. In sports, as in many other aspects of culture, activities are adopted, modified, and shared. Many sports that we play today originated with different culture groups in the past. Athletes in ancient Japan, China, Greece, and Rome played a game similar to soccer.

Art and Sports

Reading adapted from McGraw-Hill, World Cultures

History shapes how we view the world. We often celebrate holidays to honor the heroes and heroines who brought about successes. Stories about heroes reveal the personal characteristics that people think are important. Groups also remember the dark periods of history when they met with disaster or defeat. These experiences, too, influence how groups of people see themselves. Cultural holidays mark important events and enable people to celebrate their heritage.

History

Reading adapted from McGraw-Hill, World Cultures

We can look at members of a culture in terms of age, gender, or ethnic group. An ethnic group is a group of people with a common racial, national, tribal, religious, or cultural background. Members of the same Native American nation are an example of people of the same ethnic group. Other examples include the Maori of New Zealand and the Han Chinese. Large countries such as China can be home to hundreds of different ethnic groups.

Groups