What is Culture?

1. Tracey Lyons Grade 5, Julington Creek Elementary St. Johns, FL What is Culture?

2. Culture • Culture:  is a shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs and attitudes that shapes and influences perception and behavior -- an abstract "mental blueprint" or "mental code." • Must be studied "indirectly" by studying behavior, customs, material culture (artifacts, tools, technology), language, etc. • 1)  Learned.   Process of learning one's culture is called  enculturation. • 2)  Shared by the members of a society.  No "culture of  one." • 3)  Patterned.  People in a society live and think in ways  that form definite patterns.   4)  Mutually constructed through a constant process of social interaction. • 5)  Symbolic.   Culture, language and thought are based on symbols and symbolic meanings. • 6)  Arbitrary.   Not based on "natural laws" external to humans, but created by humans according to the "whims" of the society.  Example: standards of beauty. • 7)  Internalized.   Habitual.   Taken-for-granted.    Perceived as "natural.“

3. Manifestations of Culture • Cultural differences manifest themselves in different ways and differing levels of depth. Symbols represent the most superficial and values the deepest manifestations of culture, with heroes and rituals in between. • Symbols are words, gestures, pictures, or objects that carry a particular meaning which is only recognized by those who share a particular culture. New symbols easily develop, old ones disappear. Symbols from one particular group are regularly copied by others. This is why symbols represent the outermost layer of a culture. • Heroes are persons, past or present, real or fictitious, who possess characteristics that are highly prized in a culture. They also serve as models for behavior. • Rituals are collective activities, sometimes superfluous in reaching desired objectives, but are considered as socially essential. They are therefore carried out most of the times for their own sake (ways of greetings, paying respect to others, religious and social ceremonies, etc.). • The core of a culture is formed by values. They are broad tendencies for preferences of certain state of affairs to others (good-evil, right-wrong, natural-unnatural). Many values remain unconscious to those who hold them. Therefore they often cannot be discussed, nor they can be directly observed by others. Values can only be inferred from the way people act under different circumstances. • Symbols, heroes, and rituals are the tangible or visual aspects of the practices of a culture. The true cultural meaning of the practices is intangible; this is revealed only when the practices are interpreted by the insiders.

4. Layers of Culture • People even within the same culture carry several layers of mental programming within themselves. Different layers of culture exist at the following levels: • The national level: Associated with the nation as a whole. • The regional level: Associated with ethnic, linguistic, or religious differences that exist within a nation. • The gender level: Associated with gender differences (female vs. male) • The generation level: Associated with the differences between grandparents and parents, parents and children. • The social class level: Associated with educational opportunities and differences in occupation. • The corporate level: Associated with the particular culture of an organization. Applicable to those who are employed.

5. Definition: Culture refers to the perspectives, practices and products of a social group.

6. Whether a group focuses on the past, present, or future. Many Native American cultures place a significant value on lessons learned from the past, their history, and their ancestors .

7. The group's particular ideas about authority, hierarchy, communication style, conflict, etc. Indian society can be described as hierarchical - you may be born into a particular class and find it difficult to move into another.

8. Whether the group believes that the environment is here to serve us, or we're here to serve it. Western cultures can be accused of using and abusing the earth for immediate gains; the ongoing destruction of the rainforest and incessant mining of mineral-rich continents occur with little regard for whether and how the earth will be able to replenish itself.

9. What a particular group tends to believe is most important in life. Americans value independence and free thinking. The Japanese value group harmony over the individual's wants and needs.

10. Culture, while not always tied to race or ethnicity, defines how we interpret and interact with others.

11. For example: An infant who is adopted from China, yet raised in the US by an American family might, by others unfamiliar with her background, mistakenly be expected to demonstrate or understand the cultural characteristics of Chinese individuals. Culturally, this individual may simply be American.

12. The best way to understand culture is to explore your own! Journal Entries: How did growing up when you did shape your view of the world? (Think of the differences between your generation and your parents’.)How does your gender shape your aspirations in life?Who do you admire and why? What characteristics do they have? What holidays and major events do you celebrate? Why? How would it feel if you were told you would no longer be allowed to celebrate those? Ask your parents these same questions. Grandparents?

13. “Culture Is Like An Iceberg” Surface: Language Holidays History/Heritage Foods Folklore Personalities Rhymes/Games Arts ______________ Deep: Beauty Ceremony Communications Beliefs/Values Attitudes Courtship/marriage Taboos/ethics Perceptions Family ties Health/medicine gestures Grooming Religion Rewards/Privileges Rights/Duties Sex Roles Space/Proximity Subsistence Time

14. Culture Posters: Dear Parents of Julington Creek Students, In honor of our Fourth school wide Multicultural event, we have developed a poster making contest for grade K – 5 students. This contest is designed to create awareness among our students of the many diverse cultures that exist right here at our school. This poster may reflect your family’s heritage or it could be about a country and culture of interest. Since students will have limited time to work on the poster in the art room, your assistance at home in making this project is requested. This year our theme is “Hanging Around The World” and each student will be given a poster in the shape of a T-shirt. They may use any media they choose (colored papers, magic markers, collage of cut outs, or paint). Pictures from home, magazines, internet, maps, and newspapers would all be great things to include. POSTERS ARE DUE BY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16th, 2008, AND SHOULD BE DELIVERED TO THE ART ROOM AT JULINGTON CREEK. This is a school wide event in which ALL students are expected to participate. Posters will be judged on October 19th for first, second, third, and fourth place prize awards. These winning posters will be on display by the front office. All of the other student posters will be displayed throughout the school. We want to thank you for all the support and encouragement you can give your child in completing the project. We hope this will be a fun, positive learning experience for your family. Yours truly, Mr. Michael Story, Principal Mrs. Melisa Norwich, Vice-Principal Mr. Timothy Frank, Curriculum Coordinator Mrs. Linda McAnarney, Art Educator

19. Florida Indians • Social Studies Chapter 2 Ms. Lyons 11/5/08 • Native Floridians • We are researching five native Florida tribes: the Timucuan, Tocobaga, Tequesta, Calusa and Apalachee. With your group, research information to present your chosen tribe. We decided that the following information is important: food, livelihood, clothing, transportation, jewelry, shelter. Were they friendly (to Spaniards/other tribes)? Were they strong? Did they make tools? • With your group, you will create a presentation (Power Point, poster, Publisher, dress-up, etc). Each group will create a scale model of a shelter used by their tribe. This is an in-school group project, though individual research may be done at (or materials brought from) home. Finished projects will be due on Friday, 11/14/08. • Here are some cool sites: • http://www.native-languages.org/florida.htm • http://pelotes.jea.com/Tocob.htm • http://funandsun.com/1tocf/inf/nativepeoples/calusa.html • http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/tequest/tequest1.htm • http://fcit.usf.edu/FLORIDA/lessons/apalach/apalach1.htm • http://pelotes.jea.com/kidtimuc.htm

20. Timucuans: • What design would you like painted on your face? Here are some ideas: • The White Cloud has a green hand painted on his cheek because he was very good at hand-to-hand fighting. Imagine if he had decorated his face with something else. • Think about the first word in your new name. What design could you paint on your cheek to show that you are good at that special activity? • If you're good at swimming, for instance, a wave for water might be a good choice. • A foot would show you're a runner. Or you might want to add a mark that reminds you of the special animal you chose.

24. Create-Your-Name: Native Americans often had descriptive names that told others about them. Sometimes the names were based on visionary experiences or dreams--other times they were given to individuals by family members or religious figures.These names emphasized the special qualities or skills of the individual. If you were going to be given a special name, what would it be? Think of an activity that you enjoy, or a special skill. Are you very good at running, swimming, skating, or playing ball?  The name you choose could  describe something that an Indian boy or girl might have done in the nineteenth century, or it could be a really modern activity, like karate or skateboarding. Now think of an animal you like. (It doesn't have to be one you think an American Indian might know, like a buffalo or a grizzly bear. It could be something exotic like an ant-eater or an ostrich!) Put the two words together to make a name like Running-Fox or Skating-Dog. Your name helps others immediately recognize your special qualities and abilities. www.nga.gov/kids/catlin

25. Pastor Martin Niemöller: In Germany they first came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me — and by that time no one was left to speak up. Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA, in 1959

26. Compare/Contrast: Native Americans Holocaust Victims

27. Tying it all together: Using the Venn Diagram, compare/contrast the treatment of Native Americans and that of the Holocaust victims. Remember the incidents witnessed by Catlin, and the Indians’ treatment in A Land Remembered. Additionally, reference our study of the Holocaust, its victims, (and their cultures) and the novel study The Boy Who Dared. Why did George Catlin feel that it was so important to preserve Indian culture through writing, sketching, and painting?

28. Persuasive Essay • Use your Venn Diagram and your journal notes. • Write a persuasive essay from Catlin’s point of view to convince the American people to honor and preserve the Native American cultures he painted. • Cite three reasons to preserve the Native cultures Catlin captured on canvas.