Culture - Day 5 grades 4-6 learning activities

Mindfulness Activity

Mindfulness Activity:

  • Sit down so you’re comfortable.
  • Put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.
  • Breathe in.
  • Now switch hands and breathe in again.
  • Which way felt better?
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Kente Cloth

Supplies:

  • Coloured paper (if you are missing colours, use markers to create them)
  • Scissors
  • Markers

In Ghana, the Ashanti people weave cloth that uses many different colours and symbols.

Red represents passion
purple represents healing
green represents growth
yellow represents wealth
black represents maturity
blue represents peace
white represents purity

Have your child make their own Kente cloth:

  • Cut a square from black paper.
  • Fold the square in half.
  • Cut 4-6 slits evenly spaced apart. Don’t cut all the way to the end of the paper. The more slits you cut, the more challenging your weaving will be.
  • Cut strips of coloured paper that represent you, using the colour symbolism above.
  • Weave the first strip, starting by going over then under the black strips.
  • Weave the next strip, starting by going under instead of over.
  • Keep weaving until you have reached the end of the slit.
  • Glue down the ends to finish your weaving.

Kente clothe


*photo taken by Calgary Neighbourhoods

Semut, Orang, Gajan

This version of rock, paper, scissors is played on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra. There are three signs:

  • Pinky out is "semut," which means ant.
  • Pointer finger out is "orang," which means man.
  • Thumb out is "gajah," which means elephant.

Elephant beats man because it is stronger. Man beats ant because it can squash it. And ant beats elephant because it can climb on him and bite him.

To play with your child:

  • Pump your fist up and down three times
  • Straighten your arm and show one of the three signs.
  • If you make the same sign, try again.
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Dot Painting

Supplies:

  • Washable paint
  • Painting paper
  • Cotton swabs
  • Piece of cardboard for a paint palette

Pointillism is a type of art that is made up of many dots that come together to make a larger image.

  • Have your child think of a famous landmark, or choose one listed below.
  • Use paint and cotton swabs to recreate the image on a blank piece of paper.

Use one of these landmarks, or pick your own:

  • Leaning Tower of Pisa
  • Taj Mahal
  • Golden Gate Bridge
  • Mount Fuji
  • Great Sphinx of Giza
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Review Questions

Ask your child:

  • How does it feel to try things from another culture?
  • What do you think you have in common with kids from other countries?
  • If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?
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Trivia Answer

Mindfulness Activity Answer: Bamboo​

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