Curriculum ideas for implementation in the classroom

• What's in a name? Activities and sample student responses on MindSPACE an online class and hangout for thoughtful kids :)
• How is your name written in your native language? How does your system of writing your name differ from the English translation (i.e. diacritical markings, special characters, pictograph/ideograph)
• Discussion of the students' own language
  1. What words are important in your language? Why? i.e. ohana from Hawaiian
  2. How are these words related to our ethnic/cultural identity? i.e. family is important in Hawaiian culture, the word comes from the kalo (taro) plant, an important staple in the diet of the early Hawaiians
  3. Does the word have any roots or relation to the folklore or myths of the culture? i.e. story of the kalo
  4. What role does the word play in the culture of your country today? i.e. there is a resurgence of ethnic and cultural interest and pride in the values and lifestyle of the Hawaiian people; Leon and Malia song; Hawaiian studies in school
• Selection of 3 words that students feel best exemplify their language's words from the heart
• Sharing of these words, their background, graphical and possibly audio representations associated with the words
• Discussions via email or irc about the various words...comparison/contrast both in word meaning and linguistic patterns (i.e. some words may come from the same language branch)
• Discussions online about any patterns...are there certain types of words that seem to carry a lot of cultural/psychoogical weight in all countries? (i.e. the words for "family" or "home" perhaps)

Disciplines covered:

1. Language arts--word origin, myths and folktales, writing, comparison/contrast skills
2. Social Studies/History--cultural significance of language
3. Art--pictographs, petroglyphs, symbolic representation
4. Music--folk songs