Multicultural Lesson Plan Ideas

Here are some ideas you can use when figuring out a multicultural lesson plan for your students.

World Currency Identification

Use classroom activities, research or writing lessons to teach classroom students about world currency. Add photos depicting currency symbols from several countries on a blank 8x11 inch sheet of paper. Assign students the task of correctly identifying each currency type by writing proper names next to their symbols. Your multicultural lesson plan ideas should include the Euro, Dollar, Pound, Yuan, Peso and other widely used forms of world currency. Teachers can also hold up flash cards with world currency symbols on them while explaining their purpose to classroom students.

Another way to teach students about world currency is to introduce multicultural lesson plans that require conversion of numbers. This can be done using the number scale or incorporating real-life world currency matters such as the cost of products or services and salary listings. World currency identification is one of many multicultural lesson plan ideas that can be used by math teachers. There are still numerous ways teachers can develop world currency into their multicultural lesson plans for other classroom subjects including history and reading. Currency themed multicultural lesson plan ideas benefit elementary, Junior and High school students for a lifetime.

The Meanings of Native Country Names

Many surnames and first names that originated in foreign countries can be used to make multicultural lesson plans for students. Collect a group of names from different countries and teach students their meaning and country of origin. You can mix in names of famous people to make these multicultural lesson plan ideas more fun for the classroom. The famous names can also be used as a reference when helping students learn their meanings. The name Aaliyah means "The Very Highest" while Akila means "Wise" in the Swahili culture.

Some names have different meanings, which can also be used to teach students about variations in culture. The name Nina has the simplistic meaning of "girl" in the Spanish culture but means "mighty" among Native Americans and "A familiar form of Hannah" in Hebrew. One way to get students excited about these multicultural lesson plans is by allowing them to list ten of their favorite names on a sheet of notebook paper. Instruct students to do a one or two page report on the meanings of these favorite names with emphasis on their country of origin. The school reports can be delivered through an oral presentation as well, allowing your entire classroom to benefit from information in each student report.

Custom Quick Facts

Teach students about several foreign countries and allow them to make their own customized "quick facts" sheet. You can assign countries to students or let them pick their own. Each student quick facts sheet should be made based on your lessons and information from their own research. Another way to organize this multicultural lesson plan is by assigning students the task of making one quick facts sheet for several different countries. These sheets should be made in a way that reflects your students lifestyle if they lived among a different culture. Students can cut out photos from magazines to go with their information and design a lifestyle fact sheet based on habits in other countries. Information can include a dinner menu, songs, games and even letters made using the native language from another culture.