The Impact of Human Expression on Culture

For this Assignment, you will write a 3-4 page, two-part essay that explores the impact of human expression on culture and describes strategies to integrate cultural expressions into curriculum.

Art, music, and dance are cultural expressions that have demonstrated the feelings, thoughts, celebrations, and many times strife or hardship of its people. Most of our ancestors came to this country from another land bringing their culture, and even if you are a Native American, expressions of art and music have long been a part of your heritage and culture.

In Unit 7 you read about teaching culture and global awareness through the arts, and you have considered ways to incorporate diversity and multicultural creative arts activities into your curriculum. You have also read throughout your text about the family's role in creative arts along with ways to incorporate diversity and multicultural creative arts activities into your curriculum. You will consider these as you complete your

Assignment .

Part 1:

Reflect on your own culture and how its art, music, and dance have become important to understanding yourself and others. Then consider the following questions when explaining what you will do to support the expression of the diverse cultures in your classroom through art, music, and dance.

1. How has your own creativity been enhanced as a result of learning about your culture and the culture of others?

2. How can you make sure the young children you work with remain connected to their own culture?

3. What creative opportunities can you provide for young children to assure they can participate in your program as well as develop an understanding of the cultures of those in their class?

4. How will you involve families to support your effort in the classroom as well as in the home?

Part 2:

Explain specific strategies which will help children reach their creative potential in a multicultural environment. You will share one activity for each of the three areas - art, music, and dance - for this part of the Assignment as you apply what you have learned. Include an explanation, or rationale, for the learning activity of your choice with details, examples and a minimum of three sources, including the text .

For each activity, you will write a paragraph about a developmentally appropriate activity which best represents the inclusion of artistic expression for a mixed age, culturally diverse population. Use essay style (do NOT write a lesson plan) to briefly describe the activity. Include an explanation of how it will meet children's developmental needs, abilities, and interest levels as well as the pedagogical significance of the activity.

All three activities should focus on the opportunity for children to explore and express themselves and not on activities which are highly teacher-directed with expected final results.