Students will recognize how examining celebrations can help us develop culture understanding of our world.
The 2002 Olympic Winter Games Education Site
United States and Japanese flags or pictures of flags
T-Chart (to compare and contrast countries and cultures)
Display the United States flag or picture of the flag and ask students to name the favorite celebrations
of students in this country. Discuss why students enjoy these celebrations.
Display the Japanese flag or picture of the flag. Ask students to research some celebrations found in
Japan. Discuss how different areas of the world hold similar and different celebrations. Brainstorm
why celebrations would be different around the world.
Read information about celebrations in Japan and the United States or access the Internet at the 2002
Olympic Education web site to obtain information. Use a T chart to record comparing and contrasting
information about the celebrations held in the United States with those held in Japan.
Compare and contrast celebrations found in the United States with those found in Japan. Discuss what you have
learned about each one.
Working in groups of three or four, create a new celebration that reflects the United States and Japan. Share
your plan about the new celebration with the class and explain how that celebration would help foster cultural
understanding between the United States and Japan.
Vote as a class on which celebration would best reflect the cultures of Japan and the United States and hold
that celebration in your classroom.
Students will compare and contrast U.S. and Japanese celebrations and plan a new celebration for the U.S. and Japan.
