FOCUS QUESTION:
To What Extent Has Geographic Diversity Contributed to Cultural Diversity?

• Dependence upon the seas and the river valleys in South Asia has helped people adapt to their environment.
• Geographic factors have promoted cultural diversity in South Asia.

Materials

• Worksheet 1: The People of India
• Worksheet 2: A Coloring Book of Indian Costumes
• Worksheet 3: The Predominant Languages of India
• Map Study 1: Physical Divisions of India
• Map Study 2: Political Division of India
  

Performance Objectives

• Students will identify and discuss the relationship between geographic diversity and cultural diversity in South Asia.
• Students will examine examples of how geographic isolation has fostered cultural isolation.
• Students will determine the extent to which geographic diversity has led to cultural diversity

Teacher Background

Geography is a major factor in the development of the culture of an area. River valleys, mountain areas, deserts and other geographic characteristics can isolate people, allowing them to develop a culture which is different from that of other peoples in the area. Lack of social and commercial intercourse among people further intensifies the cultural differences. These factors are true on the Indian subcontinent. The mountain barriers in the north, the desert in the west and the plains and plateaus throughout the area allowed people to develop independently, creating their own style of dress which was appropriate to their environment, evolve their own language patterns, both orally and in written script, and bonding as a cultural group through rituals indigenous to their people. Yet, overriding this multiplicity of cultures, the people of South Asia see themselves as inhabitants of the subcontinent. One of the major issues facing the region since settlement and throughout the successive waves of contact and conquest has been the desire to construct a pluralistic society binding the people of the subcontinent together in spite of geographic and cultural diversity.

Springboard

Distribute Worksheet 1: The People of India.
Ask students to take out Map Study 2: Political Divisions of India from learning activity #1.

• In dyads, groups or individually, students will place the drawings of the people of India in the appropriate area on Map study 2. This will serve to give the students some additional and visual information about diversity in India.
• How does this exercise help you learn more about the Indian subcontinent? Explain your answer.
• How are the people's appearances the same/different? Is it the same in the U.S.?

Procedure

1. Distribute Worksheet 2: A Coloring Book of Indian Costumes.

From our first exercise, we see that India has a great deal of cultural diversity among its people. Let us examine this 'More carefully. In groups or dyads, students will complete the chart. Teacher will review answers with class.

• How do the women's clothing differ in each area? The men's clothing?
• What are the different activities the people are doing in each area?
• How did people in each of these areas of the subcontinent culturally adapt to the environment? What evidence can you show of this adaptation? Explain.

Distribute Worksheet 3: The Predominant Languages of India.

• All Indian currency shows the fifteen official languages of India. Is there a connection between the many languages spoken by the Indian people and the other information we have looked at today?
• How does geographic diversity explain the diversity of language?
• Do you think these language differences are a problem or an asset?
• In the United States, bilingualism has become a major issue in the schools and the society. What is your point of view on bilingualism?
• How is the American problem related to the South Asian problem?

Students will return to Map Study 1: Physical Divisions of India from past lesson.

From this lesson we have discovered that India is culturally diverse with many different people, different customs, different clothing, different languages.

• Students will examine language map and cultural artifacts against the map identifying the geographic characteristics of the subcontinent.
• To what extent has geographic diversity led to cultural diversity? Explain.

Summary / Application

Class will prepare a debate:

"Has geographic and cultural diversity in India and the United States been good or bad for the two nations?"

Alternate Strategies

1.Eliminate Worksheet 1 and assign Worksheet 2 and Worksheet 3 for homework. This will allow students more time to complete activity accurately. It is also possible to limit the number of drawings the students will examine.

2.This lesson offers English and social studies teachers an excellent opportunity to use the issue of language as a springboard for letters, stories and poems. The discussion of language diversity could be the coordinating theme in the two classrooms. It is also possible to carry this theme into the foreign language classroom, especially in a school which is developing integrated curriculum.