FOCUS QUESTION:

How Do You Transmit A Culture?

Materials

• Handout 1 - Bounty From the Sheep aloud

Performance Objectives

Students will be able to:

• describe the components of culture
• explain how culture develops in a physical environment
• analyze the interaction of people and environment
• explore the contemporary challenges facing Mongolia today

(Teacher's Note:Using an extended reading from a newly translated memoir, this lesson is primarily concerned with the people and the resources of Mongolia. Students will have the opportunity to discuss the concept of culture and the effects of the interaction between people and their environment. This is really a lesson in cultural geography which can address a range of "what," "why," and "how" questions.)

Springboard

Ask students to name as many cultural groups as they can think of. As they name groups, list them on board. Avoid defining the term "culture" because the purpose of this activity is to enable students to define term.

Procedure

1. After they have listed a number of groups, ask what characteristics make these groups different from each other. List characteristics. (Language, religion, customs, physical features, arts and crafts, etc.)
   
   
2. After students have mentioned as many distinguishing characteristics as they can think of, ask which of the characteristics apply to all of the groups. Students should see that very few (if any) of the characteristics apply to all of the groups.
   
   
3. How is culture transmitted to succeeding generations within a society? Have students take turns reading Handout 1 - Bounty From the Sheep aloud.
   
   
4. After the story is completed, ask students to note parts of the story which illustrated the role of imitation in the transmission of Mongolian culture. Note on board.
   
   
5. Follow same procedure for examples of direct instruction as a means of transmitting culture. Finally, ask students to find instances when the young children were taught by example.
   
   
6. Given the fact that it is difficult to create an absolute definition of culture, why do we identify cultures and cultural groups? Make certain that students understand that such identification is a way of indicating that groups of people are different and distinct from each other.

Summary / Application

FOR FURTHER RESEARCH:

In March, 2000, The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that Mongolia could face large-scale starvation as the coldest winter in 30 years continues to kill the livestock that are the mainstay of the country's rural economy. More than 1.4 million farm animals have died which seriously threatens the livelihood and food supplies of 25 percent of the people in Mongolia.

Research and report on the current situation in Mongolia by checking one of the following web sites:

http://www.reliefweb.int

http://www.nytimes.com

http://www.iht.com