VISITING OUR SMALL WORLD

Exploring American diversity through the foods we eat.

Visiting Our Small World

Grades: 4-6

Available in Shop 4-H Curriculum: Food, Culture, and Reading

Over the years, people from all around the world have come to the US, bringing with them their culture, religion, stories, celebrations and heritage. In this activity, kids will learn about cultural diversity by exploring the foods commonly served in your family’s home and researching where they originated.

Activity Steps

Make a list of six foods commonly served in your home. Using the internet, find out where these foods originated.
Construct a book entitled “Around the World Food Favorites” using the following steps:

Fold a stack of four sheets of construction paper in half.
Punch six to eight holes along the folded edge of the stack using a hole-punch.
Thread a 2-foot piece of yarn through the holes to sew the paper together into a book. Knot the yarn to old the pages in place.

Cut the photos of foods from the list out of a magazine or grocery store advertisements.
Use the internet to find and print pictures of these foods.
Starting with the second page, glue the photos into the book – one photo per page. Label the foods and include their country of origin or where they are a traditional dish. Write a sentence describing the food’s taste, texture, shape, or other distinguishing feature.
Decorate the cover of the book with photos or drawings of food. Include the title of the book and your name.
Share the book with your family or friends.

Additional Activities

TALK IT OVER

Reflect on your cooking experience by discussing the questions below with a family member or friend.

SHARE

What foods does your family enjoy at home?
Which of those foods did you put on your book?
What are some foods your family buys?
From what countries do these foods originate?

PROCESS

How does your family heritage affect the foods you eat?
Why is it important to know your family food heritage?
How are the foods you eat affected by people from other countries?

GENERALIZE

Why is the US often referred to as a “melting pot” of cultures?
What do you learn about other countries by eating food?

APPLY

What are some other ways to learn about other countries?
How can you expand your family’s list of foods from other countries?
How does knowing where food heritages come from help learn about diversity?

Take It To the Next Level at Shop 4-H

Food, Culture, and Reading

Grades 4 - 6

Through experiential activities, youth will be able to recognize a variety of healthful foods, taste new foods from other cultures, explore the similarities of food, and develop an understanding and appreciation of cultures that are different than their own.

$10.00