Teacher: Jean LeLoup

E-Mail: leloupj@cortland.edu

School: SUNY Cortland

Lesson Title: "United Statesian" cultural symbols:  McDonald's

Topic: Meal taking/food/drink: fast food

Language: English/ESL

Skills Targeted: Listening, Speaking, Writing, Culture

Model: Culture - 3 Ps

Class Level: HS III, College Intermediate, Adult learners
 
 

TARGETED STANDARDS

1.1  Interpersonal Communication  1.3  Presentational Communication  2.1  Cultural Practices and Perspectives  2.2  Cultural Products and Perspectives 4.2  Cultural Comparisons

I. OBJECTIVES
 

1.1	SWBAT discuss cultural products, practices, and perspectives related to the topic of meal taking/food/drink in pairs or small groups.
1.3	SWBAT write an explanation of one cultural product and/or practice and then present/explain the perspective to their peers.
4.1	Students will learn to use direct objects with affirmative and negative commands.
2.2	SWBAT identify cultural symbols (products) related to the topic of meal taking/food/drink in the TL culture as well as their own.
2.1	SWBAT identify cultural practices related to these symbols in the TL culture as well as their own.
2.1/2.2	SWBAT identify and explain at least one perspective underlying each cultural product and practice.
4.2	SWBAT compare and contrast products, practices, and perspectives related to the topic of meal taking/food/drink in the TL culture and their own.

II.  MATERIALS
 

McDonald’s coffee cup (real life or photo)

III.  PROCEDURES

Set the stage

1. Ask students what a cultural symbol is – generate defining characteristics and/or a class definition.  Put these on the overhead (OH) or on the board.
2. Brainstorm a few cultural symbols of the TL culture (here, U. S.) with the class as a whole—write on the board. Ask students for 1-2 meaningful symbols from their own culture. Note these as well on the board.
3. Narrow the focus to meal taking/food/drink and repeat #1.

Cultural Products and Practices

1. Show the class a Styrofoam coffee cup from McDonald’s (have the real thing or use a photo).
2. In pairs or small groups, brainstorm and generate as many words as possible related to this one cultural product/symbol. Some may be nouns identifying other products and practices, some words may be adjectives or verbs.
3. Have each group report to the class; make a list of all words on the board or OH; eliminate duplications.
4. Make sure all students understand each entry in terms of vocabulary. If necessary, have the contributing group explain briefly what they meant by any word or idea that is not clear to the rest of their peers.
5. A sample list can be found here.

Cultural Perspectives

1. Go through the list, discussing each entry.  Identify it as a product or practice, if appropriate.
• For a product, ask "What is it?" "Where do you find it?"
• For a practice, ask "How do you use this/do this?" "When?"
2. Then, ask students to identify what they think is the perspective underlying each entry.  If they do not know, the teacher can elaborate or students can research this for homework.
• For the perspective, ask "Why do they do this?" or "Why might this be done in this way?"
• Try to identify multiple possible responses here.
3. This activity can be done in small groups or pairs first, w/entries divided up among the groups.  Alternatively, this can be a whole class discussion, depending on the number of students, the level of TL proficiency, etc.
4. Continue the discussion until all the products and practices have been clarified and the perspective(s) underlying each have been explained.
• Note that multiple perspectives frequently exist; this is good to underscore. Indicate to students that there is generally no one “right” or “correct” perspective; this can be a very individual thing from a native speaker's point of view. Also, there can be "incorrect" perspectives, as might happen when a non-native speaker misinterprets the perspective(s) by filtering through his/her own and different culture. (See lesson plan on cultural perspectives entitled “La buena crianza” in the FLTEACH lesson plan database (http://www.cortland.edu/flteach/lessons/).

Cultural Comparisons

1. Have each student identify a cultural symbol/product related to the topic of meal taking/food/drink from the L1 culture.
2. Next, the student selects a product or practice from the list generated by the McDonald’s coffee cup discussion.
3. The student writes a paragraph on these two products and/or practices, with their concomitant perspectives, comparing and contrasting them.  The student may also wish to use a chart or a Venn diagram as a vehicle for comparison.
4. The student presents this cultural comparison to the class.
5. The student turns in the written comparison to the instructor.

IV. CULTURAL INFORMATION
 

Various products, practices, and perspectives relating to McDonald’s and then to the L1 cultural symbol.

V. TECHNOLOGY USED
 
 

Overhead projector, Elmo for recording/displaying brainstorming ideas and for student presentation