INTERCULTURAL PROJECT 2019-1
Subject: Language and Culture 1
Title: Lifestyles in Geographic Regions of Colombia
Objective:
Recognize the nature of cultural identity and cross-cultural diversity, based on the contrast of
home and foreign cultural practices.
Description
The design of this project attempts to foster the growth of first level students’ intercultural
competence using English to appreciate the differences between a variety of lifestyles in our
country. To reach this aim, this project will first motivate the learners to reflect on our own
cultural background before we look at other cultures. Since communication is not just about
words, students will learn a lot about cultural differences from the families, jobs, means of
transportation, eating habits, free time, clothes, habits, home remedies and daily activities in
some geographic regions of Colombia. To sum up, this introduction to intercultural
communication we will reflect critically on cultural stereotypes and prejudices in order to go
beyond those reduced images.
Stage 1
Class will be divided in groups (2-3 students). Students should first select one geographic region
of Colombia they’d like to investigate about. Throughout this stage, you will be provided with
general information about three main topics: families around the world, jobs around the world
and daily life. Students should then relate that general information to the specific Colombian
region selected and reflect upon key cultural characteristics around these issues. The
information gathered will be shared by means of a short writing assignment and an oral
presentation.
Topic 1: Families around the World
Steps:
a. Read the texts presented in the book (page 10 and 11)
b. Start analyzing and contrasting the composition, values and dynamics of the families
with some typical Colombian families of the region you selected.
c. Watch these videos to get some additional input on this topic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHvaKv9N0VE (Family structure)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aogZUDx51vQ (Modern Family trailer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHPuLfolJPc (Upbringing differences in countries
around the world)
d. Read the following text and participate in a class discussion about the information given
(your teacher will give you specific instructions to develop this step):
https://news.gallup.com/poll/4315/family-values-differ-sharply-around-world.aspx
e. Develop a graph synthetizing the information gathered so far.
Topic 2: Jobs around the World
Steps:
a. Read the texts presented in the book (pp 14 and 15)
b. Watch the following videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqyQJ-Sj-rY (The 10 Most Dangerous Jobs In The
World)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFpRevml4eI
(Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs)
c. Analyze and compare the jobs, presented in the videos and search more information
about other kinds of jobs or about your dream job. By describing them you can
mentioned or stablish a top ten of the best jobs.
d. Read the texts you find on pp 62 -63 of the book to enrich the information you have
collected so far
e. Read the information about jobs around the world found in the following link:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/16/the-25-highest-paying-jobs-in-america.html
f. Investigate about common jobs in the region you selected.
g. Develop a mind map summarizing the information collected about this topic.
Topic 3: Daily Life
Steps:
a. Read the texts found in the book (pp 66 and 67)
b. Watch the following videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq0CQhCZ2jk (Our teachers - My daily
routine)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWum2bRvr4w (Daily Life in a Rural Village -
Lissezoun, Benin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akZrk7jF5Jo (English - Young people and their
free time (A1-A2 - with subtitles)
c. Investigate about daily life practices of the region selected and identify the main
points of difference with the information provided in the videos.
Outcomes stage 1:
a) A descriptive paragraph: Drawing on the information gathered, as well as your own
experiential knowledge, write a 120-word descriptive paragraph reporting on a few
interesting facts you have learned about one the topics you’ve worked: The text should
have the following structure:
Title
Topic sentence
Supporting details
Closing sentence.
The following are some useful resources you may use to develop this task:
Descriptive paragraph structure and samples:
https://slideplayer.com/slide/3826293/
https://www.slideshare.net/gulerek/descriptive-paragraph-
7928387?next_slideshow=1
Some suggested topics for the paragraph are:
- Three main characteristics of daily life in (my region)
- Gender roles in the families of (my region)
- Three most important jobs in (my region)
b) Oral presentation: You should prepare a 5 minutes talk, presenting some additional
interesting “facts” you have found about the three topics in this initial exploration. You
are allowed to use audiovisual materials to support your talk. If you are using slides,
you may only include pictures and key words. If you are using videos or audio-
recordings, their length cannot exceed 1 minute.
Stage 2
In this stage we will continue our exploration of the same region selected in the first stage but
we will have three new topics: transportation, eating habits, and holidays.
Topic 4: Transportation
Steps:
a. watching the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpgM3Vo2y-M
(Means of transport)
b. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of each means of transport presented.
c. Investigate what alternative means of transportation are used in your region.
Topic 5: Eating habits
Steps:
a. Read the texts found in the book, pp 106 and 1077,
b. Watch these videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTio58MDwKc- (What does the world eat for breakfast?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORoTSA1VgsU (El desayuno criollo - los puros criollos)
c. Investigate about eating habits in your region and identify a couple of the most
important dishes.
Topic 5: Holiday traditions
Steps:
a. Read the text in the book (pp. 134-135).
b. Study the following links about carnivals and take notes about when, why and how
these carnivals are celebrated.
c. Complement the information obtained so far by reading the texts you find on:
https://www.momondo.com/discover/article/the-best-carnivals-in-the-world (12 of the
best carnivals in the world)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWguI4kFNtQ (Top 10 best carnival celebrations)
Outcomes stage 2:
A brochure: In light of all the information gathered throughout the project, design a brochure to
promote your chosen region in “Colombia Lifestyle Fair Exhibition”
The brochure should have the following structure:
Grabbing title: This should generally be something very quick and to the point.
Fun details: Include little details that will make people want to put you on their
itinerary
Testimonials: Put quotes about your service/product from your happy customers
A Call to Action: Make sure people know what to do next after seeing your
brochure
The following are some useful resources you may use to develop this task:
Example of brochures and some tips:
https://academichelp.net/business-writing-help/write-brochure.html
https://www.ehow.com/how_4828651_brochure-school-project.html
B. Oral Presentation: Students should organize a creative and original stand for “Colombia
Lifestyle Fair Exhibition” (A cultural, folkloric and gastronomic event that brings together all
regions of Colombia in one place, under an atmosphere of party and regional integration),
presenting the issues they have explored in-depth about one of the Geographic regions of
Colombia: Relationships: Family and friends, jobs and daily activities, food, clothes, health
(traditional remedies), free time activities and holiday traditions.
RULES:
1. All students must participate by both exhibiting and visiting the different stands.
They should speak all the time in English.
2. Each group is free to choose the way and time to present lifestyle of the assigned
region. They can make use of different audiovisual resources (decoration, costumes,
meals, role-plays, songs, videos, posters, etc.)
3. Students must be attentive to each presentation; at the end, each group must decide
which the best stand (different from their own) was.
Assessment:
Following the curricular principles of DEIN, assessment will combine formative and assessment
procedures. Formative assessment will take place at specific moments (at least 2), each teacher
establishes to keep track of the process to develop the project. This is a moment for offering
recommendations, further guidance and solving doubts. The written and oral products of each
stage will be assessed summatively. This process will be supported by general pre-established
assessment criteria students are given beforehand.
