Culture & Storytelling Booth

Objective: Families share a cultural artifact or photo and tell its story, while students practice listening, recording, and celebrating diverse traditions.
Time: 20 minutes

Materials

• Decorated booth table or easel with tablecloth
• Artifact display board or designated area for photos/objects
• Large poster paper and colorful markers
• Index cards or sticky notes for student notes
• Camera or tablet (optional) to capture moments

Steps

1. Set Up the Booth
   • Arrange tablecloth, display board, markers, and poster paper.
   • Place a marker and poster sheet at the center for recording highlights.
     
     
     
2. Welcome Families
   • Student ambassadors greet families and invite them to place their artifact/photo on the display board.
   • Briefly explain: “We’re excited to learn about your family traditions!”
     
     
     
3. Artifact Presentation
   • Each family chooses one item or photo to share.
   • Families describe what the object is and why it’s special.
     
     
     
4. Storytelling & Discussion
   • Use the guiding questions below to prompt deeper sharing.
   • Encourage other families to ask follow-up questions.
     
     
     
5. Record Highlights
   • As families speak, student ambassadors jot down key words or phrases on the poster paper.
   • Use colorful markers and large print for visibility.
     
     
     
6. Transition
   • After ~5 minutes of sharing, signal the next family to come forward.
   • Rotate until all families have shared or time is up.
     
     
     
     
     
     

Guiding Questions

• What is this artifact or photo, and where does it originate?
• Why is this tradition meaningful to your family?
• How do you celebrate or use this tradition in everyday life?
• What feeling or memory does this item bring you?
• Have you shared something like this with classmates before?

Follow-Up Points

• Invite students to compare similarities or unique differences between stories.
• Highlight any common themes (e.g., celebrations, foods, music).
• Encourage families to ask one another questions to deepen connections.

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Language Matching Challenge

Objective: Practice recognizing and matching simple English words with their equivalents in home languages to celebrate linguistic diversity and build vocabulary.
Time: 20 minutes

Materials

• A deck of index cards (or small cardstock cards) containing:
  • 10–12 English word cards (one word per card)
  • 10–12 matching home-language word cards (one translation per card)
• A table or flat surface for card layout
• Optional: small stickers or token “points” for matched pairs

Setup

1. Shuffle all cards and lay them face down in a grid.
2. Ensure families sit comfortably around the table so everyone can reach cards.

How to Play

1. Turn Sequence:
   • A family team (student and parent) flips over two cards at a time.
2. Check for Match:
   • If the English word matches the home-language word, the team keeps the pair and earns 1 point.
   • If not a match, cards are turned face down again in the same spots.
3. Next Team’s Turn:
   • Rotate turns between family groups until all pairs are found or time is up.

Sample Word Pairs (Customize for Your Class)

Teachers: create cards for each term and its translation; include other languages represented in your classroom.

Scoring & Reflection

• Scoring:
  • 1 point per matched pair
  • Team with the most points wins a small prize (stickers, class cheer).
• Cooperative Option:
  • All families work together to match every pair in under 10 minutes.

Follow-Up Discussion

• Which new words did you learn?
• How are some home-language words similar or different from English?
• Why is it important to value multiple languages in our classroom?

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Family Gratitude Share

Objective: Families reflect on positive experiences and express gratitude by writing notes and decorating cards.
Time: 20 minutes

Materials:

• Pre-cut gratitude cards or cardstock
• Markers, pens, stickers, decorative items
• Masking tape or clothespins and string for the Gratitude Wall

Steps:

1. Set Up the Gratitude Station

   • Arrange cards, writing tools, and decorations on a table.
   • Designate a section of wall or string with clips for posting.

2. Write Your Gratitude Note

   • On a card, write one thing you are grateful for.
   • Use the prompt: “I am grateful for…”

3. Decorate Your Card

   • Add drawings, stickers, or colors to personalize your message.

4. Post and Share

   • Tape or clip your card to the Gratitude Wall.
   • Gather around and invite volunteers to share what they wrote.

Gratitude Writing Space

I am grateful for:

Group Reflection

• Which gratitude notes stood out to you?
• How does sharing gratitude make you feel?
• Why is it important to notice the positive things in our lives?

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