Key Questions:
What can be learned about a people from the exploration of their culture?

How are values reflected in a culture?

Who are the Nepalese?

Objectives: 
Students will work cooperatively to research their topics.

Students will turn their research into a visual representation of their understanding of their topic.

Students will develop theories about the people represented by the culture they have examined.

Materials:
List of web addresses for research, access to the internet, Culture Chart handout, blank map of Nepal, variety of art supplies.

Activity:
In small groups, students will be assigned one of the 9 components of culture identified on their culture charts, in addition to one group being responsible for researching the geography of Nepal. 

Each group will be given a handout of web addresses where they can begin their search.  After researching their component thoroughly each group will transform that information into a “booth” that will be displayed during the cultural fair that will take place the following day.  Standardizing the size of the student displays will be contingent on the size of the classroom.

For homework students should work on creating the props they wish to incorporate into their informational center. 

The following day the groups will have time to set up their “booths”.  Each group must create a schedule so that the booth is manned at all times and each student has a chance to explore the fair.  Students will then wander through the fair taking notes on their culture charts and blank maps filling them out with information from the various presentations.

After the students have visited all the booths, the class can discuss what they learned about Nepal and its people.

Evaluation:
For homework following the fair students should respond to the question: How are values reflected in a culture? By reflecting on what they have learned about Nepal and what they think their own culture says about them.

The booths created for the fair can be evaluated by the Nepalese Cultural Fair Rubric.
 

Nepalese Cultural Fair Web Sites:

www.thamel.com/htms/general_info.htm
Cyber guide to Nepal and Thailand.

www.nepallink.com/nepal/culture
This commercial site provides information on the history, lifestyle, religion, geography, festivals and culture in general.

www.nationalgeographic.com/features/01/nomad/nepal/intro.html
Included on this site is a travelogue of a 16 day trek through Nepal with audio links.

www.nepalhomepage.com/dir/society
Commercial web site that provides links to sites on art, culture, religion, cuisine, literature and language.

www.lonelyplanet.com
Click on world search, then Asia and Nepal for this travel guide’s introduction to Nepal

Components of Culture Chart
 

Social Organization (family, class, people, gender roles)
Symbols
Language (spoken, written, literacy)
Customs and Traditions (rituals, values, beliefs, norms, folkways, history)
Material Culture, Technology (tangible human creations of a culture)
Arts
Religion
Government (historic and present day)
Economic Systems (production, distribution, consumtion goods and services)

Nepalese Cultural Fair Assessment
On a scale from 1 to 4, 4 being the best and 1-well being not the best, evaluate the information center and the process of creating it.  Be sure to accompany your numerical selection with commentary on each category.

Creativity/Originality
Is your display unique?

4    3    2    1

Comments:
 

Completeness
Have you created a booth that provides ample information on your group’s component?

4    3    2    1
 

Comments:
 

Cohesiveness
Is your project polished?  Can your audience easily explore and interpret your information?

4    3    2    1
 

Comments:
 

Group Dynamic
Did each member of your group contribute to the completion of your assignment?

4    3    2    1
 

Comments:
 
 

Self Reflection
How would you assess yourself?

4     3    2    1
 

Comments: