Cultural Learning

May 

Brazil 

The population in Brazil is 196.7 million.  Brazil is also the 5th largest country in the world.  

Brazil has 13 cities.   

The world's best and most delicious coffee is produced in Brazil. 

(by D.C)

  

Brazil is the largest country is south America and the capital is Brazilia.

Brazil is populated by native southern Americans and Indians.

About 75% of Brazilians live in the cities.

There are over 16 million people living in the place in Brazil called San Paulo.

One of the most deadliest spiders in the world lives here.

Jesus statue in Rio is Christ the Redeemer.

The Brazlian national football is the second best nation football team in the world.

Brazil nuts are found here as well as: mango, bananas, cocoa pods, coconuts, wheat, soya beans, coffee, and sugar canes.

Some Brazilian animals are: calmon, anaconda, umbrella bird, armadillo, water buffalo and humming bird.

April

French culture

So far Culture Chat Club have found out...

      

• Some French people are Christians. They celebrate Christmas and Easter.
• Easter is celebrated in France by Christians. French people celebrate it a little differently and also have Easter Bells.

There is some fantastic information about France at this site: http://www.euroclubschools.org/page36.htm

March

American culture

Facts found by children... 

American football is a lot like our rugby.

They eat strange combinations of food like peanut butter and jam...

The capital of the USA is Washington DC (Not New York which is the most known city) 
 

The most popular flower is the rose.

There are 50 stars on the flag (because there are 50 states)

They have the biggest tornadoes

They usually have 180 school days a year!

 
Research missions for children this fortnight:

• Can you tell me anything about Native American culture? 

The First Nation's Peoples had a value system. There were only four commandments from the Great Spirits:

1.Respect Mother Earth

2.Respect the Great Spirit 

3.Respect our fellow man and woman

4.Respect for individual freedom 

Everything from animals and plants to the housing and weather, were once a very strong part of Native American Indian culture. The animals were considered to be spirits. Even though they were hunted down and killed, their skins were used for drums and clothing and their meat would never be wasted. Their spirits would always live on in the minds of the tribe members. Plants were grown and harvested, and then used for a variety of purposes, such as dyes. 

The sun and the rain were considered to be powerful Gods, hinting at the change in seasons. Native American Indian people believed that in the entire universe there exists only one Great Spirit or a spiritual force that is the source for all things living. The Great Spirit is thought to be formless and exists throughout the universe. The sun was considered to be the ultimate manifestation of power of this Great Spirit.

Totem poles were a very important part of culture. They believed that each tribe member or person possessed within themselves the spirit of a particular animal, and that this spirit would then be absorbed back by the animal upon the person's death. The totem pole was a tall, wooden pole like structure with carvings of different animals on it, each animal representing a family member of a tribe member who had passed away.
 

The dream catcher theory is based on a legend that was told by the Lakota tribe. It symbolises all the good things in life and holding onto them, while the holes act as filters for filtering out all the bad feelings and thoughts.

Smoke signals are another very interesting aspect of Native American Indian culture. Smoke signals were used by each tribe member to communicate to another over a long distance and are symbols of the proud heritage of the Native Americans.

   

 February

     Kupe and Te Wheke 

Maori traditional tale

What new words did you learn when reading the story? Can you tell me any facts about Maori culture? When you have found something out post a comment with your answer or a link to where you have found your information.

Research missions for children this fortnight:

• Can you tell me of any traditions from Maori culture?  

The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand (what does indigenous mean?) They are Polynesian. Te reo Maori is the native language which is related to Tahitian and Hawaiian.

The Maori population is around 600,000 or 14% of the country's population. Maori people live in all parts of New Zealand, but mostly in the North Island where the climate is warmer. The North Island also has one main chain of mountains and also contains many volcanoes including a super-volcano. 

What super-volcano is on the North Island?