Global Education sKILL-A-tHONS
Since 2010, WVU Extension faculty have worked to create, edit and format a diverse set of educational lessons for youth and adults alike.
Each subject area features a series of skill-a-thons that apply the experiential learning model where youth learn by doing, followed by reflecting and applying what was learned. In total, the curriculum features 37 skill-a-thons.
Contact us to learn more about the 4-H Global Education skill-a-thonsGlobal education is needed now more than ever, as society is constantly changing
and characterized by global interrelationships and increasing cultural diversity. The
curriculum is designed around five subject matter areas that include:
- Agriculture & Food
- Geography
- Arts & History
- Global Issues
- Communication, Media & Technology
Communication, Media & Technology
- Can You Recognize This Language?
- Global Geocache Course
- How in the World Do You Communicate?
- Learn English – A Piece of Cake
- Learn English – Friend or Foe?
- Learn English – Technology Trials
- Virtual Global Tour
- World’s Greatest Inventions
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Agriculture & Food
Bread Taste Test
Participants will taste various types of breads and discuss their origin and history.
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
National Standards for Learning Languages (NL-FL)
-
NL-FL.K-12.4
Comparisons: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture –
- Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
Contact us to learn more information about the Bread Taste Test skill-a-thon.
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Eating In!
This activity will help you explore meal etiquette and utensils in other cultures, as well as our own. Facilitate a discussion about the different ways of eating and practice using a variety of utensils.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
National Standards for Learning Languages (NL-FL)
-
NL-FL.K-12.2 Cultures:
Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures –
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
- NL-FL.K-12.4 Comparisons: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture –
- Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
- Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
Contact us to learn more information about the Eating In! skill-a-thon.
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Exploring Fiber Plants
This activity will help you explore different fiber plants and where they come from. Find how the fibers are utilized around the world and the plant fiber industry.
National Education Standards
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy (CCSS.ELA-Literacy)
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2 – Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.3 – Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g.,how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).
Contact us to learn more information about the Exploring Fiber Plants
skill-a-thon.
Irresistible Rice
Rice is an important staple food that is consumed by over half of the world's population.
While the majority of rice is produced outside the United States, California and
the lower Mississippi river basin contribute to rice production.
In this lesson, participants will not only learn about where rice production takes
place throughout the world, but also about several different types of rice.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
- NL-FL.K-12.2 Cultures: Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures –
-
Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices
and perspectives of the culture studied.
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
-
NL-FL.K-12.4
Comparisons: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture –
- Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
- Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
Contact us to learn more information about the Irresistible Rice skill-a-thon.
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The Many Kinds of Milk
It is estimated that 150 million households participate in milk production around
the world. In the United States, dairy products from cattle are widely consumed,
but globally there are five animal species that are almost entirely responsible
for the world's milk production: cattle, water buffalo, goats, sheep, and camel.
This activity will help you explore the various types of global milk producers and
the countries that are top producers.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
National Standards for Learning Languages (NL-FL)
- NL-FL.K-12.2 Cultures: Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures –
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
Contact us to learn more information about the The Many Kinds of Milk
skill-a-thon.
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The World’s Water
Water is one of our most valuable resources. We need it every day to live, and
we depend on it for washing, bathing, and fun in the summer. Of all the water
on earth, very little of it is actually available for us to use for drinking
or to grow our food.
Participants will explore and discuss how fresh water is shared among all countries
in the world and why some countries have more water than others depending on
climate and landscape.
National Education Standards
- NGSS.2.ESS2.3 – Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid.
- NGSS.5.ESS2.2 – Describe and graph the amounts of saltwater and freshwater in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
-
NSS-G.K-12.3 Physical Systems –
- Understand the physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth’s surface.
- Understand the characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth’s surface.
- NSS-G.K-12.5 Environment and Society –
- Understand how human actions modify the physical environment.
- Understand how physical systems affect human systems.
- Understand the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution and importance of resources.
Contact us to learn more information about the The World's Water skill-a-thon.
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Where Did We Get That Flavor From?
Do you know what cinnamon and nutmeg have in common? It’s not just ingredients
used in apple and pumpkin pies. Both spices are native to Asia. A number of
the spices found in our kitchen cabinets are imported from countries around
the world.
This activity will explore where spices are grown globally. It allows participants
to investigate six different spices and learn its history. Use your senses
and determine which spice is which.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial Terms –
- Understand how to use maps and other geographic representations, tools and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.
-
NSS-G.K-12.4 Human Systems –
- Understand the processes, patterns and functions of human settlement.
- NSS-G.K-12.6 The Uses of Geography –
- Understand how to apply geography to interpret the past.
- NSS-WH.5-12.3 ERA 3 Classical Traditions,Major Religions and Giant Empires, 1000 BCE - 300 BCE
- The emergence of Aegean civilization and how interrelations developed among peoples of eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Asia,600-200 BCE.
Contact us to learn more information about the Where Did We Get
That Flavor From? skill-a-thon.
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Where Does My Food Come From?
It’s a typical Tuesday afternoon and you find your mind thinking about traveling
abroad. Take a trip to your local grocery store to help with your wanderlust!
Do you know all the different countries your food comes from? Let’s find
out.
This activity will help you explore common foods and their country of origin.
You will also look into the top producers of these foods, which can lead
to an interesting discussion. You may be surprised at what you learn.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.6 The Uses of Geography –
- Understand how to apply geography to interpret the past.
- Understand how to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future.
- NSS-EC.5-8.5 Gain From Trade –
- Imports are foreign goods and services that are purchased from sellers in other nations.
- Exports are domestic goods and services that are sold to buyers in other nations.
-
Voluntary exchange among people or organizations in different countries
gives people
a broader range of choices in buying goods and services.
Contact us to learn more information about the Where Does My Food
Come From? skill-a-thon.
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Arts & History
Art Memory Match – Paintings
Art imitates life. Paintings are a huge part of most culture's art experience.
Below are several well-known paintings.
Participants will match these famous paintings with the history of their paintings
artists and learn about world cultural art heritage.
National Education Standards
-
VA:Cn11.1.2a – Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
and historical context to
deepen understanding.
- Compare and contrast cultural uses of artwork from different times and places.
-
VA:Cn11.1.4a – Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
and historical context to
deepen understanding. -
Through observation, infer information about time, place and culture
in which a work of art
was created.
Contact us to learn more information about the Art Memory Match
- Paintings skill-a-thon.
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Art Memory Match – Sculptures
Sculptures and statues have adorn city square and roadways for centuries. These
ancient Greek and Roman Statues are worth learning about a little deeper.
Participants will match these famous sculptures and statues with the history
of their artists and learn about world cultural art heritage.
National Education Standards
- VA:Cn11.1.2a – Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen understanding.
- Compare and contrast cultural uses of artwork from different times and places.
- VA:Cn11.1.4a – Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen understanding.
- Through observation, infer information about time, place and culture in which a work of art was created.
-
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1 – Integrate and evaluate information
presented in diverse media
and formats, including visually, quantitatively and orally.
-
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1;
7.1;
8.1 – Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 - 8 topics, texts and
issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. -
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.2 – Analyze the purpose of information presented
in diverse media
and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial,
political) behind its presentation.
Contact us to learn more information about the Art Memory Match
- Sculptures skill-a-thon.
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Beginning Genealogy: Picturing Your Past
Did you know that genealogy is the study of one’s family history? Has anyone
told you about your family’s history? Some families have stories about their
family tree while others might have pictures, books or other informational
documents that tell about their ancestors’ lives.
This activity will help you explore yourself, as well as the stories that you’ve
heard from both immediate and distant family relations. Create a “picture
of your past” by designing a collage of images that represent your personal
family story.
National Education Standards
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy (CCSS.ELA-Literacy)
- CCSS.ELA - Literacy.RH.6- 8.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
- CCSS.ELA - Literacy.RH.6-8.7 – Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
Contact us to learn more information about the Beginning Genealogy:
Picturing Your Past skill-a-thon.
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Great Festivals of the World
Festivals are an important part of our culture. Throughout history, different
cultures created festivals to celebrate important occasions for historical,
religious, or other reasons important to them. It is through the study of
festivals and celebrations that the accomplishments of countries, cities,
and even individuals can inspire someone to do more. A festival can also
inspire us to have fun and enjoy life as we take part in the culture of that
festival.
This activity will help you explore festivals from around the globe; some steeped
in history, some more recently organized. Participants will match festivals
to interesting and relevant facts about the festivals. They can dig deeper
by investigating the festivals and presenting the information they gather
to the entire group.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand how culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions.
National Standards for Learning Languages (NL-FL)
- NL-FL.K-12.4 Comparisons: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture –
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
Contact us to learn more information about the Great Festivals
of the World skill-a-thon.
Go back to the full list of skill-a-thons
Instruments of the World
Musical instruments that are distinctly unique to individual countries and
cultures throughout the world. Music is a rich aspect of life that identifies
cultures as unique. The types of instruments that accompany them illustrate
the unique variety in music throughout the world.
Participants will explore a variety of musical instruments and their countries
of origin.
National Education Standards
National Standards for Music Education
- NSME.K-4.6. D Listening to, Analyzing and Describing Music – Identify the sounds of a variety of instruments, including many orchestra and band instruments, and instruments from various cultures, as well as children’s voices and male and female adult voices.
- NSME.5-8.6.B Listening to, Analyzing and Describing Music – Analyze the uses of elements of music in aural examples representing diverse genres and cultures.
- NSME.9-12.6.A Listening to, Analyzing and Describing Music – Analyze aural examples of a varied repertoire of music, representing diverse genres and cultures by describing the uses of elements of music and expressive devices.
Contact us to learn more information about the Instruments of
the World skill-a-thon.
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Royal Titles
Even before they said “I do”, the engagement and marriage between Catherine
Middleton and Prince William created worldwide interest in the British
monarchy in 2011. But how much do you really know about royal titles and
who outranks who?
Test your skills with this activity that will have you exploring monarch
governments and the peerage system. Learn the difference between a constitutional
monarchy and an absolute monarchy. You will also determine which types
of monarch ruling systems are in which world countries.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
-
Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
- Understand how culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions.
Contact us to learn more information about the Royal Titles skill-a-thon.
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What’s in a Flag?
Have you ever watched an opening event at the Olympics? As each country representatives
are paraded through the crowds, one person is selected to be the flag bearer.
Now, imagine how you would feel if you were selected for that task.
These activities will help you build an awareness of the history and use
of flags. Learn about the flags of countries around the world as well as
how frequent flags change. Create your own flag that represents what’s
important to you.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand that people create regions to interpret Earth’s complexity.
- Understand how culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions.
- NSS-G.K-12.4 Human Systems –
- Understand the characteristics, distribution and complexity of Earth’s cultural mosaics.
Contact us to learn more information about the What's in a Flag?
skill-a-thon.
Go back to the full list of skill-a-thons
World Demonyms
If you are from the United States, you are called an American, but have you
ever wondered what people from another country might be called? The noun
that we use to identify natives or inhabitants of a particular country,
state, city, etc. is called a demonym.
This activity will help you explore demonyms that are used across the globe
to identify inhabitants of a variety of countries. Participants will match
countries to their demonyms. They can take it a step further, identifying
where these countries are located on a map or globe.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
Contact us to learn more information about the World Demonyms
skill-a-thon.
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World Governments
Participants will create and discuss passwords and the role that they play in movement between countries and recognition by world governments. Additionally, participants will learn and discuss different types of governments used in various countries.
- NSS-C.9-12.1 Civic Life, Politics and Government –
- What is civic life? What is politics? What is government? Why are government and politics necessary? What purposes should government serve?
- What are the essential characteristics of limited and unlimited government?
- What are the nature and purposes of constitutions?
- What are alternative ways of organizing constitutional governments?
- NSS-C.9-12.4 Other Nations and World Affairs –
- What is the relationship of the United States to other nations and to world affairs? How is the world organized politically?
- How do the domestic politics and constitutional principles of the United States affect its relations with the world?
- How has the United States influenced other nations, and how have other nations influenced American politics and society?
Contact us to learn more information about the World Governments
skill-a-thon.
Communication, Media & Technology
Can You Recognize This Language?
The top five spoken languages in the world includes English but it is not
first. In fact, English comes in third after Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.
Furthermore, there is over 7,000 languages world-wide.
In this lesson, participants will learn about English spoken in other parts
of the world as well as how to say hello in other languages.
National Education Standards
National Standards for Learning Languages (NL-FL)
- NL-FL.K-12.2 Cultures: Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures –
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the
practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
- NL-FL.K-12.4 Comparisons: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture –
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
Contact us to learn more information about the Can You Recognize
This Language? skill-a-thon.
Go back to the full list of skill-a-thons
Global Geocache Course
Have you ever gone on a scavenger hunt to look for objects? Maybe you have
played hide and seek with friends. With the help of technology, a scavenger
hunt type game called Geocaching has risen in popularity. Geocaching
participants use longitude and latitude coordinates in a Global Positioning
System (GPS) device to locate hidden containers called geocaches.
This activity will introduce participants to Geocaching through exploration
of GPS devices and navigation. Participants can practice their new skills
by partaking in a Global Geocaching Course.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial Terms –
- Understand how to use maps and other geographic representations, tools and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
Contact us to learn more information about the Global Geocache
Course skill-a-thon.
Go back to the full list of skill-a-thons
How in the World Do You Communicate?
Text-based apps are a huge way humans communicate. Although it may be easy
for individuals
to take for granted that not everyone in the world uses technology the
same, this activity will demonstrate that technology use varies from
country to country. Messaging apps are familiar communication tools for
most participants and can be used as a springboard for individuals to
learn about cultural differences in communication use around the world.
Participants will discuss, observe and interact with different forms of
current communication, primarily various messaging apps used in different
countries.
National Education Standards
National Youth Development and Youth Leadership Standards (YDYLS)
- 3.1 Youth acquire the skills, behaviors and attitudes that enable them to learn and grow in self-knowledge, social interaction, and physical and emotional health.
- NHES.2 Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology and other factors on health behaviors.
- 2.5.6 Describe ways that technology can influence personal health.
- 2.8.6 Analyze the influence of technology on personal and family health.
- 2.12.6 Evaluate the impact of technology on personal, family and community health.
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.4 Human Systems –
- Understand the characteristics, distribution and complexity of Earth’s cultural mosaics.
Contact us to learn more information about the How in the World
Do You Communicate? skill-a-thon.
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Learn English – A Piece of Cake
“Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?” This phrase
is a line from the movie Rush Hour (1998) starring Chris Tucker and Jackie
Chan. It represents “what not to do” interaction between native and non-native
speakers of English in fine, comedic fashion.
This activity is designed to put English speakers in the shoes of language
learners to gain an appreciation of the challenges they face. By developing
empathy for those learning English, attitudes toward non-English speaking
individuals will be more open and positive.
National Education Standards
National Standards for Learning Languages (NL-FL)
- NL-FL.K-12.4 Comparisons: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture –
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
Contact us to learn more information about the Learn English
- A Piece of Cake skill-a-thon.
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Learn English – Friend or Foe?
Learning any language takes time, experience, and practice. These activities are designed to put English speakers in the shoes of language learners to gain an appreciation of the challenges of learning a new language. Learning about how people acquire a new language will help students better understand the non-English speaker in our country, increase respect, and improve relations with them. By developing empathy for those learning English, attitudes toward non-English speaking individuals will be more open and positive.This skill-a-thon examines two examples of language challenges: “false friends” and compound words. Participants will match English words with the corresponding Spanish words to explore “false friends.” Compound words will be explored by pairing two English words together to produce a new meaning.
- NL-FL.K-12.4 Comparisons: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture –
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
Contact us to learn more information about the Learn English
- Friend or Foe? skill-a-thon.
Go back to the full list of skill-a-thons
Learn English – Technology Trials
Technology has made it easier to communicate with those who speak another language. Online dictionaries and electronic translators put many vocabulary words at our fingertips. But are automatic translators always reliable?With these activities, participants will learn about using context clues to decode meaning without the need for a translator. They will then explore the reliability of an online tool to find out how well it translates text into their native language. These activities bring attention to the uses and limitations of technology for communication. Individuals will gain insight into the language acquisition process and have increased respect for those learning a new language through these activities.
- NL-FL.K-12.4 Comparisons: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture –
- Students demonstrate an understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
Contact us to learn more information about the Learn English
- Technology Trials skill-a-thon.
Virtual Global Tour
Do you need to go somewhere, but you do not have the directions? Many people
today will pull out a mobile device and open a navigation app to locate
their destination. However, it hasn’t always been that easy to find a
location. Not long ago, people had to rely on paper maps to plan out
trip routes and locate destinations using coordinates.
This skill-a-thon will explore reading maps using longitude and latitude
coordinates. Participants will practice finding map coordinates on a
paper map before moving online to explore global destinations via Google
Earth.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial Terms –
- Understand how to use maps and other geographic representations, tools and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
Contact us to learn more information about the Virtual Global
Tour skill-a-thon.
Go back to the full list of skill-a-thons
World’s Greatest Inventions
What would your life be like without coins, paper money, or credit cards?
What about pencils or chocolate? Imagine being in the medical field and
not having access to a stethoscope.
These are just a few of the inventions you’ll learn about in this activity.
Participants will see if they can match the inventions to the countries
and then to the geographical locations. Learn about the impact some of
the greatest inventions have had on today’s society.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.4 Human Systems –
- Understand the characteristics, distribution and complexity of Earth’s cultural mosaics.
- NSS-G.K-12.5 Environment and Society –
- Understand the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution and importance of resources.
Contact us to learn more information about the World's Greatest
Inventions skill-a-thon.
Go back to the full list of skill-a-thons
Geography
A Trip Around the World
A trip around the world is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most people.
Travelers have the chance to explore new cultures while gaining an appreciation
for their own culture and habits. A “round-the-world” (RTW) ticket
is the most economical way to take a trip around the world.
This activity will help you plan a trip around the world. Using parameters
set by the instructor, teams of 3 to 4 people will plan a three week,
round-the-world trip to at least six global locations. The teams
will share their trip itineraries and discuss why they chose the destinations
and intended cultural experiences.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial Terms –
- Understand how to use maps and other geographic representations, tools and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
- NSS-G.K-12.6 The Uses of Geography –
- Understand how to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future.
Contact us to learn more information about the Geography skill-a-thon.
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Know Your Islands
Did you know that the world has over 2 million islands? Some are relatively
small in nature, like the state of Hawaii, which is a series of islands,
whereas others are large, like the country of Greenland.
In this activity, participants will learn definitions associated with
islands as well as information about the world's ten largest islands.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial Terms –
- Understand how to use maps and other geographic representations, tools and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.
Contact us to learn more information about the Know Your Islands
skill-a-thon.
Go back to the full list of skill-a-thons
World Heritage Sites
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
has a World Heritage centre. Places around the world can apply be included
on the World Heritage list. The UNESCO has specific criteria when approving
locations as World Heritage site.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has a World Heritage centre. Places around the world can apply be included on the World Heritage list. The UNESCO has specific criteria when approving locations as World Heritage sites.
This activity will explore a handful of World Heritage sites. Would you
visit one of these locations?
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
-
Understand that people create regions to interpret Earth’s complexity.
- Understand how culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions.
Contact us to learn more information about the World Heritage
Sites skill-a-thon.
Go back to the full list of skill-a-thons
Global Issues
Currency Conundrum
Did you know that every country has its own currency? The currency in the
United States is different and has a different value from other countries.
In this activity you will learn about international currencies and how
to convert U.S. dollars into other currencies.
National Education Standards
Common Core Mathematics Standards (CCSS.Math)
- CCSS.Math.Content.HSN.Q.A.1 Reason Quantitatively and Use Units to Solve Problems – Use units as a way to understand problems and to guide the solution of multi-step problems.
- CCSS.Math.Content.HSA.SSE.A.1.A Interpret the Structure of Expressions – Interpret expressions that represent a quantity in terms of its context.
Contact us to learn more information about the Currency Conundrum
skill-a-thon.
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Daily Tasks and Modern Conveniences
Most homes throughout the world have a number of basic household tasks.
These include, but are not limited to, meal preparation, childcare, cleaning,
washing clothes, and house repair. In many parts of the developing world,
many of these tasks do not involve the technology or conveniences that
we often have at our disposal in the United States.
This activity will help you explore common tasks often completed by women
and children in many parts of the world. First, you will take stock in
the various modern conveniences found in your own home. Then you will
try some daily tasks like carrying water, washing clothes, and picking
up sticks.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
-
Understand the physical and human characteristics of places
- NSS-G.K-12.5 Environment and Society –
- Understand how physical systems affect human systems.
Contact us to learn more information about the Daily Tasks and
Modern Conveniences skill-a-thon.
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Homes Around the World
Homes come in all shapes and sizes. They are places were people eat, play,
sleep, spend time with families, and make memories that last a lifetime.
Yet there are many throughout the world who struggle with homelessness
and the ability to find adequate housing.
In this lesson, participants will learn about homes and what homes look
like throughout the world.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
Contact us to learn more information about the Homes Around
the World skill-a-thon.
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Making a Difference
Have you ever gone to bed to hungry or know of someone who did? Hunger
is a real issue for some people in the United States is even more prevalent
among those in developing countries.
Participants in this lesson will brainstorm solutions to hunger in their
community and learn about organizations working to combat hunger throughout
the world.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-EC.K-4.1 Scarcity –
- People make choices because they can’t have everything they want. Whenever a choice is made, something is given up.
- NSS-EC.5-8.1 Scarcity –
- The evaluation of choices and opportunity costs is subjective; such evaluations differ across individuals and societies.
Contact us to learn more information about the Making a Difference
skill-a-thon.
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New Seven World Wonders
Have you ever desired to trek up the Andes Mountains to visit Machu Picchu?
Would you like to have sat in the Colesseum to watch gladiators battle
one another? Then this is the lesson for you.
The New 7 Wonders Foundation of Switzerland organized an online contest
in 2007 to identify
the “new seven wonders of the world.” Tens of millions of people participated
in this contest
to determine these seven landmarks.
This lesson introduces the world wonders, gives their location, and provides
a brief history on each wonder. Try your hand at matching a picture of
the world wonder to its description.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
-
Understand that people create regions to interpret Earth’s complexity.
- Understand how culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions.
Contact us to learn more information about the New Seven World
Wonders skill-a-thon.
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Power Outage!
About 1.2 billion people live without electricity every day. That is 1
out of every 6 humans on earth. This skill-a-thon will help participants
figure out how people live, work, eat, drink, play and communicate using
electricity. Major sources of electricity in the United States will be
illustrated by ranking photo representations of electrical production.
Participants will be challenged to think about what would happen if electricity
was not available in the United States to reflect the reality of electrical
shortages in many countries.
National Education Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
- NGSS.4.PS3.2 – Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat and electric currents.
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-WH.5-12.8 ERA 8 A Half-Century of Crisis and Achievement, 1900-1945 – Major global trends from 1900 to the end of World War II.
- NSS-WH.5-12.9 ERA 9 The 20th Century Since 1945: Promises and Pardoxes – Major global trends since World War II.
Contact us to learn more information about the Power Outage!
skill-a-thon.
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Practicing Workplace Etiquette
Imagine you are traveling to another country for the first time. You have
done some light reading on cultural norms and expectations but you still
feel unsure. You have to contend with time zone changes, potential language
barriers and a brand new culture. Compound this with the fact that this
is a business trip where the expectations are high to make a good impression.
This lesson looks at common workplace etiquette guidelines and explores
interesting etiquette rules to consider when conducting international
business.
National Education Standards
National Standards for Learning Languages (NL-FL)
-
NL-FL.K-12.2 Cultures: Gain Knowledge and Understanding of
Other Cultures –
Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
Contact us to learn more information about the Practicing Workplace Etiquette skill-a-thon.
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What Is Beauty?
It is said beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Culturally speaking, that
is the truth. Did you know that once upon a time in the United States,
people wore high-neck collars and used parasols to avoid tanned skin
as it was viewed as working class. In today’s society, tanning beds and
self-tanning lotion have gained in popularity as ways to obtain that
sun-kissed glow.
This activity will help you explore the definition of beauty within the
U.S. as well as other cultures. Facilitate a discussion about what beautiful
means and compare the definition across cultures.
National Education Standards
National Social Studies and History Standards (NSS)
- NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions –
- Understand the physical and human characteristics of places.
-
NL-FL.K-12.2 Cultures: Gain Knowledge and Understanding of
Other Cultures –
Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied. - 7NL-FL.K-12.4 Comparisons: Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture – Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
Contact us to learn more information about the What is Beauty? skill-a-thon.
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Youth Advocacy
Have you ever participated in a community service project? If not, is there
a social cause that is important to you? Maybe you are an advocate for
animal well-being or protecting the environment. Learning to use your
voice is important, no matter which issues you are advocating.
In this lesson, participants will learn about social causes, volunteering,
and how to advocate
for causes important to them.
National Education Standards
National Youth Development and Youth Leadership Standards (YDYLS)
- 3.1 Youth acquire the skills, behaviors and attitudes that enable them to learn and grow in self-knowledge, social interaction, and physical and emotional health.
- 3.2 Youth understand the relationship between their individual strengths and desires and their future goals, and have the skills to act on that understanding.
- 3.2.4 – Youths participate in varied activities that encourage the development of self determination and self-advocacy skills.
- 3.3 Youth have the knowledge and skills needed to practice leadership and participate in community life.
Contact us to learn more information about the Youth Advocacy
skill-a-thon.