Are you looking for ways to SPICE UP your Louisiana culture lesson? Don’t teach, take a tour of the colorful features that make Louisiana unique.
What comes to mind when you hear “Louisiana Culture”?
Gumbo? CORRECT!
Louisiana’s culture is a gumbo pot of different languages, arts, music, food, holidays, and festivals. The deep cultural roots of Louisiana are unlike any other in the world, so add some spice and cook up a Louisiana culture lesson.
Are you ready to add some flair to your Louisiana social studies classroom?
Why Create Walking Tours?
Walking Tours are educational opportunities for students to research a topic in stations around the classroom and collaborate with peers.
A detailed step-by-step guide for turning any lesson into a walking tour can be found here.
Louisiana Social Studies: Culture Walking Tour
Step 1: Build Background Knowledge for Louisiana Culture
Introduce the characteristics that make up a culture:
Language, Arts, Music, Food, Holidays/Celebrations, and Festivals.
Class Discussion
Ask students to name specific examples of each characteristic.
Teach a Mini-Lesson
Define the meaning of the terms culture, customs, and traditions.
Discuss American Customs
- The Pledge of Allegiance
- Greeting someone with a handshake
- Giving a thumbs up
- Leaving a tip
- Using customary measuring system (miles, inches, feet)
Cultures Across the Globe
- Losing a tooth in Greece – Children are told to throw their tooth on the roof in hopes of the child growing a healthy new tooth, and it is good luck for the family.
- Greeting with a kiss in France
- Festival of Lights in India (Video Below)
Discuss
- Family Traditions
- What is an element of culture that has been passed down to you?
Step 2: Create a Louisiana Culture Tour Guide
How to Create
- A tour guide is a sheet(s) with guiding questions or writing prompts for each station.
- Use questions from your Scope and Sequence or assessment to cover 3rd Grade Standards. Click here for 3rd Grade Standards Posters.
- Follow priority content and concepts in the Companion Document.
Divide the Tour Guide into Sections
- Each section should align to the materials you select for each station in the tour. Examples of each station and suggested materials are listed below.
Assign Student Travel Groups
- Groups will rotate to each station, analyze sources, and record information on the “Tour Guide” sheet.
Review the Expectations
- voice levels, transitions, quality discussion, computer use (if provided), analyzing sources, written answers, use of time (set a timer)
Step 3: Create a Louisiana Culture Walking Tour
Display content for each characteristic of Louisiana’s culture throughout the classroom: articles, images, websites, short videos, charts, quotes, PowerPoint, artifacts, or games. Suggestions are listed below. You do not have to use all of these.
Include the All Six Characteristics of Louisiana Culture
1. Language in Louisiana
Create Posters
- Origin of Louisiana names and words
- Native American, French, Spanish, Cajun Influence
- Common Phrases in Louisiana
Set up iPads, computers, or QR Codes
- What is Cajun? Dialect, Accent, and Where it Comes From
- https://youtu.be/dSG4ijgE5aQ
- Pronunciation of Louisiana Words – A funny interview of LSU students trying to pronounce Louisiana words
2. Louisiana’s Art Culture
Artists of Louisiana
- http://www.louisianaart.com/artists-montauk
- https://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-museum/collections/visual-art/paintings/index
Display examples of art by Louisiana artist
Provide a brief history of how art evolved in Louisiana
3. Music in Louisiana
Zydeco, Cajun, Blues, Jazz, Country
Rock Out
- Set up a station with headphones and play some Louisiana tunes.
Create Poster
- Famous Musicians
- Louis Armstrong
- Dr. John
- Irma Thomas
- Please refrain from playing Brittany Spears! LOL!
Watch Videos
- Fais do-do (A Cajun dance party)
- Zydeco dances
- Jazz Halls
- New Orleans street performers (Be careful with this one!)
Display a summary of each genre of Louisiana music
4. Louisiana’s Favorite Food
étouffée, jambalaya, gumbo, boudin
Dig In
- Serve up samples of famous Louisiana dishes (Pay attention to food allergies.)
Provide a variety of recipes
Create Posters
- Louisiana food, the origin, and ingredients
- Popular food in different regions of Louisiana
5. Holidays and Celebrations in Louisiana
Mardi Gras
- Display a timeline of the origin
- Mardi Gras Costumes: Ask your local Mardi Gras Board or a local krewe to bring costumes, masks, etc.
- Create a Mardi Gras Timeline
Timelines of Louisiana holidays & celebrations
Create Posters
- cochon de lai, crawfish boils, second line parade in New Orleans, fais do-do, boucherie, fishing rodeos
6. Louisiana Festivals
Festivals Acadiens et Creoles, Crawfish Festival, Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, Festival of Lights in Natchitoches
Create Posters
- As you learn about festivals, fill in a chart (include in “Tour Guide”) with the characteristic of culture noticed in each festival.
- Food, Music, Art, Ethnic Group or Culture
Visit websites
Arrange flyers and brochures of festivals
After the Louisiana Culture Walking Tour
Class Discussion
Leave time for class discussion after the Walking Tour. Review the key content as a whole class. Discuss interesting parts of the activity and answer student questions.
Assessment
Create a brochure
Design your own festival.
SEE IMAGES BELOW
No time to create a Louisiana Culture Walking Tour?
Find everything you need for your Louisiana Social Studies Lesson HERE!
You did it! Now click your heels together three times and say, “There’s no place like Louisiana!”
