Art projects demonstrate cultural differences to students in a way that engages both visual and kinesthetic learners. A teacher can show his class examples of traditional art from different cultures and explain how the art is created. For example, he might show students Native American sand art and explain that the patterns are created by gluing different colors of sand to paper or hide. Students can then make their own sand art, modeled after traditional patterns.
Auditory learners enjoy investigating new cultures through music. A teacher can play recordings of traditional music from around the world, beginning with American folk songs so students can compare the familiar to the unfamiliar. The teacher can play Indian music for the students and point out that it uses notes that American music does not include. She can play African drum music, illustrating that music does not have to have a melody. She can play Irish fiddle, Chinese flute and Mexican mariachi to show the different cultural styles. Students can write paragraphs about which type of music they liked best and why.
As preparation for the lesson, a teacher can ask students what their favorite foods are and discuss whether they ever eat sushi, pizza, matzo ball soup or tamales with their families. He can then introduce the idea of ethnic foods and explain that people cook whatever grows well in their area. He can bring snacks from different cultures, illustrating that Indian food is often spicy, Mexican food is dense, Chinese food incorporates rice and so forth. Students can research the traditional foods from their family's ethnic heritage.
To teach about the multicultural nature of America, a teacher can read her students a book about an immigrant family, such as "Coming to America: The Story of Immigration," by Betsy Maestro. The teacher can then tell her students that, most likely, each of their families came to America from somewhere else. Students can then interview their parents or grandparents about where their families came from, when and why. They can orally present the results of their interviews to the class.