Grade 7: Cultural Contexts

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

It is expected that students will:

• demonstrate a knowledge of the language needed to explain and participate in Punjabi games, sports, arts, customs, celebrations, and festivals
• categorize similarities and differences between Punjabi games, sports, arts, customs, celebrations, and festivals and those of their own and other cultures

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Foundations in other grades click on an icon below.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

Exploring myths and celebrations naturally encourages awareness of similarities and differences among students' own cultures and family traditions.

• To extend students' understanding of common elements in Punjabi myths and stories, have them study several fables and then categorize common features of this type of literature (e.g., good versus evil, moral endings, magical or super- natural events, elements of the natural world personified).
• Invite students to compare Punjabi myths and stories with similar stories from other cultures. They could choose stories from varied media, such as film animation, ballads, and so on. Some Punjabi stories closely resemble tales familiar to Western readers. For example, "The Golden Fish" is similar to Grimm's fairy tale, "The Fisherman's Wife." Students can also compare Punjabi myths and folk tales with Aboriginal stories.
• Students could represent their knowledge of Vaisakhi in ways such as:
  • creating related artwork
  • developing an oral presentation with props
  • demonstrating the procedures involved in preparing a festive food
  • assembling a display of labelled objects that relate to the holiday

• To develop students' sense of the similarities and differences between Vaisakhi and comparable celebrations in other cultures, have them create (as a whole class or in small groups) a Venn diagram showing both common and different elements.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

Students demonstrate their cultural knowledge through talking, writing, representing, and engaging in classroom activities. At this level, assessment will usually rely on teacher and peer observation, discussion, and self-assessment, with minimal language demands.

• When assessing students' knowledge of a celebration such as Vaisakhi, look at the extent to which they include a variety of aspects of the celebration in their representations of the event. In the case of Vaisakhi, students might mention aspects such as:
  • the harvest
  • the date of the celebration and creation of Khalsa, (April 13th)
  • the significance of Singh and Kaur  
  • the five Ks
  • replacing the saffron-coloured nishan sahib (pole covering and flag)
  • a parade or procession with floats and bands; distribution of free food during the procession
  • dances, songs, parties, festive foods, sweets
• When students create Venn diagrams or picture charts comparing Punjabi stories, myths, and celebrations, look for evidence that they are able to:
  • identify important features of the Punjabi celebration or story
  • show similarities and differences

Recommended Learning Resources

Print Material

• Canadian Sikhs: History, Religion and Culture of Sikhs In North America
• Encyclopaedia Of Sikh Religion And Culture
• Panja Putran Da Pio
• Punjabis in Canada
• The Sikh Canadians
• The Sikhs

• The Festival

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