by, Janell, Jenny, and Christian Beyond the Color Lines by, Janell, Jenny, and Christian C. Perez, Griffith MS

adjust Definition: get used to Sentence: She will adjust to the temperature of the water. C. Perez, Griffith MS

ceremony Definition: formal event Sentence: A wedding ceremony marks the beginning of a marriage. C. Perez, Griffith MS

culture Definition: arts, beliefs, customs, and traditions Sentence: In my culture we celebrate quinceañeras. C. Perez, Griffith MS

customs Definition: way of acting that is special to a nation or culture Sentence: It is our custom to celebrate 4th of July with fireworks. C. Perez, Griffith MS

elder Definition: an older person or a leader Sentence: It is known that we all have to respect our elders. C. Perez, Griffith MS

feast Definition: Large meal served for a special event Sentence: We always have a feast on Christmas Eve. C. Perez, Griffith MS

privilege Definition: something special you get to do Sentence: It is a privilege for the students in 804 to have a lab. C. Perez, Griffith MS

respect Definition: feel or show a high opinion of something Sentence: Students and teachers have different opinions, nevertheless we all have to respect each other. C. Perez, Griffith MS

right Definition: something that is allowed by law Sentence: It is our right to choose the university we want to attend. C. Perez, Griffith MS

tradition Definition: way of acting that is passed from one generation to the next. Sentence: One common wedding tradition for the bride is wearing a white dress. C. Perez, Griffith MS

Distinguish Facts and Opinions Some breads are flat like crackers. Whole grain breads are good for you. Crackers are delicious with soup. I think pita bread is handy. Grandma’s fry bread tastes the best to me. Grandma taught me how to make fry bread. C. Perez, Griffith MS

Facts and Opinions Facts Opinions Some breads are flat like crackers. Whole grain breads are good for you. Grandma taught me how to make fry bread. Crackers are delicious with soup. I think pita bread is handy. Grandma’s fry bread tastes the best to me. C. Perez, Griffith MS

Janell: “The Same as Anyone Else” Janell is Native American. She enjoys the customs, feasts, ceremonies, and powwows of her Indian culture. Janell has been dancing since she was a baby. Dancing is a large part of Native American life. Janell gets along with all people. She believes you should get to know people. Then you realize we are all the same. C. Perez, Griffith MS

Jenny: “Different on the Outside” Jenny is a Chinese girl who has lived in America for four years. She is in middle school. She enjoys sports, music, and collecting stamps. Jenny believes everybody is different and some people don’t accept others for who they are. She believes people should respect one another. C. Perez, Griffith MS

Christian: “The Team Spirit” Christian is Romanian-American. His family tries to keep some Romanian customs, such as speaking Romanian at home. Christian enjoys sports, reading, playing guitar, and writing poetry. He believes that sports help people of different backgrounds get along. He thinks people should think more about how we are alike instead of how we are different. C. Perez, Griffith MS