1. NORTH AMERICA LINDSAY MCKINNON

2. Content Area: Social Studies Grade Level: 3 Summary: After the lesson, the student will have a better understanding of the culture and customs in the United States Learning Objective: After completing the lesson and researching the links provided, the student will understand the major components of culture by answering the questions with 100% accuracy. Content Standard: In order for students to understand that geography influences the development of a region as well as the interactions between people and the environment, the geography content standards have been structured to be taught as an independent unit. Students will then utilize their geographic content knowledge and apply the skills within their study of the continents. ISTE Standard: 3.14 Interpret different texts and primary sources to describe the major components of culture including language, clothing, food, art, beliefs, customs, and music in North America

3. THE UNITED STATES CULTURE The United States is the third largest country in the word with a population of more than 320 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Because of this, the United States is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world U.S. culture has also been shaped by the cultures of Native Americans, Latin Americans, Africans and Asians Just as cultures from around the world have influenced American culture, today American culture influences the world.

4. COULD YOU BECOME A CITIZEN? Click the link below for a short quiz to see how much you know about the United States and some its culture, history, and beliefs! Good Luck! http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/culture/citizenship/1086/

5. LANGUAGE There is no official language of the United States, according to the U.S. government. Ninety percent of the U.S. population speaks and understands at least some English, and most official business is conducted in English. Click the link below to see how the United States languages relate to those around the world: https://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/officialamerican/

6. CLOTHING Clothing styles vary by social status, region, occupation and climate. Jeans, sneakers, baseball caps, cowboy hats and boots are some items of clothing that are closely associated with Americans. American fashion is widely influenced by celebrities and the media, and fashion sales equal around $200 billion per year, according to a paper published by Harvard University. Some of the most famous brands in the United States: Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Michael Kors

7. FOOD American cuisine has been influenced by Europeans and Native Americans in its early history. Today, there are a number of foods that are commonly identified as American, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, macaroni and cheese, and meat loaf. There are also styles of cooking and types of foods that are specific to a region. Southern-style cooking is often called "American comfort food" and includes dishes such as fried chicken and corn bread. Tex-Mex, popular in Texas and the Southwest, is a blend of Spanish and Mexican cooking styles and includes items such as chili and burritos Click the link below to explore the top 50 American Foods! http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/eat/best-usa-travel/top-50-american-foods- 513946

8. THE ARTS According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the United States comprises one-third of the worldwide media and entertainment industry. The United States also has a vibrant movie industry, centered in Hollywood, California, and American movies are popular worldwide. American music is very diverse with many, many styles, including rhythm and blues, jazz, gospel, country and western, bluegrass, rock 'n' roll and hip hop.

9. QUESTIONS! True OR False The United States has an official language

10. FALSE! Most Americans speak English but it is not considered the official language IT

11. What or who influences clothing in America?

12. Answer: Celebrities and Media

13. Name a few foods that America is known for

14. Hamburgers Hotdogs Marconi Chips And more!

15. CONCLUSION After the completion of this lesson the student will better understand American culture and customs. The student will use the links as resources to further their knowledge in these subject areas.

16. WEBSITES http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/culture/citizenship/1086/ http://www.livescience.com/28945-american-culture.html http://dinolingo.com/blog/2011/05/04/american-culture-for- children/#.VYOQTC_v0Xw