The world holds many traditions

Personal & Social Development · Empathy & Social Awareness · ages 9-11

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Which question shows respectful curiosity about someone's tradition?
- Why do you do that weird thing?
- Can you tell me what this celebration means to your family?
- That's not how we do it at my house.
Which of these is an example of a cultural tradition?
- Wearing a kimono during a Japanese festival
- Doing homework every night
- Riding a bike to school
Learning about other cultures can help make a community stronger.
Circle one: True False
Priya notices her neighbor's family takes off their shoes before entering the house. What's a respectful way for Priya to learn more?
- Ask why they do that and what it means to them
- Tell them it's unnecessary
- Copy it without ever asking why
Ben's classmate brought bread her family only bakes during a holiday. Which response shows genuine interest in her tradition?
- 'That's not real bread.'
- Ben ignores it and eats his own lunch.
- 'That bread looks great, what's it for?'
Which best explains why a classroom with kids from many cultures can solve problems well?
- Everyone in the class thinks the exact same way
- Kids bring different experiences and ideas to work with
- Only one culture's ideas should count
If two families celebrate the same holiday in different ways, one of them must be doing it wrong.
Circle one: True False
Leo tells a classmate, 'Your family's New Year is in the wrong month, ours is the real one.' What did Leo get wrong?
- There really is only one correct New Year date
- He should have talked about something unrelated instead
- He judged the tradition instead of asking a respectful question about it

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

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Can you tell me what this celebration means to your family? · Asking what something means shows genuine interest. Calling it 'weird' or comparing it to your own way shuts down the conversation.
Wearing a kimono during a Japanese festival · A kimono worn for a festival is tied to a specific culture. Homework and bike riding are everyday routines, not cultural traditions.
True · When people share different experiences and ideas, a community has more ways to solve problems and support each other.
Ask why they do that and what it means to them · A respectful question helps Priya actually understand the tradition, instead of guessing or judging it.
'That bread looks great, what's it for?' · Asking about the bread shows Ben noticing the tradition and wanting to understand it, instead of ignoring or dismissing it.
Kids bring different experiences and ideas to work with · Different backgrounds mean more ways of looking at a problem, which usually leads to better solutions.
False · Different traditions aren't wrong versions of one correct way. Recognizing this is part of what helps communities work well together.
He judged the tradition instead of asking a respectful question about it · Different calendars mark new year celebrations at different times. Curiosity about why would have taught Leo more than judging did.