Cultural Feast

                                                                              

The activity I have chosen is Cultural Feast.  Like language, food really helps you understand other cultures. It gives children the opportunity to ask questions. For example, Japan is a very rocky island nation, therefore, their diet consist of a lot of fish and rice. Japan's country side is not suitable for much agriculture so they have become very creative with meals including fish. Tempura was originally brought to Japan by the people of Portugal and now it is one of the most popular foods of Japan and one of its most popular exports. As with tempura, sushi is another popular Japanese dish enjoyed worldwide. Every culture has food that is the staple diet of the people in that culture. It also helps children understand that people eat what is locally available to them.

I chose this activity because I think introducing multicultural dishes to young children is a fun and educational way to teach them about other cultures. Plus, I love food!

This activity is age appropriate because "During these early years children are forming ideas about themselves and their world. Children learn by exploring and are naturally curious" (York, 28). This activity allows children to act on their curiosity by presenting new and fun ways to explore different cultures. Food is a big part of our lives and no matter where someone comes from, they still have to eat so it makes sense that we experiment and try different things while, at the same time, making it a learning experience.

The themes of this activity are: Food, My People, Friends, Alike and Different. This is an appropriate theme because it "introduces children to other cultures, it provides children with a positive experience exploring similarities and differences, and it can also teach children about their own culture" (Goals for Anti-Bias Curriculum). This activity definitely applies to all of these goals and would probably even address more of the goals of anti-bias curriculum because food embodies culture.

The objectives are:

·         Recognize and celebrate one’s own diet and style of eating

·         Identify with one’s culture

·         Share one’ own cultural experiences with others

This activity requires sending a note home with the children declaring a multicultural feast. The children are supposed to brings a dish representing their family's culture to share with everyone in the class. The feast should be for lunch or dinner. This activity works very well during the holidays or at the end of the year when the children and their families have experienced their culture though other activities. The materials needed for this activity are: tables, chairs, tablecloths, serving utensils, eating utensils, place mats, and napkins (York, 194).

The variations/ extensions are:

1.       Invite parents to join the children at the feast.

2.       Ask parents for the recipe of their ethnic dish.

3.       Make a cookbook and distribute it to all the families.

4.       Adapt the recipes so that they meet the USDA requirements and can be included in the center’s daily food service program.

 

The books I have chosen are: 

HOW TO MAKE AN APPLE PIE AND SEE THE WORLD by Marjorie Priceman
Ages: 5+
A great roundup of cultures and countries, this book is a huge favorite in our family.
The task of gathering ingredients to bake an apple pie (when the market is closed, of course!) takes us by different means of transport to Italy (for semolina), France (for eggs), Sri Lanka (for cinnamon bark), England and Jamaica for a few more things. We finally get dropped off in Vermont to pick up some apples. The text ropes in cultural details; the illustrations justify the places with landmark and landscape details. The recipe is also tightly integrated. The last page shows happy children from these very countries enjoying the apple pie. Funnily informative, this book wins us over every time we travel around the world to make an apple pie.

 

PINO AND THE SIGNORA’S PASTA by Janet Pedersen
Ages: 4-8
Set in the bustling streets of Rome, the story starts off with a feline bunch waiting to lap up some pasta that Signora lovingly serves every day. However, Pino, the protagonist cat, is the only one tired of it. He sets out to discover newer flavors. He ends up tasting gourmet fish and pizza crusts. But everywhere he is angrily shooed away. That’s when he begins to miss Signora’s pasta, spiced to “purrfection and served with affection!” The story is based on the author’s first-hand experience in Rome witnessing kind women feed stray cats all over the city. The illustrations also depict architectural elements, people casually dining in cafes and alleys typical of Rome. My four-year-old bambino is amused not just by the story, but by knowing the origin of his favorite food! The Italian words we both learned, like mangia, grande, gatto, bellissimo and presto, appropriately woven throughout, help step up the flavor of this meaningfully served pasta story.

I chose these books because they go along with the activity very nicely. I would read the books to the children as they are sampling the foods from around the world. While reading, I can also point out that, many items that we eat need ingredients that are grown in different places in the world.

A cultural feast is a great way for children to explore new cultures! Most children go into pre-school or elementary school with very limited views of people from different backgrounds. As we know, when children feel they are different from their peers, they can feel out of place and have fears that they won't be accepted. Introduction to food enjoyed by people from around the world is one of the best ways for children to explore and understand other cultures from their own. Food encourages children to be proud of themselves and also helps them accept human differences. Cultural food activities show children that everyone has something in common. Regardless of how they look, what they wear, where they come from or activities they participate in, all people need to eat!

References:

Roots & Wings by Stacy York

http://www.incultureparent.com/2012/03/a-multicultural-feast-7-fun-childrens-books-on-food/

http://www.ehow.com/way_5229180_multi_cultural-food-children.html