Lesson 7

Cultural Borders: Similarities, Differences, Influence

Objective: Students will create a definition of culture and specifically border culture.  In addition, students will consider the contributions of various groups to the creation of the unique culture of the borderlands.

NCSS Standards Met By This Lesson: 

Introduction: After a few lessons which have may or may not have produced some tension and intensity (lessons 5 & 6), this lesson is decidedly less controversial. It asks what seems to be an easy question, but which in reality is a very complex one.

Instruction/Practice: I, III, IV,  V, IX, X

Part 1 -- Class Discussion

This lesson asks the students, "What is culture?"  The word is used all the time, but what does it mean?

To answer this question, we are not going to use textbooks or dictionaries.  We are looking for a living definition.  What is culture?  When we say a certain place has "culture," what do we mean?  When we say a group of people has a "different culture," what do we mean?

First, let's begin by trying to make a comprehensive list--what is culture?

Examples: music, art, theater, literature, entertainment (pop culture), family life, religion, education, customs, manners, clothing, hairstyles, holidays, crafts, work, jobs, money, humor, housing, food, language, stories, television, status of women, elders, parents, children, etc

As either a class or in groups, aim to develop the most comprehensive list of what we mean by the word culture.  Can anyone summarize or create a definition that would encompass the class list on culture?

Now, the second question, "Does the U.S.-Mexico border have its own culture?"

What is unique to the borderlands?  This could be a difficult question.  Some people in the U.S. and Mexico do not like the culture of this region--even some in the class may say it does not have much culture.  Yet, the border does have some unique features.  What makes up the culture of this region?

One obvious answer is food, language, history.  For some, it could be Tejano music, for others it could be unique foods, etc.

Questions for discussion:

What is Mexican about this region?
What is American about this region?
What is shared between the two cultures? What is different?
What aspects of border culture have you picked up?
If you left this region to move somewhere else, what would you miss about this place?
How can you describe the "border" to someone living in, say, Vermont?

Whatever the class defines as border culture, that will be our working definition.

Part 2 -- Reflection and Writing

Have students freewrite their responses to the focus phrase "border culture," then share their responses with the class.

We might have responses like "sun," "desert," "friendly people," "chile," "cholos"--as obvious or unspectacular as they may be, these responses will encourage students to see that there are some borderland distinctives.  The mellowness, the friendliness, of people is not to be overlooked. Nor is the empty wasteland of strip-malls under the boiling sun.  All of these things, positive and negative, go into making the border what it is.

Closure/Extensions: Have students, in groups, plan a Borderland Culture Fair.  This assignment can be as basic as describing the contents of such a fair (and writing up a list on the board) to making posters to promote such a fair, to actually putting one on in the classroom and inviting other classes.

The ideas can be as off-the-wall, absurd, irreverent as students want them to be.  Some groups may think the borderland is a boring and hot place with nothing to do: fine, how can they turn that into a "culture fair"?  What boring activities or booths would you have at such a fair?  Others who are more civic-minded might promote the food, the music, the blend of cultures, etc.  Neither group should be seen as more "right" than the other.  The point of the lesson is to get everyone thinking about what they think the culture of this region is, and how they would express their understanding.

Project Extensions: This lesson can easily be converted into an extended essay (or photo-essay, poetry piece) in which the student reflects upon the culture of the borderland as they see it and analyzes how his or her view of the border affects the way he or she feels about living here.

For some students, those who really like living here, this might be very easy.  For others, who may have negative or ambivalent feelings about this region, this can be an opportunity to explore what they think is lacking and what can they do about it.  Does recognizing these feelings indicate that they may want to leave this region?  Where would they go?  Would they miss anything about the borderlands?  This project could also involve the student in planning his or her future and career.

Updated October 2004.