Italy

EDU 280
Multicultural Lesson Plan
By Stephanie M.
Delmy
Dulce
 Multicultural Unit
Subject: Italy
Grade level: 5th - 6th grade

Objective: The students will learn about

Italian history, culture, and art.

We will also look for similarities between

our own culture and the Italian culture.
 Romanesque Language
Location &
Population
Religion
Architecture
Gothic Culture
Italy Family

Food
Holidays
How it
began History
Flag
Myth
• Rome the capital city was founded in
753BC.
Italy
• After the Roman Empire broke down
in 395AD, there were many separate
kingdoms and city states.

• However, Italy became one nation only

in 1861 with a king called Vittorio
Emanuele II and since then includes
the islands of Sicily and Sardegna.

• The last king of Italy was Umberto II in

1946 and he reigned for just one
month.
• The city of Rome was founded on
21st April 753 B.C. by two brothers
named Romulus and Remus.
Italian Myth
Now the legend says that
they were raised in a cave
by a she-wolf!

Can you imagine? Maybe

they behaved like wolves
too.

• Because of this myth the Italian wolf

is Italy’s unofficial national animal.
 Italian Flag
The colors represent:

green=hope, white=faith,
red=charity

green = the Italian landscape,

white = the snow of the Alps,
red = the blood of the Italian
people
Location
● Southern Europe
● Boot-shaped
Italy
It has a rich culture that is
influenced by its bordering
countries.
Population
● 96% Italians
● Other ethnicities include:
○ North African Arab
○ Italo- Albanian
○ Albanian
○ German
○ Austrian
 Languages
● The official language is
Italian.
○ 93% of the population
speaks Italian.
○ There are 22 Italian
dialects.
● Other languages spoken:
○ Albanian
○ French
○ German
○ Greek
○ Croatian
 Religion
● 80% of the population is Roman
Catholic.
○ Vatican City
■ an independent city state,
in the heart of Rome.
■ center of the Catholicism.

● Other religions include:

○ Eastern Orthodox Christianity
○ Muslim
○ Protestant Vatican City
○ Jewish
 Family
● Plays an integral part in the
Italian culture.
● Children are taught to stay
close to the family.

● Family=extended family

● Frequent family gatherings to

enjoy each other's company.
 Food
● “For Italians food isn’t just
nourishment, it is life”
● It is a big part of family
gatherings

● Each region in Italy eats

something different. It depends
on:
○ the influence of the
surrounding countries
○ Food that is readily
available to that region
 Italian Cuisine
“Italian food is really a celebration of produce,
and protein is a secondary thought,”

“Every authentic Italian dish is built upon the

most basic yet most flavorful ingredients”
 Italian Holidays
Italians celebrate most
Christian holidays.
(Christmas and Easter)
Pasquetta
Epiphany Celebrated the Monday after
January 6th Easter

Liberation Day
April 25 Feast days of patron saints
November 1st May 22 is the feast day of St. Rita of Cascia
 Art
Art can be found all over Italy!

● It can be seen in churches

and public buildings
● It can be seen in the work
of famous Italian artists.
● It can be enjoyed in the
operas.
● It can be admired in the
architecture
 Famous Italian
Artists
● Leonardo Da Vinci
○ Mona lisa
● Michaelangelo
○ David
○ The Last Judgement
● Raphael
○ The School of Athens
○ The Triumph of
Galatea
 Famous Italian
Operas
● “Aida” and “La Traviata” by
Giuseppe Verdi

● “Pagliacci” by Ruggero
Leoncavallo

Still continue to be played in

opera houses today.
 Romanesque
Architecture
● Italy’s architecture consists mostly on
Romanesque Style.
● Romanesque Style is the style of semi-
circle arches. Thick walls, large towers,
and sturdy pillars were characteristics
from this style.
● There is no exact date that the
romanesque style started but it ranges
from the 6th to 11th century.
 Gothic
Architecture
● Another known architecture style use
is Gothic.
- Consist of ribbed vaults, pointed
spires, clustered columns etc.
- Took place around 12th to 16th
century

● Very known architects

- Bonanno Pisano ( romanesque style )
- Donato Bramante ( Gothic style )
The Leaning Tower Of Pisa
( Romanesque style )
● Construction began August 1173 and
took 344 years to be completed.
● Around the 2nd story it began to lean due
to one side sinking into the ground.
● Restoration project helped the tower from
falling and being completed but, two
times they stopped before finishing the
structure.
● Experts say that the tower will last
another 200 years.
 Italian Bambina (o)
ROLE MODELS: Leonardo da Vinci, Rita Levi Montalcini & Maria Montessori
LEARNING STYLE: Kinesthetic
BELIEF SYSTEM: Christian and Roman Catholic
ANY OBJECTION TO TRADITIONAL AMERICAN HOLIDAYS: No
ACTIVITY THE STUDENT COULD EXPLAIN TO THE GROUP: learn culture through art
CULTURAL AND/OR SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS: NGF nerve growth factor (understand
Parkinson and Alzheimer) Montessori Education system
HISTORY OF THE GROUP: DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS 1903•
HOLIDAY FROM THE GROUP: CHRISTMAS and Saints Day
ALOUD LITERATURE: The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily & The Adventures of Pinocchio
LITERATURE TO RECOMMEND FOR THE STUDENT TO READ: The Divine Comedy