Teacher Princess Mae P.

Nieles Grade 12
Subject Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
The Importance of Cultural Relativism in Attaining Cultural Understanding
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

Detailed Lesson Plan

A. Content Standard:

1. Culture and society as anthropological and sociological concepts

2. Perspectives in/approaches to the study of culture and society (i.e., comparative,
historical, structural, functional, interpretive, critical)

B. Performance Standard:

Values cultural heritage and express pride of place without being ethnocentric.

C. Learning Competency and Code:

Become aware of why and how cultural relativism mitigates ethnocentrism.

UCSP11/12DCSId-10

I. Objectives

At the end of the lesson, students shall be able to:

A. identify the difference of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism

B. value culture and express pride of place without being ethnocentric via short reflection
C. perform a role playing focusing on the impact of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism

II. Subject Matter

Topic : The Importance of Cultural Relativism in Attaining Cultural Understanding

Reference : UCSP Module 3: The Importance of Cultural Relativism in Attaining
Cultural
Understanding.
Materials : Laptop, Powerpoint presentation, Visual aids

III. Procedure

A. Preliminary Activities
1. Opening prayer
2. Greetings
 3. Classroom management
4. Checking of attendance

Teacher’s Activity Student’s Activity

A. Elicit
Pre-assessment activity:

Let’s have a game first before we proceed with

today’s lesson.

This game is called “4 pics 1 word.” Guess the

correct word by analyzing and relating each
picture to one another.

Four pictures will be shown and try to relate all the

given pictures to one another and guess the
correct word.
- We are now ready to play, Ms. Nieles.
- Are you ready to play?

- Okay. Let’s play 4 pics, 1 word.

Are you familiar with it? - Yes!

- Let’s have our 1st set of 4 pictures.

- Culture
(Answer: CULTURE)

- Alright. So, what is your answer?

Very good.

- Okay, next.
 - Society

(Answer: SOCIETY)

- Nice! You got it right!

- Now, here is the 3rd set of pictures:

- Belief

(Answer: BELIEF)

- What do you think is the correct

answer?
Correct!

- Next, we have:

- Anthropology

(Answer: ANTHROPOLOGY)

- Very good!
 - Now, here is the final one:

(Answer: ARTIFACTS)
- Artifacts
Very good, students! That was a tough game.
Congratulations to all of you for your active
cooperation and participation.

I’m sure you are now ready to learn and actively

participate in today’s discussion and activities
about our new topic. Am I right, learners?
You are right, Ma’am!
B. Engage

Before we proceed to our new topic:

Anna is going to read our objectives for this Anna:

lesson.
A. Identify the difference of ethnocentrism
with cultural relativism as a concept.
B. Value culture and express pride of place
without being ethnocentric via short
C. Explore: reflection.
Jumbled Letters (2 minutes) C. Perform a role playing focusing on
2 Groups: A and B. Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism

Now that we know the objectives of the lesson,

let’s go ahead and have some activity. Let’s divide
the class into two groups, A and B.

Direction: Each group will be given jumbled

letters. As I say go, everyone should participate to
arrange and figure out the word. The word should
be posted on the board. The group who will win,
will get 5 points.
Are we clear? Yes, Ma’am.

(The whole class will participate to find out the

words.)

I’ll give you 2 minutes to prepare.

Time is up! What is the word you got?

Peter: Ma’am! It’s Cultural Relativism.
That is correct. Let’s give him a very good clap.
1, 2, 3! 1,2,3! very good! very good!
How can you say that it is about Cultural
Relativism? Can you tell me which image shows Ma’am because of group of people from
about Cultural Relativism? different cultures.

Great! Give him a clap!

(students clapping)
We can say that any image that highlights the
diversity of human cultures while highlighting the
importance of understanding and respecting
cultural differences can effectively convey the
concept of cultural relativism.

D. Explain

Have you ever met someone very different from

you? Yes Ma’am. It’s weird because their acts
seems to be unfamiliar.
When you compare yourself to him/her you don’t
have anything in common; language, the food you
eat, how you dress, and even the type of music
you listen. Maybe there is a bit of similarity but it’s
not recognizable. How would you react? Just letting them be, ‘cause it’s their own
belief.
Okay, thank you, class. So, all your answers are
valid.

Now, let’s have the words that you guessed

earlier and analyze if you are a cultural relativist
or enthnocentric individual.

Unlocking of difficulties:

Cultural Relativism:
What is Cultural Relativism?
Please read, Rose.
A principle that an individual person’s belief
Can you give me an example situation or scenario and activities should be understood by others
that demonstrate cultural relativism? in terms of that individual’s own culture.

Ma’am! (Juan raised his hand)

Very good! Let’s give Juan a very good clap!
Let’s hear another idea from Mary.
Most Filipinos see Aetas barefooted as
humiliating, but for them and others viewing it
as their most convenient way of living is an
indication that culture is relative or it means
that society’s values, norms, and behaviors
differ from culture to culture and place to
place.

(Mary raised her hand)

Clothing of the Philippine indigenous people,

Ma’am. Some people see it as disturbing but
others see it as their pride and honor. They
appreciate the beauty in being different and
Exactly! Great answer! help them expose or to be known and that
indicates that Cultural relativism helps bridge
In other words, right and wrong are culture the gap between people and culture.
specific. What is considered moral in other society
may be considered immoral in another; and since
no universal standard of morality exist, no one
has the right to judge another society’s customs to
be correct or incorrect!

Additionally, cultural relativism refers to an

objective analysis of one’s own culture. Meaning,
seeing and understanding one’s beliefs and
traditions from his/her own point of view.
Furthermore, it refers to not judging a culture to
our own standards of what is right or wrong,
strange or normal.

Shows more examples:

1. In Country A, people eat insects as a delicacy.

Visitors from Country B initially find this practice
unusual but come to appreciate its cultural
significance during their stay.

(Cambodia’s Crispy Tarantulas)

(Students will now evaluate each scenario that
2. In a multicultural workplace, employees made it a cultural relativism)
celebrate various religious holidays throughout
the year, respecting each other's traditions and
fostering a sense of inclusivity.

3. A traveller observes a tribe's ritual of body

painting and scarification, initially perceiving it as
strange. However, after learning about its cultural
significance, the traveller gains a deeper
understanding and respect for the tradition.

Ethnocentrism:
What about Ethnocentrism? Will you read, Mark?

Thank you, Mark. Ethnocentrism, in contrast to

cultural relativism, is judging another culture
solely by the values and standards of one’s own Ethnocentrism is a belief that one’s native
culture. culture is superior to or the most natural
among other cultures.
Can you give me an example of Ethnocentrism?
You can also share your own experiences.

(Rochelle raised her hand)

The way the Bisaya talks, Ma’am. Some
people are making fun of their pronunciation.

(David raised his hand)

When a Kapampangan would look down on
the Ilokano way of cooking and see them as
acceptable and superior.

That’s all correct! Thank you for sharing your (Dino raised his hand)
ideas. Let’s give them a round of applause. The slavery of Black Americans because White
Culture is superior where they hold more
Basically, Ethnocentrism means that there is one power and dominated the Black Culture.
culture group who holds power and privilege
which are called the superior and the other groups
who are dominated and marginalized are called
the inferior.

Show more examples:

1. When visiting a foreign country, John Scoffs, at

the local cuisine, proclaiming that the food is
"weird" and inferior to the dishes from his own
culture.

2. Maria believes that her country's way of

celebrating holidays is the best. Dismissing other
cultures' traditions as "strange" or "backward."

3. During a group discussion, David assumes that

his cultural perspective is universally valid and
criticizes the customs of another culture as
"primitive" or "barbaric." (Students will now evaluate each scenario that
made it an ethnocentrism)
E. Elaborate
Role Playing: 10 minutes.
For your next activity, I will divide you again into
two groups.
Group 1: Ethnocentric Persons
Group 2: Cultural Relativists.

Each group will be given a task to present a short

role playing that focuses on the impact of
Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism.

Criteria for judging:

Voice quality and Script – 20%

Moral of the story – 30%
Mastery of play – 20%
Presentation – 15% (Students will prepare for the presentation)
Creativity – 15%
Total of 100%

Short reflection:

Reflecting on the concept of cultural relativism,

consider a cultural practice or belief that you
initially found challenging or difficult to understand
from your own cultural perspective.

“How has learning about cultural relativism

influenced your perception of this practice or (Students expressing themselves through
belief?” explanation)

Okay, let’s hear first from Jerome.

(ETIC Perspective)

(Jerome raised his hand)

I was imposing my own cultural values and
judgments onto others before because I
thought they are practicing the wrong culture
and I always believed that my culture is
superior to them. Although it challenges my
personal belief after learning cultural relativism,
it has influenced my perception to understand
practices and beliefs within their cultural
context. We live in a world with a diversity of
people. Therefore, each person has a different
 background, culture or beliefs, tradition and
ethnicity which makes them different from us.

Another reflection from Jannie.

(EMIC Perspective)

(Jannie raised her hand)

Having my own cultural background, I've
learned the importance of empathy, respect,
and open-mindedness in understanding
diverse cultures. By listening to the stories and
experiences of those who are deeply
Very good! That’s a wonderful takeaway! connected to a culture, we can move beyond
ethnocentrism and develop a more
Embracing empathy, respect, and open- compassionate outlook on the world.
mindedness is crucial for fostering understanding
and appreciation of cultural diversity.
By listening to cultural insiders, we can overcome
ethnocentrism and foster a more inclusive
worldview.

F. Evaluate

Prepare ½ sheet of paper and identify the

following scenario. Write CR if it shows Cultural
Relativism and E if it shows Ethnocentrism.
Answers:
1. You visit a foreign country and notice that
people eat insects as a delicacy. Your 1. E
reaction is to find it strange and disgusting. 2. CR
3. CR
2. In your anthropology class, you learn about 4. E
a cultural tradition where people greet each 5. CR
other by bowing instead of shaking hands. 6. E
You acknowledge that different cultures 7. E
have their own customs and that there's no 8. CR
right or wrong way to greet someone. 9. E
10. CR
3. While traveling abroad, you witness a
religious ceremony that involves animal
sacrifice. You respect the ceremony as part
of the local culture, even though it differs
 from your own beliefs.

4. You believe that your country's education

system is the best in the world and that
other countries should adopt the same
curriculum and teaching methods.

5. You attend a cultural festival where people

from different backgrounds showcase their
traditional music, dance, and cuisine. You
appreciate the diversity and richness of
cultural expressions.

6. When discussing global issues, you believe

that your country's political system is the
most democratic and that other systems
are inferior.

7. You encounter a group of people speaking

a language you don't understand, and you
assume they are talking about you or
making fun of you.

8. You travel to a country where the concept

of personal space is different, and people
stand closer to each other during
conversations. You adapt to this cultural
norm without feeling uncomfortable.

9. You believe that traditional gender roles

should be the same in every society,
regardless of cultural differences.

10. You participate in a traditional ceremony

where people offer gifts to their ancestors.
Even though you don't share the same
religious beliefs, you show respect for the
ritual and its significance to the community.

G. Extend
Assignment:

Search for the forms of tangible and

intangible heritage and the threats thereof.

That’s all for today. Goodbye class!

Goodbye and thank you, Ma’am!