Culture Facts

and
Elements
Grades 8th
Teacher Graciela Morales G.
Culture

Shared characteristics that include customs, arts, food, beliefs,

and behaviors.

What are some

common foods
found in your own
cultures?
 Culture ...

★ Determines how we view the

How is your culture
world around us.
given to you?
★ Culture is passed down from one
generation to the next.
 The Beginning
➔ CULTURAL HEARTH: is where culture begins
What is it called ➔ Think of this as the start line of the idea!
where culture ◆ WHO STARTED THE TREND?
begins? ➔ Historical Examples:
◆ Hinduism religion started in india
◆ The invention of the wheel started in Mesopotamia
→ changed farming!
➔ Bonus: Where did the idea of building a road to travel on
come from?
 The Spread of Culture
➔ CULTURAL DIFFUSION is the
movement of culture from one place to
How does another.
culture move? ➔ This happens when people migrate, travel,
and trade goods/ideas.
◆ Are there other ways cultures can spread?

➔ Historical Example:
◆ Christianity spread from Europe to North
America when missionaries traveled to spread
their religion to others.
 What
a re so
things me
we m
have a
gotten y
other f
place rom
s?
 Elements of Culture
● Each element of culture explains a small part of
that culture. When you put them all together you
What do the understand the whole picture.
elements of culture
do? 1. Traditions and Values
2. Language
3. Religion
4. Forms of Government
5. Economy
6. Social Organization
7. Art and Literature
Tradition A custom/celebration from the past
that people still practice
today. Passed down
through family generations

❖ Moral Values:
➢ Ideas of right and wrong that
What are taught through family and
tradition(s) society.
does your
family
continue to
observe?
(Ex: Easter
Egg Hunts,
Lighting a
Menorah,
etc.)
 Example: Five Customs And Traditions In Colombian Culture

Colombia is a fascinating country that blends together the

traditions of its European, African and indigenous roots
while constantly creating new customs to keep its culture
unique.

1. Parties and festivals

2. The Pot Gathering (El Paseo de Olla)
3. Traditional ‘grandmother’ remedies
4. Christmas and holiday customs
5. Dance
Language

Human communication that is written, spoken, or signed.

What forms of
communication do you use on
a daily basis?
 What religions
can you name?
Religion
An organized system of beliefs and practices that seek to
explain the meaning of life. Can be centered on one or more
gods.
 Government

Provides for people’s needs, keeps order, protects society from

outside threats.

who is in charge
of our
government?
 Economy

How people use resources to satisfy their wants and needs by

exchange of money.

how do you satisfy

your wants by an
exchange of
money? What
things do you
want?
 Social Organization

What are the 2 types ❏ Social Organization looks like pyramid.

of social ❏ It is a structure that groups people to create order,

organization? determine jobs, and a chain of command.
★ FAMILY STRUCTURE:
○ Respect your elders
○ Through the family children learn how they are
expected to act and what to believe.
○ Grouped based on birth
○ Your parents status is your status
★ POLITICAL STRUCTURE:
○ Higher rank depends on what is important to that
culture:
■ Religion, Money, Leadership
● lower class vs. upper class
 Art & Literature

● ART = paintings, pottery, sculptures, music,

dance
HOW DO WE
HAVE ● LITERATURE= books, plays, poems, holy books,
KNOWLEDGE laws
ABOUT PAST ● Art and literature are ways culture has been
CULTURES? recorded and passed down through generations.
● Cultures have different art & literature that hold
meaning to them.