Culture, Community, and the Classroom: Analyzing Identity and Culture in Lullabies

“My students had been under the impression that culture was something that other people had but was not applicable to them. I was excited to see students analyze their own lives and consider (some of them for the first time) how their culture shapes their beliefs and values.” - Cathryn Lally, 9th grade English Language Arts teacher, New York

TITLE: Analyzing Identity and Culture in Lullabies

AUTHOR AND TEACHER: Cathryn Lally

Cathryn Lally is a 9th grade English Teacher at Whitney Point High School in Whitney Point, NY.

ARTIST COLLABORATOR: Gayane Dadian, Armenian Lullabies

LENGTH: Six 40-minute class periods

Find the complete lesson plans in the sidebar under “Downloads.”

STANDARDS:

  • New York State
    • 9-10R1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences; develop questions for deeper understanding and for further exploration.
    • 9-10R2: Determine one or more themes or central ideas in a text and analyze its development, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; objectively and accurately summarize a text.
    • 9-10R5: In literary texts, consider how varied aspects of structure create meaning and affect the reader.
    • 9-10R6: Analyze how authors employ point of view, perspective, and purpose to shape explicit and implicit messages (e.g., examine rhetorical strategies, literary elements and devices).
    • 9-10W4: Create a poem, story, play, artwork, or other response to a text, author, theme or personal experience; demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a variety of techniques and genres. Explain divergences from the original when appropriate.

 

To hear what students learned from this experience, watch this short video from our 2023 Residency Showcase.