Global Perspectives: Infusing International Education into Your Curriculum

6 ideas to broaden the perspectives of your scholars through creativity within the classroom 

The world is a large place and yet it seems to be getting smaller and smaller. Our classrooms are filled with diverse and incredible children who come from different countries and cultures. Beyond the school experience our young learners go out into the world and live and work in places that will interact with people who live outside of their own backyard. Discovering how large and wonderful the world can be and that in our ever changing world is a great way to help prepare our youth for their future. I will share with you 6 different ideas that could help you do just that. 

1. Passport Read Aloud

One fun way to have students step into the idea of global perspectives is to have them start to think about the idea of international travel. This can be an extension of a reading lesson about a new country or a read aloud about a different culture or international location. Once you have shared facts, details and stories from a different global perspective you can then have students create one of these twist cards. You will need to use your   MARK 5 Die Cutting Machine to cut out the A2 Card-Twist Die Cut as well as the  Frames-Instant Photo Die Cut. Cut each of the pieces out and create the twisted fold- using or adding map cardstock is a creative touch to this activity. Students can draw a map, write a fact or describe the culture in which they learned about in the read aloud. Printing out and cutting out small passports is a fun little touch to help them understand that traveling requires some preparation. This little keepsake is something for your scholars to take with them and remember their imaginative global experience. 

2. European Journal 

Students often have opportunities to learn about many European countries, specifically when talking about the connection between the United States and Great Britain at the founding of our country. There are many novels that can be read aloud to students that share the perspective of someone living at the time. I personally love the “Dear America” series. This historical fiction series takes on the idea of giving students the chance to read about an important event, through the eyes of a child similar in age to them, told as a journal. Allowing students to read or be read to, while adding to their own journal is an awesome way to have them remember their learning. A great way to end this project would be to have students research current day England as a way to showcase how a country can change over time. To create this journal you will need to get out your MARK 5 Die Cutting Machine and use it to cut out the parts using the Album-Flip Die Cut and then also cut out the Banners (3-D) Die Cut. Create a journal for each student and you can allow them some free creative time to add to the front to make it uniquely their own.

3. Continental Scrapbooks 

This is an activity that can grow and be used all year long. You can also utilize this as a whole class activity or give this work to students to do individually. To create these scrapbooks you will need to use the MARK 5 Die Cutting Machine to cut out Book-Suitcase Die Cuts for the seven different continents. For some of the additional elements for the pages you can use the Border-Scallops-Decorative Die Cut, the Nameplates #13 Die Cut as well as the Photo Turns Die Cut. As you share information about different countries you can add an image or map of the country to the scrapbook for the correct continent. You can add to these throughout the entire year as you share with students and help them discover how big our incredible world really is. 

4. Find Your Direction

Children love to have chances to share connections that they make with their learning. This activity is a great way to have them connect the stories and places that they are learning about in school. To create these portfolio holder you will need to use  MARK 5 Die Cutting Machine to cut out the Portfolio #1 Die Cut, the Compass #1 Die Cut, the Gift Tag-Circle & Band #1 Die Cut, as well as the Gift Tag-Rectangle & Band #2 Die Cut. Students can use these different parts to assemble and make their own portfolio. After they are assembled take time to do some read-alouds from the perspectives of children in other parts of the world. Scholars can add notes, pictures, maps, and facts that they learn and discover. One final thing to have your students do is to write a response to the prompt: “How can you connect to the characters in the story we read.” Allowing them to reflect and find connections will help them to gain a stronger understanding of others and also solidify how they see themselves as well.     

5. World Discovery Group Project 

Giving students chances to work with their peers to help them build better connections and understanding of their learning is a great way to help scholars learn. You will need to create groups of your students and then you will assign them a country to explore and discuss. At the end of the project they will share their learning with the entire class. Use your MARK 5 Die Cutting Machine and you can cut out several of each of the World Travel Set Die Cut. Give your scholars some of these die cuts to decorate their posters that are filled with facts to share with their classmates. These die cuts could be used in  many other ways as well in your classroom but this is just one idea to that can help add a little fun and creativity in their research. 

6. World Connectedness

This final project is another chance for kids to learn about new global perspectives and then reflect on their own experiences and find ways to make connections through writing. This could be done some read-alouds of children from other countries, a few examples of books would be Children from around the World by Donata Montinari or Welcome to our World a Celebration of Children Everywhere by Moira Butterfield. You will then need to use your MARK 5 Die Cutting Machine to cut out the Backpack part of the Summer Reading Die Set #2 Die Cut.  Cut out cardstock for the front and back of the backpack and then lined paper in order to make it a book. You could collect these and turn them into a display board by stapling them to the board. You could use the world and children die cuts to use as decoration on the display board.  

These are just a few simple ideas of how you can extend your conversations around global learning and add some creativity and fun. By giving students opportunities to get innovative with their learning it will allow them to hold on to their new understanding in a much stronger way. Taking things a step further than just the discussion is a great way to ensure that they will gain some foundational steps towards being a more positive and embracing global citizen. 

Written by Amy Pinegar.