Teacher's Resources

Classroom Activities & Projects

Read a Shoe

Level: High school - Grade 11 in Ontario

Goals:

Encourage students to think about everyday objects as 'artifacts' that can reveal information about a community's social structure, political organization, economic systems, and cultural achievements; investigating cultural objects

Description:
Shoes are more than an everyday object or a fashion accessory. Each shoe tells a story, not only about the person who wears it, but also about the society he or she lives in. In this activity, students will first look at their own footwear, and answer a series of direct questions. Next, divide students into groups of three or four and assign to each group one of the artifacts suggested here:

Sealskin boots
Siberian Yupik boots
Russian great coat
Cedar visor
Intestine parka

They should then do the worksheet. The questions on the sheet will lead them to discover as many details as possible about their chosen artifact. To assess the results of this exercise, teachers can either ask for small presentations, or assign the worksheet as written homework.

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Be the Anthropologist!

Level: Grade 11

Read a Shoe

Level: Grade 11