Enrollment Note: During Fall 2022 and Spring 2023, this class will be offered with three days over three weeks (one class day per week). During Summer 2023, this class will be offered with three days during one week (the class being complete within that week).

The subcontinent of South Asia - consisting of the countries Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka - is full of wonderful history and culture! Whether your learner has never set foot in South Asia, been to South Asia multiple times, or lives in South Asia, there will be much to discover and discuss in this course. 

Six topics will be covered in this course: sports and games, food, music and dance, folklore and poetry, art and architecture, and fashion. Before each class session, learners will be given key terms per topic to look up before class through online search engines (such as Safe Search Kids or the Kiddle Encyclopedia) or print resources available to them. I will post a list of assigned terms to the classroom at least 24 hours before the class, and also will message parents to remind them of the search terms. For example, under sports and games, a learner may be asked to look up “carrom”. Learners may write down any facts they find out about the terms. The online search should only take 20 minutes. ENROLLMENT NOTE: Because of the search work that needs to be completed before the first class begins, enrollment for each section will be closed 24 hours before the first class starts.

During the class session, which will cover two topics, I will first provide 2-3 minutes of introduction on the topic. Then, I will share slides with definitions and images for each terms. These slides will be supplemented by any comments learners have about the specific term being discussed, based on what they have learned in their search. Learners will then have the opportunity to discuss what they appreciate about what they learned, and what they would like to learn more about a particular topic. We will also incorporate a 5 minute activity into each topic, such as drawing a picture similar to a style of South Asian art. 

South Asia is diverse in terms of language and culture, and as such we may only scratch the surface of knowledge with this class. However, this class still aims to represent and respect that diversity in the subcontinent. I am open to considering parents’ suggestions for topics to be covered to the extent they are suitable for the course and follow OS policy and guidelines. 

As a teacher, I am open to hearing young learners’ questions and encourage them to think about the wider implications of what they are learning about. Learners will be supported in thinking how the cultural aspects they are learning about are similar to another culture with which they are familiar. They will also be motivated to think about further questions they have to learn on their own. In the setting of a fun social club, learners will develop important skills in appreciating culture and understanding diversity.