Italian Heritage Curriculum
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– Elementary School
– Middle School
– High School
– All Lessons
Unit One: Kindergarten – 1st Grade
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Lesson One: Pinocchio and the Importance of Honesty
Subjects: Character Education, Language Arts
Description:
The lesson is about the story of Pinocchio and the importance of truth and character development. Students will focus on the significance of telling the truth and the value of accepting responsibilities. They will also discuss the history of the original story written by Carlo Collodi, and they will learn about his background. Students will have the Disney version of the story read to them aloud in class. They will discuss some of the differences and similarities between the original story and the Disney version.
Lesson Two: The Story of La Befana
Subjects: Language Arts, Social Studies, World Languages
Description:
State and national curriculum standards require that students be exposed to the cultures and celebrations of other countries. Although Christmas is a very important holiday in both Italy and Puerto Rico, both lands place a special emphasis on the Feast of the Epiphany, celebrated twelve days later. Students will investigate the Italian gift-giver, La Befana.
Lesson Three: Commedia dell’ Arte
Subjects: Art, Language Arts, Performing Arts, Social Studies, World Languages
Description:
Students will be introduced to the characters of the Commedia dell’Arte. They will learn that all of the actors developed their own specific type of character, such as the Captain, the Pantaloon, the Doctor, or the Zanni. Since the actors wore masks, their roles were eventually called masks. Before going on stage, actors agreed on a basic plot and a general idea of how the play should be performed. The improvised or ad-libbed performances were never subtle. Students will make masks to perform part of the comedy in class.
Lesson Four: “The Cunning Shoemaker, a Fairy Tale”
Subjects: Character Education, Language Arts
Description:
Most students are familiar with the Bugs Bunny cartoons. No matter who challenges Bugs, Bugs always outwits his adversary. Many Italian fairy tales offer similar plots. The hero is usually an underdog who has to face a superior adversary. The hero uses his quick wit against his opponents by appealing to their greed or desires. In this story of the “Cunning Shoemaker,” an astute cobbler befuddles a group of dangerous robbers by appealing to their avarice and exploiting their obvious lack of intelligence. Students will develop reading comprehension while appreciating the advantage of industrious behavior and a quick wit.
Unit Two: 2nd – 3rd Grade
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Lesson One: Introduction to the Italian Renaissance, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Subjects: Art, Language Arts, Social Studies
Description:
Students will be introduced to the Italian Renaissance masters Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo through the cartoon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The lesson starts with the cartoon characters and then introduces the Italian masters and their works to the students in four distinct lessons.
Lesson Two: Giotto
Subjects: Art, Social Studies
Description:
Students will learn about Giotto di Bondone. More than any one artist, he determined the course of painting in Europe. Giotto left the formula of Byzantine or Eastern Roman painting for the study of nature and abandoned the more abstract styles of the earlier period to paint more life-like works. Giotto sent a simple, perfect red circle made with a single stroke of his hand to the Pope. He had hoped that this would signify the quality of his work. Students will try to create a single, perfect circle using tempera paint on white construction paper that they make in class.
Lesson Three: Romulus and Remus, Myths and Conflict Resolution
Subjects: Conflict Resolution, Language Arts, Social Studies, World Languages
Description:
Students will examine the founding myth of ancient Rome. They will see why Roman culture developed such a strong “family-centered” culture. Students will contrast stories of sibling rivalry in ancient Greece, ancient Israel, and ancient Ireland to discover why sibling rivalry can be destructive. They will also examine ways to ease tensions and negotiate settlements.
Lesson Four: Marco Polo
Subjects: Geography, World History
Description:
Students will examine the life of the famous explorer, Marco Polo. They will follow and chart his travels along the ancient Silk Route, and his travels throughout the realm of Kubla Khan. Students will learn the names of the ancient kingdoms of the Orient, east of Constantinople, along with the names of the modern nations in that area.
Lesson Five: Stories of Pinocchio
Subjects: Character Education, Geography, Language Arts
Description:
This lesson plan is about the story of Pinocchio and the importance of truth and character development. Students will focus on the significance of telling the truth and the value of accepting responsibilities. They will also discuss the history of the original story written by Carlo Collodi, and they will learn about his background. Students will have the Disney version of the story read to them aloud in class. They will discuss some of the differences and similarities between the original story and the Disney version.
Unit Three: 4th – 5th Grade Lessons
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Lesson One: Christopher Columbus and Giovanni Da Verrazzano
Subjects: U.S. History, World History, World Languages
Description:
Students will examine when the Portuguese and Spanish explored alternate ways to reach Oriental spice markets and how Italian sailors, cartographers, and navigators offered their considerable skills as seamen to find a western route to the Indies. Cristoforo Colombo was the first Italian to cross the Atlantic. Giovanni da Verrazzano also made great voyages west, and was the first European to look upon the New Jersey coast and sail into what became the New York harbor.
Lesson Two: Geromino Stilton
Subjects: Language Arts, World Languages
Description:
Students will read Geromino Stilton, the best-selling Italian story about a mouse that works both as a journalist and amateur sleuth. The books have sold more than 1.6 million copies in Italy since the first story was published by Edizione Piemme. Stilton is now closing in on JK Rowling’s best-selling Harry Potter series, whose four Italian editions sold a total of 2.7 million copies.Students will learn how to pick a good book from the library.
Lesson Three: New Jersey Immigration and Prejudice
Subjects: Economics, U.S. History, World History
Description:
Students will be introduced to the concept of immigration. They will explore how Italian immigrants traveled across the Delaware River from Philadelphia to become migrant workers in Gloucester County. Many of the migrant workers eventually owned most of the prosperous farms in the area. Students will investigate the opportunities available to immigrants in the USA and the prosperity achieved by those who worked hard, ethically, and intelligently.
Lesson Four: Aida Lesson Plan
Subjects: Language Arts, Music, Performing Arts, World History
Description:
Students will examine Verdi’s opera Aida. They will examine the torn loyalties Aida must confront as she chooses between her love of nation and family and her love for the Egyptian general, Radames.
Lesson Five: Italian Immigration to Swedesboro, NJ
Subjects: U.S. History, Social Studies
Description:
Students will be introduced to the concept of immigration. They will explore how Italian immigrants traveled across the Delaware River from Philadelphia to become migrant workers in Gloucester County. Many of these same migrant workers eventually owned most of the prosperous farms in South Jersey. Students will investigate the opportunities available to immigrants in the USA and the prosperity that met those who worked hard, worked ethically, and worked intelligently. They will see how the American dream came true to many of the Italian immigrants who settled in the farmlands of southern New Jersey.
Lesson Six: Catherine DeAngelis, MD., M.P.H.
Subjects: U.S. History, Medical History, Italian Americans
Description:
Catherine DeAngelis, a woman of Italian American descent, paved the way for not only Italian Americans but for women of all backgrounds in a heavily male-dominated career. She pursued her dream of becoming a doctor with conviction despite her brief time of wondering if she should join the religious order of the Maryknoll Sisters.. Her compassion for others inspired her to develop many programs that would aid in bettering the lives of those who were in desperate need of health care.
