Global Classroom Themes
Example Themes
Recent Programs
Global Lives
All grades
Students investigate the meaning of “culture” by exploring their personal cultures and various cultures around the world. Global Guides focus their workshops on different cultural topics, such as the arts, games, traditions, and food, as well as their historical origins. Students participate in hands-on activities, such as playing traditional games, learning songs and dances, creating art projects, and tasting cultural foods.
At PS 183, a Global Guide from Ukraine led the 3rd grade classes in an interactive workshop about Ukrainian geography, the meaning of the flag colors, and notable citizens that have made significant contributions to the arts. She led students through an art project to create a Tree of Wishes where they wrote messages of courage and safety to Ukrainian children on their cut out handprints. Students were eager to show their support for Ukrainian children and continue learning beyond the Global Classroom workshop with their teachers.
Pictured: 3rd grade students learn about Ukrainian geography and notable artists.
A Global Guide from Japan facilitated interactive workshops with the 3rd grade classes at PS 183 about Japanese fun facts through a fun true or false game and student life in Japan, including what students wear, how they walk to school by themselves, and that they clean their own classrooms. She created a unique board game for students to test their knowledge of Japan and have some friendly competition.
Pictured: 3rd grade students playing the board game that Hinako, the Global Guide from Japan, created.
Global Citizenship
All grades
Students investigate what it means to be a global citizen in their own community and around the world. Global Guides lead workshops on various global issues related to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, exploring topics such as environmental sustainability and human rights. Students learn about various global challenges and possible solutions, exploring how these issues are connected on a local, national, and global scale. By participating in stimulating solution-oriented activities and a final project, students are inspired to become active global citizens and create change in their local and global community.
In this workshop, a Global Guide from South Korea shared pictures and stories of her hometown, family, and school life with students at a high school in Manhattan. She then spoke about her experience volunteering for an organization that supports North Korean refugees in the U.S., explaining the treacherous obstacles North Koreans encounter when they try to defect to countries such as China, Thailand, and the United States. The students were surprised and disheartened to learn about the difficulties faced by the refugees, and felt compelled to help, even if only in a small way. Taking action as Global Citizens, the students wrote inspirational notes to the refugees, with whom the Global Guide worked directly and who were currently living in NY.
Pictured: An inspirational letter that a NYC student wrote to a North Korean refugee living in NYC after learning about many of the refugees’ hardships from a Global Guide from South Korea.
A Global Guide from Nigeria shared with our 6th-8th grade students at Children’s Aid about her culture, including delicious food, world famous music, popular festivals, and English slang and Yoruba language. She then spoke about the importance of education and how education inequality is common throughout her home country. Students engaged in a discussion about the benefits of a quality education and how to improve access and quality of education in Nigeria and the US.
Pictured: Pascalyn leading the students through a discussion about the realities of education inequality in Nigeria and ways to create a positive change.
Girls and Women's Lives
5th-12th Grade
This program provides students with the opportunity to learn about different issues that girls and women experience around the world. Global Guides share about gender issues and women’s rights in their country, exploring how culture impacts these issues. Students are empowered to share their perspectives about gender issues in NYC and share what they have learned, both at the local and global level with their community. Students develop a final project, such as a public service announcement, on a gender-related issue of their choosing.
Students learn about beauty standards throughout history in China, as well as gender inequality in STEM globally with a Global Guide from China. She speaks about her experience growing up as a woman in China and a STEM major at NYU, while encouraging the young girls to reflect on their own lives as a girl growing up in NYC and their future aspirations. She led an exercise where students had to think of solutions to gender equality in the workplace and unequal beauty standards for women today. The students walked away feeling empowered about how they can uplift other women around them and continue to break barriers.
Pictured: Students write messages about how to improve beauty standards for women and gender equality in the workplace.