What is Culture?

Christina Marsett

This unit is meant to provide students with an introductory overview of the concept of culture, as well as the factors that contribute to defining an individual’s culture. The unit is designed to include the in-depth information Advanced Placement Human Geography students need to understand within the course’s unit on culture, as well as activities that can be used to introduce the concept of culture in a variety of social studies courses, including Civics, Geography, and United States History. Students will develop a foundational understanding of the material and non-material factors that contribute to an individual or group’s culture, such as their customs, language, beliefs, leisure activities, clothing, and the items in their houses. This information will then lead to a distinction between folk and popular cultures and the understanding that folk cultures are likely to have little impact on students’ lives, compared to the constant influence of popular culture through the use of technology, media, and countries’ economic practices. The unit will conclude with an examination of “American culture”, the various cultural practices that make culture within the United States distinct from other parts of the world, diversity that has influenced our cultural experiences, and a discussion of the fact that culture is a fluid idea that can change across time and place.