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Alpine Adventure

Switzerland is an alluring country with much to offer. Students will learn about the country and create 3D art showcasing some of its iconic symbols.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

Steps

  • Step 1

    Ask students what comes to mind when they think of Switzerland. Items such as cheese, chocolate, and watches might come up, as would the Alps, skiing, yodeling, etc. Have students learn some facts about the country's history and culture. For example, it is a multilingual country with three official languages: German, French, and Italian. (A fourth language, Romansh, is a nationally recognized language spoken in the Grisons region of the country.) Switzerland has a long history of being neutral in times of war, and also hosts several international organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (the Red Cross was founded in Switzerland in 1863), the World Health Organization, and many others.

  • Step 2

    Have students look at images of Switzerland and some of its national symbols, then use the images to inspire them as they create a 3D piece of artwork depicting aspects of Swiss culture. 

  • Step 3

    Ask students to present their art and discuss the items they depicted and their relevance to Swiss culture.

Standards

SS: Culture: Create, learn, share, and adapt to culture.

SS: Individual Development and Identity: Describe factors important to the development of personal identity and the context of identity within families, peer or affinity groups, schools, communities, and nationalities. 

Adaptations

It is located in the Alps and has been the subject of many photographs and paintings. Have students look at "Sunrise on the Matterhorn" (c.1875) by the German American painter Albert Bierstadt. Ask them to create a watercolor image of the Matterhorn in Bierstadt's style.

Switzerland is known for its fondue, a cheese dish that originated in the country in the 17th century. Have students explore some of the foods other countries are known for, such as Canadian poutine, Ethiopian doro wat, Hungarian goulash, Korean kimchi, etc.