Unit 2 · Food, Clothes, Words and Holidays

Rice is a small grain. It grows in wet fields. Many families in China, India and Japan eat rice every day.

In Mexico, many families eat tortillas. A tortilla is a flat, round bread. It is made from corn. People fill tortillas with beans, meat or cheese.

Rice and tortillas are staple foods. A staple food is a food people eat again and again. It helps fill you up.

Bread is made from wheat flour and water. In France, a long bread is called a baguette. In Germany, many families eat dark rye bread.

In Ethiopia, many families eat injera. Injera is a big, soft, flat bread. It is made from a tiny grain called teff. It tastes a little sour.

Food goes right on top of the injera. People tear off a piece. They use it to scoop up the food.

Chopsticks are two thin sticks. You hold them in one hand. Many families in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam use them.

A fork has sharp points. Many families in Europe and the Americas eat with a fork and a knife.

Both tools help people pick up food. Chopsticks pinch the food. A fork pokes the food. Each one takes practice.

In India, Ethiopia and many other places, people often eat with the hand. They use the right hand. They wash their hands first.

The fingers mix rice and sauce into a small bite. Many people say food tastes better this way. It is a custom. A custom is a way a group does things for a long time.

Every custom has manners. Manners are kind ways to act. At many tables, you wait for others to start.

In hot places, people wear light, loose clothes. Loose clothes let air move. A wide hat keeps the sun off your face.

In cold places, people wear thick coats, hats and boots. The Inuit in the far north made warm coats from animal fur. These coats are called parkas.

Clothes help keep our bodies safe. They fit the weather. Weather is how hot, cold, wet or dry it is outside.

In Japan, some people wear a kimono on special days. A kimono is a long robe with wide sleeves. A wide sash ties around the middle.

In India, many women wear a sari. It is one long cloth wrapped around the body. In Germany and Austria, some people wear a dress called a dirndl for festivals.

In Guatemala and southern Mexico, many Maya women wear a huipil. It is a woven top with bright designs. Each design can show the wearer’s home town.

A friend may bring a food you have never seen. That is a chance to learn. You can ask, "What is it called?"

You can take a small bite. If you do not like it, that is okay. You can say, "No, thank you." You do not say "yuck."

Being respectful means treating people and their food with care. Food is part of a family’s culture. Kind words help everyone feel welcome.

A greeting is how we say hello. In Spanish, people say "hola." In French, people say "bonjour." It means "good day."

In Mandarin Chinese, people say "ni hao." In English, we say "hello" or "hi." All of these words do the same job.

A greeting tells a person, "I see you. I am glad you are here." You can learn to say hello in a friend’s words.

Some greetings use the body. In Japan, people often bow. They bend forward from the waist. A bow shows respect.

In India and Nepal, many people say "namaste." They press their hands together in front of the chest. They may nod a little.

Other people shake hands or wave. Each way of saying hello is kind. It helps to watch and learn a friend’s way.

A language is a set of words people use to talk. People in the world speak about 7,000 languages. That is a lot!

Some languages have a very large number of speakers. English, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi and Spanish have hundreds of millions.

Many people speak two or more languages. They are bilingual. That is a strength. It helps them talk with more people.

Lunar New Year starts a new year by the moon. Families in China, Korea, Vietnam and other places keep it. They eat a big dinner. Children may get red envelopes.

Diwali is the festival of lights. Many Hindu, Sikh and Jain families keep it. They light small clay lamps. They share sweets.

Both holidays come in the fall or winter. Both bring families together. Friends and neighbors often join in.

Día de los Muertos means Day of the Dead. Families in Mexico keep it on November 1 and 2. They remember people they loved who have died.

Families make an ofrenda. It is a table with photos, orange flowers and favorite foods. It is a happy time to remember.

Thanksgiving is in the United States. It is on the fourth Thursday of November. Families share a meal and say what they are thankful for.

Christmas is on December 25. Christian families remember the birth of Jesus. Many go to church and give gifts.

Eid al-Fitr comes after Ramadan. In Ramadan, many Muslims do not eat in the daytime. On Eid, families pray, wear new clothes and share big meals.

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday. It lasts eight nights. Each night, families light one more candle on a menorah.

Your friend may keep a holiday you do not know. You can ask, "What do you do on that day?" Then you listen.

Not every family keeps a holiday the same way. Some families keep other holidays. Some keep none. Every family is welcome.

Learning about many cultures helps us understand each other. Culture is the food, words, clothes and holidays a group shares.

In Spanish, thank you is "gracias." In French, it is "merci." In Japanese, it is "arigato."

When you say thank you, you show gratitude. Gratitude means feeling thankful. People everywhere say thank you.

You can make a class chart of thank-you words. Friends can teach the words from home.