Source: Kulu Mele African Dance & Drum Ensemble Description: Based in Philadelphia, Kulu Mele has been a highly regarded cultural institution in the Delaware Valley for nearly 50 years.  Kulu Mele’s performance repertoire features authentic, traditional dance and drumming from West Africa, Cuba and Brazil, as well as contemporary American hip-hop.  Kulu Mele performs year-round throughout Philadelphia…

Source: Liliana Velásquez Description: At fourteen, Liliana Velásquez walked out of her village in Guatemala and headed for the U.S. border, alone. On her two-thousand-mile voyage, she was robbed by narcos, rode the boxcars of La Bestia, encountered death in the Sonoran Desert, and eventually found a loving and safe home in Philadelphia. Her memoir, Dreams and…

Source: Conjunto Philadelphia Description: Conjunto Philadelphia is a Cuban musical ensemble based in the Philadelphia area performing the music of Pre-Revolutionary Cuba. The group’s main aspiration is to maintain the authenticity of the music while performing it in a way that pays homage to Cuba’s deep and treasured musical history. Genres include Son, Cha-Cha-Chá and Bolero. They are…

Source: History Making Productions Description: Octavius V. Catto: A Legacy for the 21st Century is the first biopic on one of America’s early great civil rights leaders. An educator, soldier, activist, and baseball star, Catto was “the future perfect,” according to historian Naomi Nelson. Catto was assassinated on Election Day 1871 as he urged government officials to…

Source: Global Philadelphia Association Description: These 40 lesson plans are written for high school social studies curricula in three areas: World History, African American History, and US History. The lesson plans present Philadelphia’s heritage and its rich relationship to the global community, past and present. They were written by 10 Philadelphia area educators with the assistance…

Source: Global Philadelphia Association Description: The Philadelphia World Heritage City film is a 28-minute documentary written and narrated by University of Pennsylvania Professor of History of Art, David B. Brownlee, Ph.D., FSAH, and produced and directed by filmmaker Sam Katz. Created to commemorate the historic designation of Philadelphia as the First World Heritage City in the…

Source: Global Philadelphia Association Description: Written and illustrated by Philadelphia teacher and artist Michelle Dowd, The Philadelphia World Heritage Coloring Book follows Caleb and Olivia on their adventures visiting important cultural and historic sites all over Philadelphia. This tool is meant to help children, from age 5 to 11, become familiar with the historical and cultural…

Source: Philadelphia World Heritage Tool Kit Created by: Learning Programs Department, University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology   Subjects: Language Arts, Social Studies Grade Levels: 6-12   View or download this Lesson Plan   Overview: This lesson promotes a partnership between the Penn Museum and middle/high school educators by offering an opportunity to…

Source: Philadelphia World Heritage Tool Kit Created by: Denise Junkerman, Prep Charter High School   Subjects: English Language Arts Grade Levels: 9-12   View or download this Lesson Plan.    Overview: With LOVE Park serving as its entrance, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway extends from City Hall to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Inspired by the…

Source: Philadelphia World Heritage Tool Kit Created by: Alexis Johnson-Sziy, Catasauqua High School   Subjects: American History, World Cultures Grade Levels: 9-12   View or download this Lesson Plan.   Overview: Students will work in small groups to gather background information (through print and online sources) related to United States’ expansionism as it occurred in…