- Definition
Popular culture is simply all the trends, entertainment, and ideas that most people in society enjoy and talk about, like popular movies, music, or clothing styles.
A superhero movie that is a huge box office hit is an example of popular culture.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Popular culture is like the hit movie everyone is talking about, with characters you see on lunchboxes, backpacks, and t-shirts.
Ask your child: What characters or logos do you see everywhere at school right now?
Common mix-up: Kids might think popular culture is just about their favorite things. The key idea is that it includes the shows, music, games, and styles shared and liked by lots of people.
Examples
- A song that becomes a viral trend on social media is part of popular culture.
- A video game that many people play and talk about is a piece of popular culture.
popular culture is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
