World Citizenship: Cultural Experiences
We’re learning about the cultures of the world together—but I’d like you to have experiences learning on your own, too. This semester, you’ll complete four cultural experiences of your choosing and report on them.
Requirements:
1. Each project should take at least three hours to complete, not including the time to write it up.
2. The project should be something that helps you learn about a culture that’s different from your own. Remember, there are diverse cultures from around the world, but there are also many diverse cultures within the United States. Your experience doesn’t necessarily have to be about another country.
3. Each of the cultural experiences you complete needs to be about a different culture than one you’ve already completed an experience about
4. Each project must be approved before you complete it. Due dates for the proposals are included below. I’ve given you several ideas for what to do, but you can also come up with your own idea.
5. In order to receive credit, you must write up your project to turn in. Follow the directions below.
Assignment Format:
Proposal
· Answer the following:
a. What do you want to do for this cultural experience?
b. Why?
c. What culture will this experience help you learn about?
· Answers should be at least a paragraph
· Books, TV shows, movies: I need to know the title
Project Report
· Your report must be at least one page typed. It should be 12-point font and double-spaced.
· The report should be written like a paper: It needs an introduction and conclusions, and separate thoughts should be separated into paragraphs.
· The report must answer the following questions:
a. What did you do for your project?
b. What culture did this project help you learn about?
c. When did you do it? How much time did it take you?
d. Why did you choose this project?
e. What did you learn about this culture? Include at least three differences and three similarities between the culture and your own culture, as well as other things you observed and/or learned.
Due Dates
Experience #1
Proposal: Due Tuesday, 30 August
Paper: Due Thursday, 15 September
Experience #2
Proposal: Due Tuesday, 27 September
Paper: Due Thursday, 13 October
Experience #3
Proposal: Due Tuesday, 1 November
Paper: Due Thursday, 17 November
Experience #4
Proposal: Due Tuesday, 29 November
Paper: Due Friday, 16 December
Points
· Each proposal is 15 points
· Each paper is 50 points
Ideas
Remember: The project must take at least three hours, not including the time needed to write up your report.
1. Food: Find out a traditional dish from another culture and make it for your family. This must be something you’ve never had before.
2. Food: Go to a restaurant that serves food from another culture. Try something new—it doesn’t count if it’s something you’ve had before. Ask the waiter to tell you about the dishes that are on the menu.
3. Martial arts: Learn martial arts that come from another culture, for example, kung fu (China), tae kwon do (Korea), krav maga (Israel), or capoeira (Brazil). If possible, attend a class. Otherwise, find a video of a class online and follow along.
4. Dance: Learn dance that comes from another culture, for example, flamenco from Spain, stepdance from Ireland, or hula from Hawaii. If possible, attend a class. Otherwise, find a video of a class online and follow along.
5. Music: Spend some time to learn how to play some basic tunes on a traditional instrument that comes from another country. This might be the djembe from Western Africa, the cajon from Cuba, or maybe even bagpipes from Scotland. Focus on learning music from the region where the instrument comes from. You might also learn to sing songs from another culture.
6. TV: Watch a TV show from another country or culture (you can put on English subtitles so you know what the characters are saying while you also listen). You might want to try a Japanese or Korean drama or anime show, or maybe one of the French dramas that Netflix has. It needs to be a TV show for people who speak the language, NOT a show that was made to help you learn the language. Note: It is the responsibility of you and your parents/guardians to choose a TV show that you feel is appropriate.
7. Movie: Watch a movie that was made by another country or culture. (You can put on English subtitles so you know what the characters are saying while you also listen.) An American film that is dubbed into the language doesn’t count. Note: It is the responsibility of you and your parents/guardians to choose a TV show that you feel is appropriate.
8. Talk to someone: Interview someone from another culture. Be sure to plan in advance what to ask them. Some potential questions:
a. Does your culture have holidays that are different from mainstream American holidays? What are they? What are they celebrating? How do you celebrate them?
b. What does the landscape look like where you’re from? Are there mountains? Is it hot?
c. Are you religious? What religion? What are some of the things you do to practice this religion? What’s the most important thing this religion teaches?
d. What would you tell someone else from your culture who was going to move to Utah about what to expect and how to prepare?
e. What is something that your home country/culture is particularly famous for? Tell me about it.
f. What is something you’d want more people to know about your home country/culture?
9. Cultural Event: Attend a cultural celebration or a gathering where people from another culture get together.
10. Holiday: Celebrate a holiday from another country or culture. Learn about what the holiday celebrates, what traditions there are, what people do, what food is eaten, and so on. After you do your research, throw a party! Be sure to include family and/or friends. (Note: You don’t have to celebrate the holiday on the date it’s celebrated.)
11. News: Learn about some of the current issues that affect a country or specific culture. Read several news stories to find out about their current events. Be sure to get information from several different sources.
12. Art: Learn about the art that comes from a particular country or culture. Preferably, find an art museum or exhibit with art from the country. If this isn’t available, look online. You may want to create your own artwork in the same style.
13. Book: Read a book about another culture. This could be non-fiction, or it might be a novel that takes place in that culture. It might be a book that comes from another country originally, but it doesn’t have to be. Include the name of the book in your proposal.
14. YouTube: Watch videos online that come from another country or culture. These might all be about one topic (for example, tips for saving money or makeup tutorials), or they might be from a variety of topics. Remember, it is the responsibility of you and your parents to choose content you feel is appropriate.
15. Religion: Attend the religious service of a religious tradition that is different from your own (if you have one).
16. Music/Music Videos: Find songs and/or music videos from another country or community. Remember, it is the responsibility of you and your parents to choose content you feel is appropriate.
> Carrie Gold > 2016 > World Language Cultural Projects > www.GoldLanguage.wikispaces.com >