HRE 2O1 Unit 2
Name: ______Presentation Date: ______
® Culture Research Culminating Task ä
Each of us has a unique background and story. We often identify ourselves with a particular group, organization, sport, religion or ethnic culture. We have studied the importance of symbols and rituals in our lives and now it is time for you to research how cultures use rituals and symbols to express their identity as a community of people who believe in the same ideals. Like symbols, rituals help to express those things which are difficult to put into words. Humans do not need rituals in order to survive. The importance of rituals and symbols stems from the fact that symbols and the ritualistic activities that they are associated with. binds its participants together and gives expression to their identity as a family, community or as a people.
For this assignment you are to choose a culture that you identify with or one that you wish to learn more about and complete the instructions listed below:
Instructions:
1. In a group of two or three choose a culture that you wish to both learn more about and share with the class.
2. Identify the main religion associated with the culture you have chosen. Please state which deities (God(s)) your culture worship(s) and how they worship (Ie. Christians go to mass every Sunday to honor their Trinitarian God – God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit). List and describe at least two major festivities that this culture’s religion celebrates (Ie. Christians celebrate Christmas and Easter.) Please be sure to thoroughly describe the above aspects of your culture’s religion and provide pictures for each.
3. Provide pictures and thorough explanations of 3 symbols and 3 rituals/traditions associated with this culture. Please make sure that these rituals/traditions are different from the festivities described in part 2. Please be sure to discuss the meaning and/or significance behind the symbols and the rituals/traditions chosen. Remember that symbols and rituals help us to physically express those parts of our humanity that we cannot detect with our senses (ie. love, hope, joy, sadness, unity etc.).
4. Pretend you, if you are not already, are a member of this culture/group. Prepare a diary on your day to day living for 5 days. Keep in mind weekly rituals, errands, customs, celebrations, prayers, food, challenges, media influences, etc. You do not have to present this diary to the class, but you must submit it to your teacher for marks.
5. Research the food and dietary customs of your culture. Please be sure to explain why your culture eats particular foods or prepares food in certain ways (could obviously be connected to the fact that certain types of foods only grow in certain parts of the world – or there may be religious restrictions on types of foods can be eaten). Report to the class your findings. Share a recipe of food/drink from your culture with the class. You may bring in a sample of this food item for everyone to taste but if you do be sure to provide enough food for all in the class to sample. (I will only mark the recipe and the brief description that you need to supply that describes the dietary customs of your culture. I will not give you a mark for bringing in food – this is purely for fun!)
6. Use your creativity to allow the class to learn about your culture by participating in it with an activity. Prepare a dance, song, game, activity, costume party, craft, skit, prayer that the class or members of the class can engage in.
7. You and your group members must present your chosen culture to the class. In order to properly display all the pictures and explanations that are required you may create a collage or poster that illustrates the religion, customs, sports, celebrations, dress, literature, dance, art, prayer methods, food, drink, etc. of your culture. You may also use any computer program of your choice (powerpoint, moviemaker prezi etc.) and display it using the LCD/IVP projection system that we have inside the classroom.
8. Any other creative ideas that help the class to understand and appreciate your cultural group that would enhance your presentation would be appreciated. Please see me if you have any questions.
9. Your presentation, including activity, should be between 10-15 minutes.
10. Hand-in a hard copy of anything you present (information, collage, recipe, activity, etc.) to ______.
ROUGH DRAFT/ IDEAS
Written component Outline:
Briefly describe your culture and why you choose it:
Indentify:
Religion:Deities (God(s)) your culture worship(s) and how they worship.
Major festivity #1 that this culture’s religion celebrates
Major festivity #2 that this culture’s religion celebrates
Please include 5 of the following when researching your symbols and rituals for your collage or powerpoint/prezi/moviemaker display (You may also use video clips from youtube.)
Celebrations (ie. birthdays, weddings, funerals, independence days):Dance:
Literature/Folklore:
Art:
Customs (around meals or proper etiquette):
Sports:
Traditional dress:
Flag/Coat or Arms:
Symbol #1 / Meaning:
Symbol #2 / Meaning:
Symbol #3 / Meaning:
Ritual/Tradition #1 / Meaning:
Ritual/Tradition #2 / Meaning:
Ritual/Tradition #3 / Meaning:
Diary of your day to day living (only use 5 days remember some days are more important than others in certain cultures (i.e days of rest, Sabbath days))
SundayMonday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Food and Dietary Customs
Food (recipe)
Activity (dance, song, game, activity, costume party, craft, skit, prayer)
Names of Group members:
______
______
______
What is each group member responsible for?
Will you assign different components of this project (collage, food, diary, activity) to different people or will you assign roles to different people (leader, presenter, organizer, researcher) or will everybody complete each component of the project together?
Group Member / ResponsibilityWhat resources/materials will you need? (people, clothing, food items, computer/projector, TV/VCR/DVD Player, CD player, books….etc) Highlight the ones the teacher can get for you.
Dates that everyone in your group can meet on and where you can all meet: ______
______
In class working days (be sure to bring stuff to work on: i.e. laptop, collage, diary)
______
What is each group member responsible for?
Group Roles: Maximizing Group Performance
Having a diversity of skills and ideas within a group often enriches the group process and can improve the final product. However, working with others different from ourselves can be a challenge. One way to structure group functioning and benefit from one another’s strengths is to assign roles to each member of the group. These team roles can be assigned based on individuals’ strengths or rotated periodically to increase each member’s understanding of the roles and of themselves as team members.
Group Member / ResponsibilityLeader/
Facilitator / This student keeps everyone on task and reports to the teacher if the group dynamic is not proceeding as it should. Some responsibilities include:
· Clarifies the aims of the group and helps the group to set sub-goals at the beginning of each meeting. Sub-goals should serve as an agenda of issues that need to be addressed during the meeting.
· Makes sure that all group members understand the concepts and the group’s conclusions.
· Starts the meetings, introduces each topic, and keeps the group on task and oriented towards its goals.
· Ensures that the group completes its tasks before deadlines.
A good leader is not an autocrat. He/she or she does not make all the decisions or try to tell everybody in detail what to do and how and when to do it. A good leader helps the group and the individuals in it to discover, to formulate, and to clarify their own purposes. He/she or she will not merely tell the group members that they must do this and do that.
Typical phrases:
"Thanks for your contribution, Bill. What do you think, Mary?”
"From what I’m hearing, it appears that the key issues are A, B, and C. Why don’t we start by discussing A, if that is agreeable to everyone?”
"So, it appears that we are all agreed that …”
Devil’s Advocate/ Quality Control / · Remains on guard against “groupthink” scenarios (i.e., when the pressure to reach the group goal is so great that the individual members surrender their own opinions to avoid conflict and view issues solely from the group’s perspective).
· Ensures that all arguments have been heard, and looks for holes in the group’s decision-making process, in case there is something overlooked.
· Keeps his or her mind open to problems, possibilities, and opposing ideas. Responsible for “thinking outside of the box.”
· Serves as a quality-control person who double-checks every detail to make sure errors have not been made and searches for aspects of the work that need more attention. Keeps an eye out for mistakes, especially those that may fall between the responsibilities of two group members.
· fosters self-criticism and self-evaluation within the group. Must often take it upon himself or herself to reveal to the group where they have succeeded and where they have failed. However, he/she must develop the ability to hold a mirror up to the group do they can see and judge their own accomplishments and failings.
Typical phrases:
"Let’s give Mike’s idea a chance.”
"OK, we’ve decided to go with plan C, but I noticed that we still haven’t dealt with the same problem that plan A didn’t address. What can we do to solve this?” “We haven’t analyzed the issue from this perspective…”
Organizer/ Editor / This student is in charge of organizing the presentation of the culture project. He/she should outline exactly who will be responsible for presenting what portion of the project and in what order. You should also keep within the 10-15 minute presentation time limit by arranging a timeline for all to follow.
The student must make sure that the project meets the standards set out by the instructor (often as a rubric), plus any extras stipulated by the group.
Double-checks data, bibliographic sources, or graphics for accuracy and correctness.