Teams Study Presentation Cultures Project Evaluation Links Book Review List  

Students will be assigned to teams of 3 or 4 members. 
Each team will choose a different culture from the list below -- come prepared with second and third choices.
While some class time will be available for team work and consultation (usually at the end of a class), you should plan on meeting with your team occasionally outside of class. 
A work space will be created for each team on ANGEL where you can communicate with each other via email, discussion board postings, and/or chat.  You will post your assignments to the team discussion forum to share with each other, and you may attach sections of your PPT presentation to share and collaborate with each other.
Periodically throughout the semester, I will ask you to assess how well your team is working together to accomplish the objectives of the project.

  BOOK REVIEW: Choose one of the books listed on the Book Review List under your culture -- if you find another book you would rather review, it must be approved by me.  You may choose an historical work, a work of non-fiction or literature written during the time of the culture, or a work of historical fiction set during the period of the culture (see www.HistoricalNovels.info for suggestions).  Write a 1000 -1500 word book review.  

• If the book is non-fiction (history, biography, analysis), discuss the purpose of the author's study, what you have learned about the culture from the book, and how well the author supports his/her basic theses.  
• If the book is work of literature (poetry, fiction, drama), discuss the importance of the work within the culture, what the work reveals about the culture's values, and the purpose of the work.  
• If the work is historical fiction, discuss how well the author makes the culture come alive and how accurately the author portrays the culture (you will need to do some research to assess the author's accuracy).
• Include properly MLA formatted parenthetical in-text citations for information you have gathered from your sources: quotations, summaries or paraphrases.
• All parenthetical citations must match the first word(s) of the Works Cited citations.
• All citations should be introduced with a signal phrase -- see: MLA Documentation. 
• Review Some Tips for Writing about Literature, MLA Documentation and Book Review Samples

  ARTWORK ANALYSIS: Write a 1000-1500 word analysis.  

• Choose one piece of visual art from your culture; e.g. painting, mosaic, sculpture, architecture, jewelry, costume, craft, etc.  
• Include a picture (a photograph, printout or xerox) of the work you have chosen to analyze.  
• Include properly MLA formatted parenthetical in-text citations for information you have gathered from your sources: quotations, summaries or paraphrases.
• All parenthetical citations must match the first word(s) of the Works Cited citiations.
• All citations should be introduced with a signal phrase -- see: MLA Documentation.  
• Include a properly MLA formatted Works Cited list.  

• the form of the art ( suggestions as noted below); 
• the cultural/artistic contexts-circumstances that generated the art
• the symbolic or ritualistic implications of the work
• the effects, influences, or impact of the art form.
• Examples of FORM should include,  as applicable:  medium, materials, tools, and execution.  
• Sample outline for essay

SOME VISUAL FORMS
PAINTING
Lines:  linear, regular, irregular, horizontal, vertical, diagonal
Colors:  hues, contrast, combination, symbolism
Light:  flat, dramatic, creation of depth
Patterns:  decorative, realistic, repetitive
SCULPTURE
Form: three dimensional, freestanding, relief: low, high
Type: carved, molded, assembled, cast, texture
Material: wood, bronze, marble, stone, etc,
relation to site
ARCHITECTURE
materials, design, exterior- interior embellishment (relationship between the two)
use of other arts-sculpture, fresco etc.
relation to site

Review: Creating an Effective PPT Presentation
 Each team will present an oral/PowerPoint presentation that includes the following elements: 
(200 pts. total)

A  map that shows the location of the culture. Include and point out important geographical, sacred and political features.  (25  points)
A brief history of the culture -- be sure to include important events and dates in a bulleted list. (50 points)
Describe the culture's religion and mythology. If the mythology is polytheistic, describe 5-6 gods and goddesses in the pantheon. If it is monotheistic, discuss how different aspects of the divinity are depicted in the mythology. Include pictures  if available. (25 points)
  Visuals that portray  places and/or objects sacred to the culture.  Share the artworks analyzed and other visuals with the class and explain how or why the places or objects are sacred and what the function of the place or object is within the culture. At least four places and/or objects must be included.
(50 points)
Discuss or illustrate the influence of the culture in the world today: consider religious, artistic, cultural aspects (25 points)
Collaboration: Everyone on the team must actively participate in the class  presentation (25 points)

Group One: K. Ashlock, J. Hallahan, T. Overman, R. Taylor
Group Two: K. Beyea, B. Hoffmann, V. Passenau, E.J. Webster
Group Three: M. Chmielewski, D. Jaisingh, T. Serafine, W. Stapleton
Group Four: S. Gold, C. Koss, K. Siewrattan, C. Stevens
Group Five: C. Farnsworth, M.McLellan, K. Sparling, T. Toll
Group Six: J. Gholami, J. Miller, T. Wulke