Activity
1. Begin class with the following journal prompt (this will
serve as brainstorming questions for the essay students
will write): “Think about the texts we have
read over the past four days. How were the characters
we read about influenced by their respective cultural
and societal circumstances? How were their perspectives
on life affected by culture/class/social conditions?
What about you? What do you consider to be your culture?
How do you think your neighborhood/city/state/country
has affected the person you have become?”
2.
After
students have responded to these questions in their
journals (about 5-10 minutes), you may wish to discuss
some of their ideas as a whole class.
3.
Explain to the class that today they will be analyzing
the affects of their own cultural
and social beliefs on their personal
perspectives.
4. Let students have the remainder of the class period
to begin writing their essays (they may be completed at home
and turned in on the due date you select).
5. Explain
to the class that they must use proper essay format and
process
in order
to compose a successful paper. Hand out the following essay
prompt:
Analyzing
Perspectives
This week we have read and discussed at length the
ways in which our culture, society, and environment
can influence
our perspectives on life. Now it is your turn to think
about your
own personal beliefs and reflect on how your culture and
social values affect who you are, what you think, and what
you do.
Write an academic essay in which you explore this idea,
along with explaining how our cultural and societal
beliefs are
in many ways like a “lens” which influences
everything we see and think about. In your essay, you may
want to consider
some of the following questions:
- What
do you consider to be your culture? How is the term
culture different from
ethnicity?
- What
beliefs and values do you hold dear? Where do these
beliefs come from?
- How
are you influenced by your culture, your community,
your family?
- What
kind of person are you? How has living in America influenced
who you have become? What do
you consider to
be “American” values?
Do you agree with them?
- Did
you always live in the U.S.? How might you have changed
as a person if you had grown up in
another
country, city, or neighborhood? If you were not born where you currently live
how would your perspectives on life have
been different if
you had remained in your original city/state/country?
Closure
After answering any questions students may
have, give them the remainder of the class period to work on
their essays. Float around the room and assist students with
outlines and rough drafts.
Homework
Cultural perspectives
essay. |
Embedded
Assessment
Student
essays should be assessed for completion of the lesson objectives.
Primarily, are the students able to identify and articulate the
ways in which culture and society affect their perspectives?
Essays should be well-organized and contain a thesis, proper
introduction, conclusion, ideas separated by paragraphs, use
of topic and transitional sentences, etc.
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