*Day 1: Handout 1 (p1)

CULTURAL RESEARCH UNIT OVERVIEW

Welcome to the wonderful world of cultural research! We are about to begin a 4-

long introduction to cultural research as a way to wrap up this year’s ongoing
study of identities, culture, and perspectives. For this unit:

• You will CHOOSE A CULTURE which you would like to examine

over the next 4 weeks.
• You will examine THREE REQUIRED aspects (artifacts) of the
culture choose, plus ONE of your choice.
• You will ORGANIZE AND POST your findings and artifacts on a
class Wikispace as you progess. (We will discuss Wikispaces in
depth tomorrow).
• You will select as partner who will help guide and assist you
through the research process. However, you should note that
everyone will be turning in their own work.
• You will PRESENT your findings to the class through a RESEARCH
PRESENTATION.

Over the next 4 weeks, you will be graded on TWO THINGS:

1.) Your Wikispace posts and artifacts.
2.) Your research presentation as a whole.

Each of these components is worth 50% of your total grade for this unit.

PROPOSALS:
Each student will complete a Research Proposal Sheet regarding the culture they
would like to research. Before you begin researching, you MUST conduct a
conference with me regarding your choices. Conferences are to be done outside
of class, either during study hall, after school, or during lunch. You will sign-up
for a conference today.
Day 1: Handout 1, (p2)

ARTIFACTS:
You will be researching a total of FOUR aspects of your chosen culture. Each
aspect comprises an ARTIFACT of your research. The following three are
REQUIRED artifacts.
1.) Artifact 1: The history and traditions of your culture: how long has it
been around, what does it do to unify itself, how does it identify itself in
our community?
2.) Artifact 2: Interpretations of your culture: how do other cultures or
groups react to and identify your culture?
3.) Artifact 3: Adversity and your culture: how has your culture faced
adversity? Has it triumphed overall? How so or how not?
4.) Artifact 4: Your choice (to be cleared with me during proposal
conference). This will be presented during your research presentation.

WIKISPACE POSTS:
Wikispace posts are done to keep your partners and peers afloat on what you’re
researching, as well as to keep your findings organized and in one place. Each
artifact you research will be posted and reflected on week by week. The
following is a rough schedule of assigned Wikiposts:

1.) WP1: A post about your topic and why you chose it
2.) WP2: One good and one bad website source
3.) WP3: A post about the fourth cultural artifact and why you chose it
4.) WP4: One organization with which your culture is affiliated
5.) WP5: One website that you could model your research presentation off
of, with reflection, plus Artifact 1
6.) WP6: Reflection to Lauren Greenfield photo exhibit
7.) WP7: Artifact 2
8.) WP8: Artifact 3

PRESENTATION:
Work on final research presentations will be done in class and at home. We will
begin to work on putting presentations together in the third week of the unit.
More information will be given about the presentations as the due date draws
nearer.
*Day 1: Handout 2

RESEARCH PROPOSAL SHEET

1.) What culture am I choosing to research?

2.) WHY am I choosing to research this culture? What does it mean to me?

3.) Who am I choosing to inform through my research (myself, my peers, my

teacher, etc)?

4.) What, if anything, do I already know about this culture?

5.) What do I hope to learn when my research has concluded?

*********************************************************************************

Student Signature: x__________________________________________

Teacher Signature: x___________________________________________

Date of Proposal Conference: ____________________
*Day 1: Handout 3

BE A RESEARCHER IN YOUR OWN SCHOOL

Directions: Over the next few weeks, you will become aware of all new different
methods and sources for research. Research opportunities are everywhere, even
in your own school! In groups of 4, you will travel around the school looking for
different artifacts that TELL YOU SOMETHING. Pay attention to fliers, poster
boards, calendars, PEOPLE (teachers, students, the principal, etc.), the school
handbook, etc. Answer ONE of the following questions about the school.
Be prepared to discuss the following questions as a class:

What is a major extra-curricular event happening next year? When is it

happening?
How many students are in the senior class?
What is the procedure a parent must follow to excuse their ill son or daughter
from school?
What is for lunch in the cafeteria on Monday next week?

1.) Did you find any new or surprising research tools?

2.) Who did you talk to? Why were they helpful?

3.) What artifacts did you examine? Why were they helpful?

4.) Can you think of any other places or ways you could have gathered this
information?
*Day 11, 12, 13, 15: Handout

FORM= AUDIENCE + PURPOSE

1. What is the FORM of the genre or piece you examined today/this week?
Why is this form appropriate?

2. Who is the AUDIENCE for this genre or piece? Who does the creator or
author wish to inform? Why is the form appropriate for this audience? What
does this audience GAIN?

3. What is the PURPOSE for this or piece? Why has the creator or author
created this piece? How is the purpose met by the form the author chose?
*Day 16: Presentation Handout (p1)

RESEARCH PRESENTATION ASSIGNMENT

Congratulations! Over the past 3 weeks, you have learned many of the ins and
outs of research. Hopefully, you have familiarized yourself with many different
methods (or modes) of research and a slew of different genres (websites, iMovies,
TV, film, visual representation). Over the past few weeks, you have acquired
information that has informed some of the answers for your three artifacts. Now,
you will put together a presentation of your findings that meets the audience and
purpose for you research. REVISIT YOUR RESEARCH PROPOSALS! Below is a
collection of the various genres you have encountered:

Wikispaces iVideo
Official Wesbites Online video clips
DIY Websites Film
Visual Representations Television
Advertisements Music

Choose one of the genres we have encountered in which to present your

research. Again, we will conference to go over your goals and expectations and
make sure everything makes sense. I urge you to be creative and have fun!
However, remember the two most important things about a good presentation: it
keeps its AUDIENCE and its PURPOSE in mind!

Some examples of presentations which would utilize these genres include:

• Making your own Wikispace dedicated to your culture

• Make a website using Weebly or another DIY site
• Create a slideshow of images depicting our culture (similar to
Lauren Greenfield’s)
• Make an iVideo with art and music that effectively depicts what
you’ve learned about your culture
• Create a soundtrack of songs that symbolizes your culture
*Day 16: Presentation Handout (p2)

You will have five days in school during why you can work on your
presentations in the library, including a day you will update your research
partner on your progress and be able to ask questions. Use your time wisely, both
at home and at school. It is expected that you will spend some time working on
these at home!

ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE:

Monday, 5/25: Independent work in library (sign up for presentation date)

Tuesday, 5/26: Independent work in library
Wednesday, 5/27: Independent work in library
Thursday, 5/28: Citation lesson and independent work
Friday, 5/29: Partner Share
Monday, 6/2: Presentations begin

FORM= AUDIENCE + PURPOSE

 Day 16: Handout 2 (created at www.rubistar.4teacher.org)

RESEARCH PRESENTATION RUBRIC

CATEGORY Appropriateness of Form Appearance/Quality Knowledge/Content Presenter Preparation
25 points - Form completely suits - Presentation is -Presenter is well- -Presenter speaks
its intended audience and polished, clean, and versed in the clearly and fluidly,
their need/expectation well thought out. artifacts and speaks with confidence.
-Form completely meets Any art or fits knowledgeably Presentation keeps
the purpose of the media works about that. Research excellent flow, pace,
presentation perfectly. was clearly and style throughout.
Presentation is conducted.
completely pleasing Presenter can easily
to the senses answer questions
about topic.
18-25 points - Form essentially meets - Presentation is -Presenter is mostly -Presenter speaks
audience expectations, mostly polished, but well-versed on almost completely
but a better genre could could be neater or topic, but could clearly and fluidly.
have been chosen -Form better organized. have found more. Flow, pace, and style
almost entirely meets its Art media Research was are mostly good.
purpose, but could go functioning almost conducted, but
further perfectly. presenter doesn't
Presentation is speak with
mostly pleasing to complete
the senses. confidence on topic.
17-10 points - Form only minimally -Presentation is -Presenter is not -Presenter does not
meets audience needs only mildly or well versed in topic, speak very clearly or
and expectations; slightly polished, and seems fluidly (breaks and
audience may not fully but needs a lot of dependent on stops in presentation,
understand or appreciate work. Art or media presentation to volume too low, etc.)
presentation -Purpose is not well organized discuss topic. Pace, flow and style
met minimally by or not functioning Presenter has a need much
presentation properly. difficult time improvement,
Presentation only answering questions
slightly appealing. about topic.
Below 10 -Form is completely -Presentation -Presenter not at all -Presenter does not
points inappropriate for its appears to have versed in topic. speak clearly or
intended audience; they very little effort put Research was fluidly at all. Pace,
will not have any needs into appearance. Art clearly not done or flow, and style are
or expectations met or media not done very poorly. poor, making the
-Form is completely functioning at all. Presenter cannot presentation very
inappropriate for Presentiation not at answer any difficult to follow.
purpose; does not all appealing. questions about
accomplish it's goal topic.
Day 19: Handout

CITATION SHEET

Directions: For each genre or source, find an online source that tells you how to
cite it. Describe how you would correctly cite each source for academic or
professional purposes. We will correct these sheets as a class. Be sure to keep
this as a reference for citation of your presentation sources!

1.) An official website:

2.) An episode or clip of a television show:

3.) A film:

4.) A song:

5.) A DIY website or blog: