World History/Geography • • • • • . Culture Project

Mr. Brodowski 10th grade World History 2nd Semester Project

Introduction:

This project is designed to make you more aware of the complexities of human culture. In the process of studying World History this year, you have seen how humans have tried to master their environment, create and sustain societies, resolve conflicts and puzzle out the questions of nature and the universe. This project is going to place you and your group at the center of a make-believe culture in which you will presented with the challenge of applying your knowledge of history in various areas.

Method:

The following is a list of specific topics that each group will include in the creation of their culture. Each will have specific instructions that will need to be considered and addressed in the course of your project.

1. Language 7. Shelter 2. Religion 8. Family Organization 3. Government 9. Technology 4. Economy 10. Art and Recreation 5. Agriculture 11. Education 6. Clothing 12. Location & Natural Resources

Special Note: THE FIRST THING THAT EACH GROUP NEEDS TO DO IS DETERMINE THE LOCATION AND TIME PERIOD OF YOUR CIVILIZATION.

Responsibilities:

The quality of this project will depend greatly on each member doing the very best job they possibly can within their areas. It is therefore important that each person in the group uses their full knowledge of history and has a willingness to be creative, open to ideas, and responsible to the group. Each group will need to develop a logical reason for why your culture does what it does. Above all your culture must show compatability and inter­relatedness - - - there can be no anachronisms! For example: Ifyour culture is set in the 6th Century AD, in the forests of Northern Europe, you are not going to find things like electric guitars, automobiles and refridgerators.etc.. Good Luck!

CD

Grading:

Project Value - 400 points . Created Product: 300 points (25 per topic) Calendar Deadlines: 100 points (25 per deadline)

Each of the specific topics required will have a value of 25 points based on research content, creativity, historical accuracy. artistic expression. technological presen~tion and thema~c cohesion. Obviously, not all of these guidelines will apply to each tOP1C, but several will.

In addition to the product. specific deadlines will be established which ~ust be met or >,uur group will forfeit points. Just like the re,al world that ,we live in, there will be ~our sp~lfic deadlines on your calendar worth 25 pomts each. Frulure to meet those deadhnes With

finished products will negatively affect your final grade.

State Content Standards:

This project is specifically aimed at the development of the state Analysis skills outlined in the standards. All of the specific Chronological and Spatial Thinking skills will be addressed, (#'s 1-4) as well as #'s 1-5 of the Historical Interpretation skills. In additon to these skills, the specific topics to be covered by the students will also include aspects of standards 10.1, 10.2,10.3, 10.4. 10.7, and 10.8

Specific Objectives:

Students will work cooperatively in small groups, both in-school and outside of school, to complete all tasks by specified deadlines and produce a finished product.

Students will incorporate previous knowledge about Ancient and Modem World Civilizations and cultures to complete their project.

Students will use a variety of technology skills, including, but not limited to, word pr~essing. electronic scanning, Internet research, and e-mail in the completion of their project.

Students will examine various resources, both print and electronic, and determine what is relevant to the completion of their product.

I

.) LANGUAGE -- Called the -means by which ideas. values, knowledge. and culture are transmitted-. language is essential to the development of your culture.

L Is your written language the same as your oral language or i!i there a difference?

ii. How is your hmgu8Q8 organized? iii. What symbols are used and what are their meanings.

NOT[; BE SURE TO PUT EXAMPLES or YOUR LANGUAGE IN YOUR R[PORT ALONG WITH A -ROSETTA - STONE- TO AID IN DECIPHERING.

2. REUGION _ .. one of the -measuring sUets· of a c1v111zailon, religious rituals and lore have developed in every civilization known to history.

Some are complex and very ritualistic while others are very simplisttc, but all deal with the issues of eternity and Its questions of -Where did I come from?-, ·Whyam I here?- and ·Where am I 00lng after I die?" .

i. -- What Is your reUglon? How did U develop? What are Us main beliefs and practices? What is your religions purpose? Is your religion polytheistic?, monotheistic?, animistic? Who(m) Is(are) your Bod(s)? What are their powers/responsibiHties/desires/goals etc .. ? What rules/gUIdelines have been established in your religion to help a believer /foIlower succeed?

3. GOVERNMENT -- a system of power/authority has been demonstrated to be necessary in enabling a society/civilization to last long enough to beeorn,!, Important.

i. - - How is your government estab lished? What is Us purpose? How does It futti II its purpose? How is it organized?

i i. - What type of government system do you have? Is it Democratic?, Communistic?, Theocratic? Oligarchic? Dictatorial?

iii. -- If government does not fulfill its purpose, whal methods .01' systems are in place to establish a new government.

4. ECONOMICS -- another of the -measuring devices- for gauging civilizations, your economy is the method by which your society/civlltzaUon increases its wealth and power.

i. What type of economy does your culture have? ogrleultural? service?, manufacturing? technological? etc.. What are some products that your economy produces? Why?

11. How IS your economy orq8nJzed"l OlvlslOn 01 labor? Specialization of work? Generalization of work? Method(s) Q~ ta'..!~lness transaction? Methods of establl~hing weelth? power r

! prestige?

iii. How 1S your economy controlled? Prices? Costs? Are there general guidelines for control or is it a -free-market­economy.

5. AGRICULTURE -- the growing of food has always been an essential part of any civtHzatton.

I. What type of agriculture does your culture work w1th? Is n strictly for personal necessity or is it also for profit? What type of product is produced? How ara your agricultural responslbi litles handled? .

it. What is necessary to insure a successful harvest? What special tools, programs~ solutions have been developed to aid your ogr icuIture?

iii. What s~reguards have you taken to insure against tl badharv8st? What plans exist;to support your society in case of problems?

6. CLOTHING - - representative of all cultures, clothing often reflects the values, concerns, status, and success/failure of both 1ndividuals and the society as a whole.

i. How does clothing represent your culture? 'Is there speCialization of clothing depending on one's social status or level in society? What purpose does clothing serve? Is there any religious significance to your clothing? Does the clothing reflect individual ity or communal necessny? Is there spectal significance attached to the style. color, texture, value of the clothing?

·7. SHELTER - What types of dwellings do your people have?

NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

A. 1. Nomadic bands require minimal shelter which must be moveable. If your culture is nomadiC, what types of shelter do you require, how is it made. and how do you move it?

2. Village dwellers -- does your culture exist in the village leyel? I t so, hOW is the vlllage constructed, deSigned and laul out*1

3. Town i)welters - see prevlous page

4. City Dwellers - see above.

B. Materials

1. caves and/or tents? 2. mud bricks? 3. rock? 4. wood?

C. How 1s the structure to be buHt?

• Who bul1ds the build1ngs? 2. What is the purpose of your buildings?

A. Government B. ReHgious C. FamBy DwelHng D. Storehouse E. Art/Drama F. Ml11tary

REFER TO THE TECHNOL06Y SECTION FOR THE TOOLS NEEDED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHE,LTERS.

8. fAMILY UNIT - Every culture expends effort 1n the development and care of the fam1Jy. However. not all cultures have a slm111ar definition of ·fam1Jy·. How do your people perceive this unlversal structure of human organization.

A. THE EXTENDED FAMILY - Does your famt1y 1nv01ve more than just the father. mother and kids? 00 several generaUons of related people live in the same dwel1ing? If so. is the extended famHy a:

1. Matriarchy? 2. Patriarchy?

8 NUCLEAR fAMilY - Does the family unit involve only the father. mother and immediate children in II single family dwelling? If so is It 8:

1. Matriarchy? 2. Patriarchy?

C. THE AGE Of MARRIAGE AND THE DETERMINATION OF A SPOUSE ­When do pcop Ie get married and how are the partners introduced to each other HINT· This i~ not as p'8SV a~ it sp.p.m~1

D. THE STRUCTURE OF THE MARRIED RELAlION5HIP - Will the marriage be~

,. Monogamous? 2. Polygamous? (one husband/several wives) 3. Polyandrous? (one wife/several husbands)

L THE PROCESS OF DIVORCE - All cultures must deal with the problem of disintegration of the marriage relationship. Will your culture aHow divorce? Ifso, what are the conditions"

F. CHILDREN - Chl1dren are a cultures investment in Us own su'rvivol: They are the next generation caretakers of the cultures. values. and ceremonies. They are. to say the least. as equally as important as food. tacking chHdren. or food. means that the cunure will die. Keeping these things 1n mind. consider the fo11owing:

I. What is the social pOSition of children in your culture? 2. What the inheritance practices of your culture.

9. TRANSPORTAnON/TECHNOLOGY

A. What type( s) of transportation does your culture use? B. Where do your people go when they -go-? C. Why do your peop Ie go when they -go·? D. What type of technology does your culture use? E. What are the sources of your raw materials? F. What are your sources of energy?

10. ART and RECREATION - Art and recreation have been constant factors in cultures throughout man"s history on the earth. Often developed as a way of expressing the values of a culture, both mediums have also served as a way of releasing cultural pressures.

A. Describe how Art Is used to refJect your cultural values and ideas in the fol1owing areas:

I. Religion 2. Pulitics 3. Technoioov 1. family

What -forms· of Art do the above items ..take om· when they are expressed?

R How does your culture relax when the need arises? What forms of recreation do you have and how often are they used?

1. Is there an -acceptable- way to relax? An unacceptableJ way? Are there any guidelines at all?

., l:.UUCAI iON - it has been sald that education -IS the means by WhlCh a culture insures that it will survive and thats its values and ideas wil1 live on into the future-, Even though education IS universal. not all cultures place the same amount of importance on it. How do vour peop1e view education?

A. How is education defined? What is taught to your peop1e and how Is it passed along to them? Do you teach onIy about ,things that are important to your culture. or do you try to understand the "world­around you?

8. Does your cuUure beHeve In ·forma.- education, such as rules, gulde1tnes, time-frames etc. or is ·Informal· education such as 1'881­life experience preferred? Explain about your system?

C~ Are Institutions of learning constructed and managed or Is the ·world­the classroom for you?

O. Who is responsible for passing on the Instruction to your population? 00 you have trained -information giver"s- or cen anyone do It? What reqUirements do you have for those people who will -teach- yourpeople? ..

E. Is education divided into • topic spec1allzatlons· or maybe 1eve1s of education? What is required to enter these dinerentareas of education?

12. lOCATION and NATURAL RESOURCES

As the rine) requirement for your project, you are required to make a set of maps showing the 1ocation of your culture as weI) as the natural resources ayailable to you. The maps should show all landforms, mineral resources etc.

The guide should follow basiC geographic rules that we have discussed in class, such as -direction orientation-, (N ,S,E ,W), elevations, high/low temperatures duiring your seasons. typical weather. cUmates ralnfal1 etc.

6000 LUCKI