Cultural Awareness, Understanding, and Acceptance

Project description
In this task, you will use selected resources to research and report on at least three themes, concepts, and or ideas which may include lifestyles, values, mores, and other characteristics of at least two sub-cultures living in your state.

Note: If you live in a rural area and dont have any diverse populations, think of areas in your state that have minority cultures and those types of cultures you would most likely work with in the classroom.

For organizational ease, include the following task headings: label section C Concept Map, label sections D-G Introduction, Results, etc, label section H Personal and Professional Relevance. Keep the work organized in the same way the task is outlined.

Task:

A. Write a statement of purpose for your research project on subcultures living in your state.

A statement of purpose is a sentence that defines what you want to learn about in your research project and acts as a guide for your research.

Note: Your statement of purpose will go into the introduction of your paper. (See D1 below)

B. Locate and gather sources of information from both online and local sources such as the local library, the Internet, interlibrary loan, or from organizations that directly represent the cultures you wish to study.

Note: If you access a public or university library via the Internet that will be considered a local source.

Note: This information will be used in your paper and cited in section G listed in APA format and identified if it is a primary or secondary source.

1. Secondary sources: Locate at least two non-Internet sources on each culture (four sources total). Seek various types of sources (e.g., textbook, library monograph, brochure, etc.). Do not include encyclopedias as part of the four required sources.

2. Primary sources: Locate at least three sources for each culture (six sources total). Seek various types of materials (e.g., pictures, documents from authoritative bodies, poetry from members of that culture, etc.).

Note: Do not use personal interviews as a source.

a. Include at least one primary source for either culture from the Internet.

b. Include at least one primary source for either culture from an official government or public policy source (e.g., U.S. Supreme Court or U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division), which are available on the Internet at sites indicated by *.gov rather than *.com or *.edu.

C. Create an outline or concept map for each culture (two outlines or concept maps total) and upload them with your research paper. Each outline or concept map should represent at least three common themes, as well as concepts and ideas addressed in those themes (e.g., beliefs, foods, arts and entertainment, educational aspirations, political tendencies, traditions, family life, holidays, languages spoken). Use the same 3 themes for each culture.

You can find explanations of outlining and concept mapping on the Internet by entering concept map into a search engine.

If you create the concept maps by hand, scan a copy of each map and save the images as JPEG files.

D. Write an introduction (suggested length of 12 paragraphs).

1. Place your statement of purpose at the beginning of your introduction.

2. Identify the cultures you researched.

3. Briefly describe the common themes, and the concepts you will address within each theme.

E. Write a results section to describe each culture (suggested length of 12 pages per theme for each culture).

1. Present the information you found on each culture. Use the three themes you used to create your outlines/concept maps.

2. Cite any information you include using APA in-text citations.

F. Write a discussion and conclusions section (suggested length of 12 pages).

1. Discuss how the two cultures are similar (at least two similarities) using the information you researched.

2. Discuss how the two cultures are different (at least three differences) using the information you researched.

3. Explain at least three specific ways the information found on the two cultures from this project could be applied in a classroom.

G. Create a reference list in APA format. Be sure to identify each source as primary or secondary.

Note: Make sure that the sources you site on your reference list are also cited in your paper.

H. Clearly describe the materials and methods you employed (suggested length of 12 paragraphs).

1. Describe the specific methods and key words you used to find your resources.

2. Explain by name which sources were most important and why.

3. Describe how you reviewed and synthesized the information you found in the sources.

4. Describe why the report is important to you personally (community, neighborhood, family, etc.) and as a teaching professional. Explore your feelings and make connections between the information you learned and your future as a teacher.

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the attached Rubric Terms.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in a paper or project, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the paper or project.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the General Instructions section.