S+Slack,+Alexander

**Office: Dakin Hall** **Office Phone: 207-555-5555** **Office Hours: Whenever** ** E-mail: alexander.slack@maine.edu **
 * Teacher: Mr. Slack**

=Summary of Unit= World Cultures is a class that sums itself in its words it is a class about studying the cultures of the world to not only broaden the students horizons of what is around them but to also open the doors to show what else is out there and how to study it. Students will learn about culture through history and will do this by learning new vocabulary and pushing the limits of their understanding on a global scale. Students will be tested in the areas of stereotypes and races or learn about what it means to truly learn and not just judge. Students will learn why learning about other cultures is important and learn that there is an inter-connectivity that unites all of us. Students will understand not just the culture through history of other countries but they will also learn physically about the locations of other countries and be able to effectively identify the world through geographic locations and cultural locations as well. Student will know by the end of the class important items such as terminology, critical details of other countries, and important political leaders, and people around the world. Students will take the work that we will do and be able to make connections to their own lives based on the material we learn about in other cultures. This material will be presented by the students in a creative faction that will help get them engaged and excited about world cultures, and maybe have some fun on the way.

=Establish Goals= E2 individual, cultural, international, and global connections in History

= = =Students will understand that= • The areas of the world that coincide with culture • History in a world sense • The countries of the world and where they are located

= = =Essential Questions= •How do you you interpret culture, and why do we stereotype? • How do we learn about other cultures through History? • Why is knowledge about other countries important?

= = =Students will know= •Vocabulary/Terminology- Racism, Stereotype. Foreign Policy, countries names', and world leaders • Critical Details- Location, culture, cause and effect, government, and deciding factors • Important Events and People - world leaders, government officials, and big factors for countries.

= = =Students will be able to= • Model the countries of the world • Document specific events characterized by country • Produce major turning points based on culture and History • Analyze effects and issues in countries around the world. • Imagine cultures of the world and make connections • Be aware of diversity in other countries

**Performance Task Overview** As a popular cartographer you come home from a busy day of drawing maps to find a mysterious envelope in your usually empty mailbox. You open the formal looking letter to read a request by the creators of the Amazing Race. The letter reads “Hello __insert name here__ you are part of the lucky few cartographers who have been selected to compete in out Map Off for the new season of the Amazing Race. You will be given an area of the world and asked to map the area of the world following these parameters. One you will need to use Google Earth as the tool for mapping the course, this is the 21st century get to know the technology. Two you will need to touch every capital city in every country in order complete the course effectively. Three when presenting your course you need to do this presentation in a fun and engaging ways that really knocks the socks off the creators of The Amazing Race. Four you may work with a fellow cartographer for the completion of this course, and if you work in a mapping firm your partner has been sent this same letter. If you choose to accept this task you will be assessed on your enthusiasm, collaboration with in your said group, the actual content if you followed all the parameters, if you were prepared and the project is official, the use of the required Google Earth and the rest of the technology you choose to use, and if you are able to effectively gauge other cartographers work to assist in the selection of the final course.

=Expectations= __Attendance-__ Attendance is one of those things that will get you far in life. Whether is is a job interview, sports practice, or just your everyday career attendance is always looked at as well as arriving in a timely manner. Before we go ahead and jump to conclusions I am not saying that you cannot be absent ever I am saying that you should way more often than not be in my class. Also what I am saying is that I am lenient in the terms of tardiness. If you have logistical excuse or a pass then you will be excused once, but if you make a habitat of being late that is when the consequences start to come out. Essentially come to class and be ready to have fun and there will be no problems between you and I. Therefore if you miss class it is your responsibility to either see what work you missed by looking at the online syllabus or the paper syllabus, and comign to find me in your time if you need help.

__Assessments-__ This class will be full of learning and fun. you may not be used to hearing those words used in the same sentence let alone to describe each other but in this class I will revolutionize the way you think if that is the case. We will be covering a wide range of topic and really get into touchy subjects for many people. There will be a lot of public speaking in this class or at least a lot of presentations. Therefore rule number one of out projects and our classroom in general is that we will be positive to each other, needless to say that we can have fun and have some jokes but there will be no making fun of peoples work or judging each others opinions. We are going to be learning together, struggling together, and just having tons of fun together so why don't we like each other.

__Participation-__ Classroom participation will have a new meaning by the end of this class for every student. We will be learning by talking to each other about a wide variety of subjects. Using your class mates at as a resource can be a amazing tool so lets ultimately learn together as a group. On top of all these positive sources you will also be graded on your classroom participation not just quantity, by quality of what you say, and also how you treat your other class mates.

__Class Expectations-__ My class room expectations are about simple and straight forward as you can get respect each other and use good judgement on every thing that you do. Respect each other dosen't mean I am forcing everyone in my class to be best friends, even though it would be nice, it means that we will be like each other in my class and use each other to learn and make class fun. using good judgement means that I will assist you at first but then you will have to use your judgment to decide if anything you choose is a good idea. If you choose wrongly do not be afraid for I have a consequence for you.

__Plagiarism-__ This is a simple word that we will explain in the first class, but essentially if you steal someone else work with out credit or just flat out steal you paper or project will count as a zero and you will be in capable of making it up... moral of the story do not plagiarize.

=Benchmarks= My benchmarks will operate on a 600 point scale with each section worth 100 points. • Google Earth - Have the students map the countries in a section of the world using Google Earth as the tool for mapping. 100 points • Comic Life - Create a comic strip of series of events that pertains to a country or culture that we are studying. 100 points • Prezi - Create a Prezi based on a chain of events in your country or culture that leads to a turning point. 100 points • Movie - Create a music video or a Public Service Announcement about issues in a country. 100 points • Podcast - dress up and role play a skit or video tape your skit to create a podcast about important political figures or people from another country. 100 points • Online Blog - Blog about what you have learned about other countries and global diversity. 100 points

=Grading Scale=
 * A** (93 -100), **A-** (90 - 92), **B+** (87 - 89), **B** (83 - 86), **B-** (80 - 82), **C+**(77 - 79), **C** (73-76), **C-** (70 - 72), **D+**(67 - 69), **D** (63 - 66), **D-** (60 - 62), **F** (0 - 59)