The Ideal Culture

Introduction

You have the opportunity of a lifetime! The United Nations is going to finance the creation of a new country! A committee will be accepting and reviewing proposals for the next month. They will then make their choice based upon how complete the proposal is, how persuasive the creators are, and how successful they think the society could be. This opportunity comes at a good time, since we have just finished our unit about culture, learning about many parts with their roles and responsibilities. Our topics have ranged from technology to leisure time, from resources to health, and from education to social issues. This is your chance to use your background information and research skills to create the ideal place, with its own culture and customs.

The Task

You will need to use the information you have learned about the parts of culture, what you know about your own culture, and then use your research skills to find new information about other cultures to help you get new ideas. You will be working with 2 partners to create the ideal culture, then convince the United Nations that your proposal is the one they should choose. Your final presentation will consist of a brochure and a persuasive letter to the United Nations committee.
 

The Process and Resources

1. You will be assigned to a team of 3 students. Every team member must participate in all activities leading to your final products, however it is the team that will decide how to break up the tasks (keep a list).

TASK LIST

3. Review the information learned in class to be sure all members understand the important parts of a society and their roles.

4. Complete the Culture Graphic Organizer for the culture you live in now.

5. Use the following resources to look at the culture of 2 other countries and fill out the Culture Graphic Organizers:

www.geographic.org: Country Profiles

Future Culture Links

The Library of Congress: Country Studies

Global Insights

Exploring World Cultures

Global History: The Growth of Civilizations (Especially Chapters 1-5)

Available Encyclopedias

6. Decide where your ideal country will be (near the equator or one of the poles? Island or part of a continent? Etc.) what the geography is (flat land or mountains? Harbors? Rivers and lakes? Etc.), and what the environment will be like (seasons or hot/cold all year? Forests or few trees? Etc.).

7. Draw a colored map, complete with legend and scale of miles, of your ideal country.

8. Review the sets of questions and choose at least 9 culture areas/sets of questions you will use to develop and describe your ideal culture (* areas must be included).
 
 

9. Create a 1-paragraph description for each of the 9 chosen areas. Revise, edit, and type the descriptions.

10. Find or draw at least 5 pictures showing different parts of your perfect country.

11. Create an attractive brochure that includes your map, the 9 paragraphs, and at least 5 pictures.

12. Write a letter to the United Nations to convince the committee members that your proposal is the one they should choose, that your country is the ideal place.

13. Review, revise, and edit your letter, then type a final draft.

14. Take your final brochure and letter "On The Road" to at least 3 other people (1 must be a staff member at Foran), asking them to evaluate your proposal. Fill out the evaluation form based upon what they say.
 
 

15. Each team member must fill out a self-evaluation form.
 
 

16. Turn in the list of jobs, brochure, letter to the United Nations, 3 "On The Road" evaluation forms, and 3 team member self-evaluation forms.

Evaluation

Each team member will earn both individual and team grades. Individual grades (from A to F) will be earned for the jobs they were to complete (per the team list), behavior expectations, and self-evaluation. Team grades will be earned for group work, the final brochure, the final letter, and the "On The Road" evaluations. Extra credit may be earned for adding extra paragraphs to the brochure, creating a flag for your ideal country, and/or getting extra "On The Road" evaluations.
 
 

You have used the information learned in class and applied it to your own, as well as 2 other, cultures. You have had a chance to evaluate cultures to decide what you like and don’t like, and from that, create an overview of what you believe is the ideal culture.

As you have seen from your research, all societies have some issues. In your current society, you have the right and ability to work to resolve issues and improve the culture. What will you do to try to make things better for yourself, your family, and others?