ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS APPLIED TO THE UNITED STATES UNIT 4 DATE Humanities 10 : the importance of cultural universals and the struggle for equality worldwide

Essential Questions (Write these on your title page!) What must we understand before we can address the importance of cultural universals and the search for equality throughout the world? How do the stories of a culture reflect their values and beliefs? How do classic heroes differ from modern heroes, and what is their purpose?

How does “Playing for Change” reflect all three of the following? a. cultural universal b. cultural conflict c. cultural tradition 8 lines 5 minutes TYPE 2 WRITING

TYPE ONE WRITING (write the questions first) How do you think the earliest people learned? Who taught what to whom, and how did they teach it? 5 lines 5 minutes

Storytelling Notes/Vocab STORY TELLING is culturally universal: People began telling stories long before they started writing them down Oral tradition: passing down stories told aloud from generation to generation embellishment: how stories change over time through exaggeration Didactic: designed to teach P. 45

genres (categories) of story telling anecdote: short instructional/entertaining story about some happening, usually personal legend: widely told story (location and culture specific) usually with some basic in truth (jersey devil, lockness monster, sasquatch) folktale/folklore: exists only in oral tradition, story which not only reflects values and traditions, but encourages heroic/correct behavior (bloody mary) fable: short story with animal characters that teaches a lesson or moral (tortoise and the hare) proverbs: short sayings that express a common truth or familiar experience (don’t cry over spilled milk) Storytelling Notes/Vocab

genres (categories) of story telling (cont.) MYTHS: Originated in oral ancient tradition (many share similarities) Entertaining story with a serious purpose (explain or instruct) Myths focus on gods Explain: origin, natural phenomenon, death, nature NATURAL PHENOMENON: happenings in nature (ex: earthquakes, floods, sunrise, characteristics of animals, etc.) EPICS: LONG NARRATIVE STORIES/POEMS ABOUT A HERO AND HIS ADVENTURES

Vocab related to HEROES AND EPICS Characteristics of the CLASSIC HERO : unusual birth part god/favored by gods extraordinary strength kills monsters with special weapons goes on an arduous journey - QUEST visits the underworld unusual death P. 47

EPIC POEM:750 AND 650 B.C.E rhapsode (STORYTELLER): HOMER Odysseus Classic hero of “the odyssey”

Important characteristics of Odysseus/The Odyssey SYMBOLIZES the journey of life and its challenges Stresses the VALUES of: Using one’s brain to get out of tough situations GUILE (trickery): Odysseus escapes the cyclops Pride (HUBRIS) as bad behavior / TRAGIC FLAW (Odysseus yells his name to the cyclops) Rudeness as bad behavior (Circe turns men to pigs) Making difficult decisions (Scylla and Charybdis) Withstanding temptation (Sirens)

Vocab related to HEROES AND EPICS SUPERHERO: modeled after classic hero TRAGIC FLAW: a flaw leading to the downfall of a hero or heroine (usually pride) MODERN HEROES: everyday heroes don’t typically have a flaw in our minds didn’t ask to be heroes right place right time Man Is Rescued by Stranger on Subway Tracks

PURPOSES OF THESE STORIES Symbolize the human experience Embody the spiritual values of a culture Explain: origin, natural phenomenon, death, nature NATURAL PHENOMENON: happenings in nature (ex: earthquakes, floods, sunrise, characteristics of animals, etc.) Provide models of virtuous behavior (adventures of heroes, mistakes of fools) Illustrate striking similarities as well as differences between cultures Preserve elements of culture/history Encourage pride in culture Teach moral lesson/correct or incorrect behavior

PURPOSES OF THESE STORIES Symbolize the human experience Embody the spiritual values of a culture Explain: origin, natural phenomenon, death, nature NATURAL PHENOMENON: happenings in nature (ex: earthquakes, floods, sunrise, characteristics of animals, etc.) Provide models of virtuous behavior (adventures of heroes, mistakes of fools) Illustrate striking similarities as well as differences between cultures Preserve elements of culture/history Encourage pride in culture Teach moral lesson/correct or incorrect behavior

Vocab related to BELIEFS RELIGION: the belief in and worship of God or gods/goddesses DIETY/DIVINITIES: GOD/GODS MONOTHEISTIC: ONE GOD POLYTHEISTIC: MULTIPLE GODS RITUAL: A TRADITION THAT INVOLVES RELIGIOUS BELIEFS PHILOSOPHY: belief system without gods FATE: the force that guides the outcome of one’s life SUPERSTITION: irrational beliefs that certain things will influence outcomes OMEN: an event regarded as a sign of good or evil

________________ the human experience Embody the spiritual ______________ of a culture Explain: _____________, natural phenomenon, ______________ NATURAL PHENOMENON: ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ __________ Provide models of virtuous behavior (adventures of ___________, mistakes of _____________) Illustrate striking _________________ as well as differences between cultures Preserve elements of _____________/history Encourage ___________ in culture Teach ____________ lesson/correct or incorrect behavior PURPOSES OF THESE STORIES

INEQUALITY Types of INEQUALITY we will study: RACIAL (color, ethnicity) SOCIAL CLASS (based on wealth, power, education, occupation) GENDER (men/women) RELIGIOUS

INEQUALITY VOCAB INEQUALITY: an unfair situation, in which some groups in society have more money, opportunities, power, etc. than other DISCRIMINATION: the practice of treating one person or group differently from another in an unfair way: RACISM: unfair treatment of people, or violence against them, because they belong to a different race STEREOTYPE: to decide unfairly that a type of person has particular qualities or abilities because they belong to a particular race, sex, or social class

INEQUALITY VOCAB PREJUDICE: an unreasonable dislike and distrust of people who are different from one in some way, especially because of their race, sex, religion etc. BIAS: an opinion about whether a person, group, or idea is good or bad which influences how you deal with it ETHNOCENTRISM: evaluating other peoples and cultures according to the standards of one's own culture MULTICULTURAL PERSPECTIVE: a way of thinking that involves ideas from many different countries, races, or religions

Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have A Dream” Speech August 28, 1963 March on Washington, Washington, DC Steps of the Lincoln Memorial

INEQUALITY VOCAB INEQUALITY: an _______ situation, in which some groups in society have more __________, ______________, ____________ etc. than others DISCRIMINATION: the practice of treating one person or group ___________ from another in an _____________ way: RACISM: unfair _____________ of people, or ____________ against them, because they belong to a different race STEREOTYPE: to decide unfairly that a type of person has particular qualities or ___________ because they belong to a particular ________, sex, or ______________

INEQUALITY VOCAB PREJUDICE: an _____________ dislike and distrust of people who are different from one in some way, especially because of their _______, ______, _____________ etc. BIAS: an ________ about whether a person, group, or idea is _________ or _________ which influences how you deal with it ETHNOCENTRISM: the idea that ___________ race, ________, group etc. is better than any other MULTICULTURAL PERSPECTIVE: a way of thinking that includes ideas from many different __________, __________, or ______________

In-Class Essay: Forrest Gump and American Culture Choose ONE of the following THESIS STATEMENTS: 1.THE FILM FORREST GUMP DEPICTS SEVERAL inequalities THAT EXIST IN AMERICAN CULTURE, FOR INSTANCE __________________, _________________ AND ___________________. 2.THE FILM FORREST GUMP PORTRAYS SEVERAL American beliefs and values, FOR INSTANCE __________________, __________________ AND ________________________ THE CHARACTER OF FOREST GUMP EXEMPLIFIES CHARACTERISTICS OF BOTH THE classic hero and the modern hero IN THE SENSE THAT HE ____________________ AND ________________________.

WRITING TIPS/REMINDERS FOLLOW HOOKS WITH BACKGROUND THAT PROVIDES YOUR READER WITH NECESSARY INFORMATION AND TRANSITIONS INTO YOUR THESIS OFTEN INCLUDED IN THIS PART OF AN INTRODUCTION Title, author, setting, dates, context, purpose, important facts, etc. #4

WRITING TIPS/REMINDERS END INTRODUCTIONS WITH A THESIS STATEMENT THAT INCLUDES THE TOPICS OF EACH BODY PARAGRAPH TOPIC + OPINION = THESIS “The film Forrest Gump depicts several inequalities that exist in American culture, for instance ___________, __________ and ___________.” #5

WRITING TIPS/REMINDERS BEGIN YOUR CONCLUSION BY RESTATING YOUR THESIS IN DIFFERENT WORDS #6 FINISH WITH A RECAP OF YOUR MAIN POINTS AND YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS

AVOID FIRST PERSON ( I ) AND SECOND PERSON ( YOU ) IN YOUR ESSAYS UNLESS APPROPRIATE OR NECESSARY. #7 WRITING TIPS/REMINDERS