Soomo7

Applied Humanities

The Principles of the Humanities Presentation Sample A 7 Module Seven: Human Culture / Page 7.2.2 Presentation Sample A On this page: 0 of 8 attempted (0%) | 0 of 8 correct (0%) Objective: Apply the grading rubric to a good presentation.

Just as you did before, you’ll now use a sample, similar in style to what you’re developing, to gain more insight into the rubric. You can see the sample speaker’s notes for the presentation embedded below, but once again we’ll be working through them piece by piece.

Google Doc. Presentation A. Uploaded October 9, 2018, by Soomo Learning. Follow the link to view the document in a separate window.

Critical Element 1. Overview

Provide a brief overview of your artifacts, theme, and thesis statement. How are they situated within the domain of the humanities?

Student Response:

My first artifact is a classical piece of music by Gustav Holst called “Jupiter.” It is part of The Planets, a seven-movement orchestra piece, and it was composed between 1914 and 1916. My other artifact is a mural by a German American artist named Emanuel Leutze. It is called Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way

and depicts pioneers traveling west. This mural was painted on a wall inside the U.S. Capitol building in 1862, when the Civil War had just started. Although nearly everything about these two works differs, from their media to their creators, cultures, and time periods, they both share the theme of patriotism, or belonging to a national identity. This is seen in “Jupiter” through the inclusion of an anthemic folk melody in the middle of the piece, and in Westward’s portrayal of manifest destiny and the expansion of a young America.

Multiple-Choice Question

This response would BEST fit into which rubric category?

Proficient: Provides brief overview of artifacts, theme, and thesis statement and explains how they are situated within the domain of the humanities Needs Improvement: Provides brief overview of artifacts, theme, and thesis statement and explains how they are situated within the domain of the humanities, but with gaps in detail or clarity Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and response expertly balances necessary detail with brevity Not Evident: Does not provide brief overview of artifacts, theme, and thesis statement and does not explain how they are situated within the domain of the humanities

Critical Element 2. Impact the Audience

Explain how the theme as expressed in the cultural artifacts and the thesis statement impact the audience. How is the theme relevant to members of the audience? Why should the audience care about your thesis statement? Support your response with specific examples from your exploration document.

Student Response:

The theme of patriotism should impact any member of my audience. Regardless of how we each feel about the country in which we live, we all belong to some group. Be it a family, a circle of a friends, or an ethnic group, forming a “patriotic” bond with such groups is essential to developing a sense of belonging and value in life. After all, patriotism is a broad vision and context that gives rise to respect and goodwill for one’s neighbors and promotes a keen sense of belonging. By

demonstrating how this universal theme is evident in two very different works within the humanities, I hope to help my audience better develop an appreciation for their own group identities.

Multiple-Choice Question

This response would BEST fit into which rubric category?

Proficient: Explains how theme, as it is expressed in cultural artifacts, and thesis statement impact the audience, supporting response with examples from exploration document Not Evident: Does not explain how theme, as it is expressed in cultural artifacts, and thesis statement impact the audience Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and explanation demonstrates sophisticated understanding of relationship between theme and audience Needs Improvement: Explains how theme, as it is expressed in cultural artifacts, and thesis statement impact the audience, but with gaps in clarity, detail, or support

Critical Element 3. Evidence

Describe the evidence you have gained from subjective and objective cultural analyses to support your conclusions about the impact of the theme and cultural artifacts on you personally and on your audience. Support your response with specific examples from your exploration document.

Student Response:

A variety of evidence leads us to conclude that both of these works contain the theme of patriotism. In “Jupiter,” it is found in the middle of the arrangement, which features an anthem-like melody reminiscent of a folk song. According to John Kronlokken (2014), “Holst set this melody to Cecil Spring Rice’s text ‘I Vow To Thee My Country’ in 1921, and it instantly became a symbol of English identity.” This work was composed during WWI and the mural finished at the start of the American Civil War. According to Jim Yancy (2016), Holst’s piece, after being “adapted to fit a poem by Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, ‘I vow to thee, my country,’ ... became associated with the strong patriotic feelings resulting from the human cost of World War I.” “Jupiter” captures the spirit of coming together as Englishmen and

doing one’s best to resume normal life after the destruction of WWI, with sections of Holst’s composition likely intended to represent everyday life in the town of Thaxted (Kronlokken, 2014).

The mural Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way depicts a group of pioneers and frontiersmen heading west and captures the idea of manifest destiny and the expansion of the American nation. The piece also depicts a man standing atop a stone peak with an American flag in his hand. Furthermore, Leutze included a young black male who had not been present in his original study (Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2012). While Westward’s depiction of pioneers heading west to settle the land and its inclusion of a freedman creates a positive patriotic idea of pressing forward and conquering obstacles, it also bears a negative side when we pause to acknowledge that manifest destiny involved expanding into territory owned by Native Americans. This piece shows us that the benefits of patriotic zeal can also be weighted with heavy costs.

Multiple-Choice Question

This response would BEST fit into which rubric category?

Proficient: Describes evidence from subjective and objective cultural analysis that supports conclusions about impact of theme on self and audience, supporting response with examples from exploration document Not Evident: Does not describe evidence from subjective and objective cultural analysis that supports conclusions about impact of theme on self and audience Needs Improvement: Describes evidence from subjective and objective cultural analysis that supports conclusions about impact of theme on self and audience, but with gaps in clarity, detail, or support Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates strong understanding of using evidence from subjective and objective cultural analysis in drawing conclusions about impact of cultural artifacts

Critical Element 4. Personally

Explain why the theme and cultural artifacts are important to you personally. In other words, why did you select these artifacts to study? Why did you select your theme, especially if there are other themes that could apply?

Student Response:

I chose the theme of patriotism because it is quite meaningful to me, personally. National pride is all around me, as I live in a southern part of the United States with a strong sense of it. The American flag is flown everywhere, including outside the Chick-Fil-A down the street, the national anthem is sung at every baseball game, and the Fourth of July celebrations in my hometown are a huge event. My father also served in the Navy for 16 years, working and fighting to keep our shores secure and our freedom intact. He instilled in me a sense of pride in my country and what it stands for. When I selected my works, however I was not hunting for this theme specifically. Each work simply stood out to me from the gallery, and I didn’t identify a common theme right away. After reading some sources about each of the works, however, the theme of patriotism arose, and I selected it because I thought it was a theme that wouldn’t be readily apparent when first glancing at (or listening to) each of these works, so I hope it makes for an interesting and off-beat analysis.

Multiple-Choice Question

This response would BEST fit into which rubric category?

Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and explanation demonstrates keen insight into impact of humanities on personal experiences Not Evident: Does not explain why theme and cultural artifacts are important personally Proficient: Explains why theme and cultural artifacts are important personally Needs Improvement: Explains why theme and cultural artifacts are important personally, but with gaps in clarity or detail

Critical Element 5. Studying the Humanities

Explain how studying the humanities can give you both a personal and professional advantage. What is the benefit of studying the humanities?

Student Response:

Having a better understanding of what I think, and a broader awareness of alternate perspectives is extremely helpful in understanding any human experience. Whether thinking through what marriage is like or what our social perspective should be on a controversial issue, reading thoughtful stories from our own and other cultures provides more depth and breadth, enabling a more informed, and considered

perspective to anyone who will devote the time. Studying the humanities for themes like patriotism can give us a greater sense of the struggles and victories we all face, and that we are all human. This can in turn benefit us both personally and professionally. For instance, I have two friends who are exchange students from South Korea, and reading novels that they have read like Your Republic is Calling You by Young-ha Kim helps me develop a greater understanding of their culture and a sense of what patriotism means to them. And as a professional example, understanding how a positive group identity can be created through patriotism might lead a director of an affordable housing community to create programs that foster a positive group identity.

Multiple-Choice Question

This response would BEST fit into which rubric category?

Proficient: Explains how studying the humanities can give both a personal and professional advantage Not Evident: Does not explain how studying the humanities can give both a personal and professional advantage Needs Improvement: Explains how studying the humanities can give both a personal and professional advantage, but with gaps in clarity or detail Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates deep understanding of relationship between humanities and personal and professional experiences

Critical Element 6. Humanities

Explain why the humanities are important to society. What do the humanities tell us about our own culture and experiences? How do they impact us? Support your response with specific examples from your exploration document and your own personal and professional experiences.

Student Response:

Struggle is part of being human, but our struggles and other experiences are invisible to others. If we had no access to what others are feeling, thinking, seeing, and how they’re making sense of the world, we’d be profoundly isolated. The most successful people in any field are typically in a community of other remarkably

successful people. Study of the humanities can move all of us from relative isolation to living in communication with more people, people with exceptional insight, perspectives, and reflection on the human experience. This sort of group identity and intimate connection with various human experiences and ideals can in turn inspire the best of us both in our personal and professional lives. For example, my relationship with my kids improves by developing traditions in my family that forge a strong family identity. And patriotic zeal can motivate selfless courage in professions that demand great sacrifice, such as those of police officers and soldiers working to serve and protect the nation internally and abroad.

Multiple-Choice Question

This response would BEST fit into which rubric category?

Needs Improvement: Explains why the humanities are important to society, but with gaps in clarity, detail, or support Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and explanation demonstrates keen insight into importance of humanities Not Evident: Does not explain why the humanities are important to society Proficient: Explains why the humanities are important to society, supporting response with examples from exploration document and personal and professional experience

Critical Element 7. Message

Communicate your message in a way that is tailored to your specific audience. For instance, you could consider your vocabulary, your audience’s potential current humanities knowledge or lack thereof, and what is specifically important to the audience.

Multiple-Choice Question

Thinking back over all the student’s responses, which of these rubric categories best fits the work’s ability to communicate a tailored message?

Not Evident: Does not communicate message to audience Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and presentation demonstrates understanding of effectively communicating with specific audiences by

tailoring message Proficient: Communicates message effectively in a way that is tailored to specific audience Needs Improvement: Communicates message to audience, but communication is not effective or is not tailored to specific audience

Critical Element 8. Articulation of Response

Just as with the exploration document, the rubric has one more line for us to use in evaluating this work. The articulation of response category evaluates mechanics and usage including citation style, grammar, spelling, syntax, and related considerations.

Multiple-Choice Question

Thinking back over all of the student’s responses, which of these rubric categories best fits the work?

Proficient: Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization Needs Improvement: Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas Not Evident: Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas Exemplary: Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy- to-read format

close