CULTURAL ACTIVITY HELP

ssignment 3: Cultural Activity Report
  Due Week 9 and worth 100 points

As  a way of experiencing the Humanities beyond your classroom, computer,  and textbook, you are asked to do a certain type of “cultural activity”  that fits well with our course and then report on your experience.    Your instructor will require you to propose an activity and get  instructor approval before you do it and report on it (students should  look for any instructions in that respect). Every effort should be made  to ensure that this is a hands-on experience (not a virtual one), that  this activity fits the HUM 112 class well, and that the activity is of  sufficient quality for this university course. The two (2) key types of  activities are a museum visit or a performance. Note:  This must not be a report on the same activity (and certainly not the  same report) as done for another class, like HUM 111. For instance, one  might go to the same museum as done for HUM 111, but this HUM 112 report  will focus on entirely different works and displays. 

1. Visit  a museum or gallery exhibition or attend a theater, dance, or musical  performance before the end of Week 9. The activity (museum or  performance) should have content that fits our course well. Have fun  doing this. 
2. Write a two to three (2-3) page report (500-750 words) that describes your experience.

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  • Clearly identify the event location, date attended, the attendees, and your initial reaction upon arriving at the event.
  • Provide specific information and a description of at least two (2) pieces.
  • Provide a summary of the event and describe your overall reaction after attending the event.
  • Use  at least the class text as a reference (additional sources are fine,  not necessary unless required by your content). Your report should  include connections you make between things observed in your activity  and things learned in the course and text. 

Note:  Submit your cultural activity choice to the instructor for approval  before the end of Week 5 (earlier is even better). Look for guidance  from the instructor for how or where to make your proposal. You may also  seek advice from your instructor (provide your town / state or zip  code) for a good activity in your general area. 

Visiting a Museum 

• It  makes sense to approach a museum the way a seasoned traveler approaches  visiting a city for the first time. Find out what is available to see.  In the museum, find out what sort of exhibitions are currently housed in  the museum and start with the exhibits that interest you.
• If  there is a travelling exhibition, it’s always a good idea to see it  while you have the chance. Then, if you have time, you can look at other  things in the museum.
• Every effort should be made ahead of  time to identify a museum that has items and works one can easily  connect to our HUM 112 class and book. Since HUM 112 covers from 1600 AD  to the present, it makes more sense to focus on items from this time  frame. In general, museums with fine arts work better than history  museums. 
• Any questions about whether a museum-visit activity  fits the course and assignment well enough will be decided by the  instructor when the student seeks approval for the activity. Any  alternative activity outside the normal ones listed here, such as for  those limited by disability or distance, will be determined by the  instructor. Normally, we do not expect students to travel over an hour  to get to an approved activity. 
• Make notes as you go through  the museum and accept any handouts or pamphlets that the museum staff  gives you. While you should not quote anything from the printed material  when you do your report, the handouts may help to refresh your memory  later.
• The quality of your experience is not measured by the  amount of time you spend in the galleries or the number of works of art  that you actually see. The most rewarding experiences can come from  finding two or three (2 or 3) pieces of art or exhibits which intrigue  you and then considering those works in leisurely contemplation. Most  museums have benches where you can sit and study a particular piece.
• If  you are having a difficult time deciding which pieces to write about,  ask yourself these questions: (1) If the museum you are visiting  suddenly caught fire, which two (2) pieces of art or exhibits would you  most want to see saved from the fire? (2) Why would you choose those two  (2) particular pieces?  

Attending a Performance

• Check  your local colleges to see if there are any free or low-cost  performances or student recitals. Student performances are generally of  almost the same quality as professional performances, but typically cost  much less. However, performances of high school level or lower will not  meet this requirement. 
• Try to do a quality performance that fits the class subject matter well. Sorry—but  this is not for pop music or rock music, rap, country music, gospel  music, comedy routines, your kid's dance recital, your international  friend's wedding, high school plays, renaissance fairs, etc. Instead,  think of college level or professional recitals, string quartets,  symphony orchestras, opera, jazz, some stage dramas, etc. 
  
   
• Any  questions about whether a performance activity fits the course and  assignment well enough will be decided by the instructor when the  student seeks approval for an activity. Any alternative activity outside  the normal ones listed here, such as for those limited by disability or  distance, will be determined by the instructor. Normally, we do not  expect students to travel over an hour to get to an approved activity. 
• Unlike  visiting a museum, where you can wear almost anything, people attending  performances are often expected to “dress up” a bit.
• Take a  pen or pencil with you and accept the program you are offered by the  usher; you will probably want to take notes on it during or after the  performance.
• Turn off your cell phone before entering the  auditorium. Do not use your phone to record the music or to take  pictures or videos. To play it safe, turn the phone off. 
• Most  long musical performances have at least one (1) intermission. If the  lights start blinking, it is the sign that the performance is about to  begin. 
• Look for very specific things (such as a particular  piece of music or the way certain instruments sounded at a specific  time) which tend to stand out as either enjoyable or not enjoyable. Be  sure to take notes of the things which you find enjoyable as well as the  things which are not enjoyable.  

Note:  If a student is unable to attend a cultural event in person due to  circumstances beyond the student’s control, then the instructor will  recommend an alternate event / activity for the student to “attend”  online. The “virtual” event / activity is usually only for students who,  due to their physical location, cannot possibly attend an event /  activity in person; typically, these students are stationed overseas or  have no means of transportation. Experience shows most museums and  activities are modest in cost and manageable for students, and you will  often see students from other universities there on similar course  projects. If you are facing financial hardship, keep in mind that many  museums have a free day each week and performance discounts are often  available for students and veterans, among others. Feel free to ask your  instructor to help with finding low-cost options. If you believe  that you have a legitimate reason for attending a “virtual” activity,  you must contact the instructor no later than Week 5 for your request to  be considered.  

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be  typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with  one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA  Style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.  (Note: Students can find APA style materials located  in the Additional Resources section of their Student Center within their  course shell for reference)
• Include a cover page containing  the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name,  the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page  are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Explain the importance of situating a society’s cultural and artistic expressions within a historical context. 
• Examine  the influences of intellectual, religious, political, and  socio-economic forces on social, cultural, and artistic expressions.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in the study of world cultures.
• Write clearly and concisely about world cultures using proper writing mechanics

Grading  for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic /  organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the  following rubric