Cultural Group Discussion & Creative Assignment
Much of this class requires you to find ideas through conversation, our readings, and through a variety of other means like writing exercises, research, and broad based topics. Almost anything is fair game to a writer. The object is to spark an idea and/or topic to write about. We're going to try that today as you begin your first writing assignment.
Cultural Ideas Exercise:
1. In your notebook/journal, etc. make a list of cultural ideas.
4. Spend some time discussing ONLY the topics you circled. Start your discussion with the students who listed the topic on their lists, first. Then include the student(s) who did not come up with the topic (it was not on their list). As you listen and communicate with one another, take notes of ideas you find most interesting. You may find it helpful to summarize the conversation or jot down a funny statement or idea someone had. The choice is yours.
5. When instructed, stop your conversation and go back to your own seat.
6. Look at your notes that you found most interesting. Choose one topic and respond to it creatively. You may decide to write a poem, a short story, a play, a skit, a comic strip, a non-fiction reflective essay, a memoir, a movie script, an advertisement for a creative object, a song, or anything else you can think of. The idea is to be creative.
7. Use the rest of class today to write. Create something that you will share with us next class.
HOMEWORK: Creatively respond to the idea of culture in some way. Be prepared to share your homework draft with the class on Tuesday.
Cultural Ideas Exercise:
1. In your notebook/journal, etc. make a list of cultural ideas.
- Cultural ideas are usually based on beliefs, fashion, food, environmental issues, entertainment or leisure activities, taboos, traditions, holidays, education, and several other broad-based categories.
- Beliefs, for example, can be turned into: concept of life after death (what happens after we die), the concept of evil (why do bad things happen to good people?), the concept of freedom (are we free to choose our own destinies?), the concept of God (what is God?), etc.
4. Spend some time discussing ONLY the topics you circled. Start your discussion with the students who listed the topic on their lists, first. Then include the student(s) who did not come up with the topic (it was not on their list). As you listen and communicate with one another, take notes of ideas you find most interesting. You may find it helpful to summarize the conversation or jot down a funny statement or idea someone had. The choice is yours.
5. When instructed, stop your conversation and go back to your own seat.
6. Look at your notes that you found most interesting. Choose one topic and respond to it creatively. You may decide to write a poem, a short story, a play, a skit, a comic strip, a non-fiction reflective essay, a memoir, a movie script, an advertisement for a creative object, a song, or anything else you can think of. The idea is to be creative.
7. Use the rest of class today to write. Create something that you will share with us next class.
HOMEWORK: Creatively respond to the idea of culture in some way. Be prepared to share your homework draft with the class on Tuesday.
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