Things Fall Apart: Igbo Culture Research; Portfolio Writing

This morning, please spend about 20 minutes researching the Igbo culture where Chinua Achebe sets his novel. On the graphic organizer examine and note aspects of the culture that interest you--what draws your attention? What is interesting to learn? Take notes (Cornell notes or annotate or outline). Read and research the following information from the links, then use this information to write a poem, short story, essay, or scene set in or involving one of the ideas/themes you researched:

Nigeria (choose at least 2 topics from the menu selections at the bottom of the page to research)
Nigerian gender roles (although the entire article is informative, please focus on gender roles)
Igbo customs & Igbo history and resources

Other cultural groups in Nigeria (read about these too!):

• The Yoruba
• The Hausa/Fulani

With the rest of the time in the lab, you may:

• Write
• Write about men and men's studies
• Write about women and women's studies
• Write from the perspective of a male/write from the perspective of a female
• Write about functionalism or social role theory
• Write about "race" issues
• Write about themes/ideas found in Things Fall Apart
• Write about Nigeria or set your poem, play, or story in Nigeria (specify your culture)

You MUST turn in at least 1 page of writing by the end of class (you don't have to be done with it, but for participation credit I need to see that you have made some progress today in the lab--you may, of course, turn in more than 1 page at the end of class if you'd like). 

• Continue writing any drafts that are not finished.
• Revise previous drafts of your work to include themes and universal ideas that include any idea or concept or issue or culture or gender issue that we have talked about this year; develop character, theme, setting, plot further in stories, poems, scripts; reorganize narrative structure, change format or genre from the original draft--revise, re-see, rework your writing! You need to include revision in your portfolio. 

HOMEWORK: Things Fall Apart: pg. 171-209 (Part III). As you read, please consider how the events in Parts I & II come to a climax, resolve (or not resolve), and what happens to key characters, including Okonkwo. Be prepared to have a discussion on the book (also involving Igbo culture--see above) when you return Monday, Dec. 14.