Assignment 3: Cultural Activity Report

Assignment 3: Cultural Activity ReportDue Week 10 and worth 100 pointsAsa way of experiencing the Humanities beyond your classroom, computer,and textbook, you are asked to do a certain type of cultural activitythat fits well with our course and then report on your experience. Your instructor will require you to propose an activity and getinstructor approval before you do it and report on it (students shouldlook for any instructions in that respect). Every effort should be madeto ensure that this is a hands-on experience (not a virtual one), thatthis activity fits the HUM 112 class well, and that the activity is ofsufficient quality for this university course. The two (2) key types ofactivities are a museum visit or a performance.Note:This must not be a report on the same activity (and certainly not thesame report) as done for another class, like HUM 111. For instance, onemight go to the same museum as done for HUM 111, but this HUM 112 reportwill focus on entirely different works and displays.Visit amuseum or gallery exhibition or attend a theater, dance, or musicalperformance before the end of Week 10. The activity (museum orperformance) should have content that fits our course well. Have fundoing this.Write a two to three (2-3) page report (500-750 words) that describes your experience.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.Useat least the class text as a reference (additional sources are fine,not necessary unless required by your content). Your report shouldinclude connections you make between things observed in your activityand things learned in the course and text.Note:Submit your cultural activity choice to the instructor for approvalbefore the end of Week 5 (earlier is even better). Look for guidancefrom the instructor for how or where to make your proposal. You may alsoseek advice from your instructor (provide your town / state or zipcode) for a good activity in your general area.Visiting a MuseumItmakes sense to approach a museum the way a seasoned traveler approachesvisiting 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 inthe museum and start with the exhibits that interest you.Ifthere is a travelling exhibition, its always a good idea to see itwhile you have the chance. Then, if you have time, you can look at otherthings in the museum.Every effort should be made ahead of timeto identify a museum that has items and works one can easily connect toour HUM 112 class and book. Since HUM 112 covers from 1600 AD to thepresent, it makes more sense to focus on items from this time frame. Ingeneral, museums with fine arts work better than history museums.Anyquestions about whether a museum-visit activity fits the course andassignment well enough will be decided by the instructor when thestudent seeks approval for the activity. Any alternative activityoutside the normal ones listed here, such as for those limited bydisability or distance, will be determined by the instructor. Normally,we do not expect students to travel over an hour to get to an approvedactivity.Make notes as you go through the museum and acceptany handouts or pamphlets that the museum staff gives you. While youshould not quote anything from the printed material when you do yourreport, the handouts may help to refresh your memory later.Thequality of your experience is not measured by the amount of time youspend in the galleries or the number of works of art that you actuallysee. The most rewarding experiences can come from finding two or three(2 or 3) pieces of art or exhibits which intrigue you and thenconsidering those works in leisurely contemplation. Most museums havebenches where you can sit and study a particular piece.If youare having a difficult time deciding which pieces to write about, askyourself these questions: (1) If the museum you are visiting suddenlycaught fire, which two (2) pieces of art or exhibits would you most wantto see saved from the fire? (2) Why would you choose those two (2)particular pieces? Attending a PerformanceCheckyour local colleges to see if there are any free or low-costperformances or student recitals. Student performances are generally ofalmost the same quality as professional performances, but typically costmuch less. However, performances of high school level or lower will notmeet this requirement.Try to do a quality performance that fits the class subject matter well.Sorrybutthis is not for pop music or rock music, rap, country music, gospelmusic, comedy routines, your kid's dance recital, your internationalfriend'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.Anyquestions about whether a performance activity fits the course andassignment well enough will be decided by the instructor when thestudent seeks approval for an activity. Any alternative activity outsidethe normal ones listed here, such as for those limited by disability ordistance, will be determined by the instructor. Normally, we do notexpect students to travel over an hour to get to an approved activity.Unlikevisiting a museum, where you can wear almost anything, people attendingperformances are often expected to dress up a bit.Takea pen or pencil with you and accept the program you are offered by theusher; you will probably want to take notes on it during or after theperformance.Turn off your cell phone before enteringthe auditorium. Do not use your phone to record the music or to takepictures or videos. To play it safe, turn the phone off.Mostlong musical performances have at least one (1) intermission. If thelights start blinking, it is the sign that the performance is about tobegin.Look for very specific things (such as aparticular piece of music or the way certain instruments sounded at aspecific time) which tend to stand out as either enjoyable or notenjoyable. Be sure to take notes of the things which you find enjoyableas well as the things which are not enjoyable. Note:If a student is unable to attend a cultural event in person due tocircumstances beyond the students control, then the instructor willrecommend an alternate event / activity for the student to attendonline. 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 orhave no means of transportation.Experience shows most museums andactivities are modest in cost and manageable for students, and you willoften see students from other universities there on similar courseprojects. If you are facing financial hardship, keep in mind that manymuseums have a free day each week and performance discounts are oftenavailable for students and veterans, among others. Feel free to ask yourinstructor to help with finding low-cost options.If you believethat you have a legitimate reason for attending a virtual activity,you must contact the instructor no later than Week 5 for your request tobe considered. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:Betyped, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), withone-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APAStyle format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.(Note:Students can find APA style materials located inthe Additional Resources section of their Student Center within theircourse shell for reference)Include a cover pagecontaining the title of the assignment, the students name, theprofessors name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and thereference 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 societys cultural and artistic expressions within a historical context.Examinethe influences of intellectual, religious, political, andsocio-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 mechanicsGradingfor this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic /organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using thefollowing rubrichere.