Clashing Cultures Novel Project - Curriculum Commission

HIGH SCHOOL

Project goals (Why?): What happens when different cultures crash into each other? This is a
question being asked in a variety of situations and locations all over the word. From the refugee
camp to the dinner table, from the White House to the high school hallway, questions of culture
clash are highly present in current events and everyday life. Understanding culture clash is
important in todays world. And understanding your own opinion of it is even more important.
This project matters because it will educate you about one of the major social issues of our time,
help you reflect on that issue, and teach you to notice that issue in literature and in life.

Project components (How?): In this project, students will study the impact of culture clash on
individuals, communities, and societies. They will do so by reading, discussing, and presenting
on a book that deals with culture clash as a central theme. They will then conclude the project
by going beyond the book and completing a blog post that connects what theyve learned in
the novel to current events and their own life experiences.

The Novels:

Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie Ngozi

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Absolutely True Diary of A Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Habibi by Craig Thompson

Choose one of the novels listed above to read.

1. Small Literature Circle: After you have selected a novel, you will form a Small
Literature Circle with classmates who have chosen the same book. You will meet with
your Small Literature Circle (SLC) during class time to discuss the novel, and make a
plan with your group to finish the novel by the assigned deadline.
a. ROLES: In your SLC, you will play a specific role to help facilitate
discussion and explore key ideas. Find out more about roles here. Before each
SLC meeting, you will be responsible for preparing information based on your
role using one of these graphic organizers.
b. RULES: Your group should randomly select roles before each
class meeting. (Remember, you cant play the same role twice!) SLCs will also
establish Discussion Group Rules on the first day, and evaluate your groups
performance at the end of each meeting, identifying strengths and areas for
growth.
c. RESPONSIBILITY: Each SLC will create and maintain a folder on
Google Classroom to post your groups rules, graphic organizers, discussion
notes, your final product and final writing assignment (see below).
 2. Design a Product: Once your SLC has worked through the entire novel, you will
collaborate to create and present a multimedia product that answers these questions:
How is cultural collision portrayed in your book? Positively? Negatively? Both?
How does it impact the characters and their society?
a. Here are some ideas to get you started thinking about your
product.
b. You will present your final product in class, and post a digital
version to our class blog.

3. Online Discussion: To make connections across texts, you will contribute to an

online discussion board. Guiding questions will be posted weekly, and you will have 5
days to respond, either in writing or with an audio/video post.

4. Beyond the Book - Blog Post: You will write a blog post as your final
assignment.
a. Once each group has presented, you will write a blog that can be
used to document your experience as we continue to learn about cultural
collision - culminating in our final class trip. As your first post, you will go beyond
the book to answer the question: How is cultural collision relevant in your
life, and the world today?
i. Content: Include examples from both your personal
life and historical / current events.
ii. Evidence: Cite reliable sources related to at least
one historical and one current event.
iii. Pictures: Include at least two pictures that support
your ideas or arguments.
iv. Title: Come up with an original title.
v. Format: Cite sources in MLA format.
vi. Length: 500-650 words.
vii. Audience: You target audience is your peers,
especially students at other high schools who may not have the
opportunity to explore other cultures or communities through travel.
b. Once all the blog posts have been shared on our Google
Classroom site, you will vote for your favorites. The top 3 posts will be published
on.
c. Examples: http://www.offassignment.com/
https://www.lostwithpurpose.com/