A. Welcome to the discussion. In this course you will be introduced to a topic in the discussion. The first week of the module you will write about your initial thoughts after reviewing the resources. The initial post should be at least 300 words.

DO NOT LOOK UP ANY SOURCES unless specifically directed to do so. You must write all your own text to earn credit.

“Cultural differences cause problems. It is better for people to stay in their own countries rather than to migrate to other ones.” Do you agree? Please write a meaningful answer (three or more paragraphs) that fully addresses the question above.

B. For your assignment this week, you will write a 2-3 page (double-spaced) reflection paper supported with evidence from your own background and experience. Follow the below pre-writing steps before writing your essay.

You DO NOT need to cite any sources for this assignment.

Consider the definition of culture you developed in Lesson 1. Make a list of the different aspects of your culture as they manifest in the way you live your life. Remember, “culture” does not just refer to ethnicity or national origin, but includes all of the many ways we live and belong in groups. Think about elements such as the examples listed below:

• Religion
• Food
• Language
• Customs and traditions
• Profession
• Family life
• Music
• Art
• Fashion
• Values and beliefs
• Hobbies
• The neighborhood you live in
• The communities you belong to

Choose the three aspects of your culture that are most important to you. These will serve as the basis of your essay.

Write a 2-3 page (double-spaced) reflection paper about your personal culture. Structure your paper using the below guideline:

• INTRODUCTION (1 paragraph): Include your general definition of culture (based on the videos provided in Lesson 1–DO NOT look up additional sources) and a thesis statement where you define your personal culture specifically and list the three elements you will discuss in your paper.
• BODY (3 paragraphs): Write one paragraph for each of your three elements of culture. At the end of each paragraph, explain how that element helps define your personal culture.
• CONCLUSION (1 paragraph): Restate your thesis. Explain why thinking about your personal culture will be helpful in developing the skills of cross-cultural competency.

Edit your paper for clarity, concision, and formatting before submitting

C. For your assignment this week, you will write a 2-3 page (double-spaced) paper supported with evidence from your own experience and from 2-3 online articles. Follow the below pre-writing steps before writing your essay.

You need to cite 2-3 sources in APA format for this assignment.

A food culture is the practices and beliefs surrounding the consumption of food in a particular community. A food culture can be associated with a nationality, a religion, a health movement, or another kind of group.

Choose a food culture that you think has become important in broader American culture. See the list of examples below, and feel free to choose something else not listed here.

• Indian (or another nationality) food
• British (or another nationality) tea (or another beverage)
• Vegetarian or vegan food
• Organic food
• Kosher food
• Cajun food
• Soul food
• Street food in New York (or another city)

Eat something from that food culture, so you can experience it firsthand and take notes describing it. Take pictures!

Find 2-3 online articles about the history and impact of the food culture in the US.

Write a 2-3 page (double-spaced) research paper about the food culture. Structure your paper using the below guideline:

• INTRODUCTION (1 paragraph): Include a thesis statement where you define your food culture and explain what makes it important to American culture. Include a picture of the food you ate!
• BODY (3 paragraphs): Write one paragraph describing the food culture (the actual food products as well as the beliefs and practices surrounding their consumption); one paragraph explaining the history of the food culture; and one paragraph explaining its impact on broader American culture.
• CONCLUSION (1 paragraph): Restate your thesis. Explain why thinking about food cultures helps us understand and value diversity.

Edit your paper for clarity, concision, and formatting before submitting

D. Welcome to the discussion. In this course you will be introduced to a topic in the discussion. The first week of the module you will write about your initial thoughts after reviewing the resources. The initial post should be at least 300 words.

DO NOT LOOK UP ANY SOURCES unless specifically directed to do so. You must write all your own text to earn credit.

“It is better to study major international languages like English rather than to spend time on minority languages for the sake of regional identity.” Do you agree? What would be the benefits and detriments? What would be gained and what would be lost? Write a meaningful answer that fully addresses the question above.

E. For your assignment this week, you will write a 2-3 page (double-spaced) paper supported with evidence from the sources provided in Lesson 3 and two advertisements of your choice. Follow the below prewriting steps before writing your essay.

You need to cite 3-4 sources, including your two ads and at least one source from Lesson 3, in APA format for this assignment.

After working through the materials in Lesson 3, consider whether you think marketing has positive or negative effects on culture(s), and find reasoning from the sources in Lesson 3 in support of your stance.

Find two advertisements that strike you as culturally significant (for example, you can see clearly how they play on cultural values; or they promote a certain message about a culture or multiple cultures). They can be in print magazines, or you can search YouTube.

Determine the primary audience for each ad. Who is likely to be interested in each product? Consider demographics (gender, age, economic status, ethnicity, sexuality) as well as other cultural groups (sports fans, people in the fashion community). Consider how the ads play to the cultural values of these particular groups.

Write a 2-3 page (double-spaced) cultural analysis of the two ads, drawing from the resources provided in Lesson 3 to support your claims. Structure your paper using the below guideline:

• INTRODUCTION (1 paragraph): Include a thesis statement where you explain the overall point you are making about the relationship between your two ads and culture(s).
• BODY (4 paragraphs in 2 sections): Divide your body into 2 sections, one for each ad. In each section write 2 paragraphs, 1 describing the ad, the product, and who it appeals to; and the other analyzing the cultural significance of the ad, drawing from a source from Lesson 3 as well as details from the ad to support your claims.
• CONCLUSION (1 paragraph): Restate your thesis. Explain why thinking about the media helps us understand culture and diversity.

Edit your paper for clarity, concision, and formatting before submitting

F. For your assignment this week, you will write a 2-3 page (double-spaced) paper supported with evidence from an online website listing proverbs as well as 2-3 folktales. Follow the below pre-writing steps before writing your essay.

You need to cite 2-4 sources in APA format, including a website with proverbs and 2-3 folktales, for this assignment.

Read over your notes from analyzing the proverbs in Lesson 4. Consider what this analysis reflects about the relationship between language, culture, and diversity.

Explore this site, perusing folktales from different cultures: http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/folk.html

Find 2-3 folktales that you see as connected in some way (for example, they reflect similar, or very different, cultural values; or they rely on similar themes and/or imagery).

Determine what you can say about the relationship between language, culture, and diversity, drawing from both the proverbs and folk tales to support your claims.

Write a 2-3 page (double-spaced) analysis paper about the relationship between language, diversity, and culture, based on your analysis of the proverbs and folk tales. Structure your paper using the below guideline:

• INTRODUCTION (1 paragraph): Include a thesis statement where you make a claim about the relationship between language, culture, and diversity.
• BODY (3-4 paragraphs): Write 1-3 paragraphs using your analysis of proverbs to support your argument, and 1-3 paragraphs using your analysis of folk tales to support your argument. Organize your paragraphs in the order that makes most logical sense.
• CONCLUSION (1 paragraph): Restate your thesis. Explain why thinking about language helps us understand and value diversity.

Edit your paper for clarity, concision, and formatting before submitting