Cultural Hearth Project Outline

Cultural Hearth Project

Introductory Activity

Choose a cultural hearth and identify the following:

Hearth:

Location (region):

Bordering countries:

Climate:

Type of Government:

Dominant ethnic groups:

Dominant language/s:

Dominant religion:

Holidays:

Rituals:

Development: 

Natural Resources:

Migratory patterns:

Population:

Economic status (developed or developing):

2. Maps, Scale, Space, and Place              

Activity 1

Produce an annotated map of your local area illustrating and analyzing the causes of significant land use and changes over time.  Include your own photographic evidence and demonstrate mapping skills, including scale and symbols. (Map Skills)

Activity 2

Produce several detailed and varied maps of your cultural hearth which includes at least three different maps (e.g. choropleths, political, dot, and topographic).  Draw at least three conclusions based on these maps.

3.  Population Geography & Human Migration

Activity  1

Construct family timeline of migratory patterns. (Concepts)

Activity 2

Analyze your hearth’s position on the Demographic Transition Model.  (Analytic Skills)

Activity 3

Present a population pyramid on your hearth.  If you cannot find one through research, you will need to construct your own based on population demographics.  (Skills)

Activity 4

Construct a T-Chart with the following headings:  Pro-natalist/Anti-natalist.  Categorize your hearth as pro- or anti-.  Analyze patterns.

Activity 5

Present an electronic slideshow outlining the implementation efforts of various countries to control population.  First, check your hearth’s efforts.  If research is unavailable, choose from the following:  China, India, Iran, Singapore, US, Uzbekistan, Rwanda.  The presentation should include the following:  background information (site, situation, history, pro- or anti-natalist, etc.); why the policy is needed; what the policy entails; and an evaluation of its effectiveness, including the benefits and problems it has caused or is causing.  Do you agree with the policy?  How would you improve it?  Be prepared for questioning from other students and the teacher. (Analytic Skills)

Activity 6

Persuasive Prompt
1. Persuade a classmate to either accept or reject Thomas Malthus theory on overpopulation.
This must be typed on a word processing sheet adhering to the following:

·         one-inch margins

·         centered title: Thomas Malthus's Theory of Overpopulation

·         page numbers inserted in footer at bottom right

·         double-spaced

·         spell-checked

4.  Cultural Geography

Activity 1

Refer back to the ideas you had about your cultural hearth (beliefs, language, religion, ethnicity, foods, dress, rituals, etc.).  Through research and interviews, determine if your ideas were correct.

Activity 2

Research how popular culture has affected your cultural hearth.  Identify elements of both folk and popular culture and write an essay explaining the dominance of one over the other.

Activity 3

Investigate popular culture’s effect on your cultural hearth.

5.  Political Geography

Activity 1

a. What countries border your hearth's countries? Illustrate on map.
b. What are the historical border conflicts? Summarize in a paragraph.
c. Print border outline of your hearth's country and identify the following:
      1. shape (rectangular, compact, etc.)
      2. landlocked?
      3. exclave or enclave?
d. Has the boundary of your hearth changed? If so, how and why?
e. List the centripetal and centrifugal forces for your hearth.
 

Activity 2

a.  Choose one international organization to which your hearth belongs.

b.  State goals of that organization.

c.  Evaluate costs and benefits of membership. Identify key questions, problems, and or issues. (Analytical Skills)

d.  Predict what would happen if your hearth left that organization.  (Systems)

(If your hearth is not a member of any organization, write a one-page essay explaining the situation.)

OR

Research your hearth ‘s relationship with the United Nations.  Are they members?  Why or why not?  Critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of belonging to the UN.  Address these issues in a two-page essay explaining these issues.  (Systems)

6.  Economic Geography

Activity 1

Students work in groups and identify and evaluate the main consequences of the Industrial Revolution in Europe.  Present to class. 

Activity 2

Write an essay explaining how the Industrial Revolution affected your hearth.  (This essay can be an indirect causation.  For example how the IR affected the colonizer.)  (Change)

Activity 3

Construct Fact Sheet (t-chart) noting the following for your hearth: absolute location; natural resources;  govt; GNP; GDP; Life expectancy; literacy level; borders;  conflicts.  Compare to the USA.  Explain the discrepancies or similarities. (Place and Space) 

Culminating Hearth Activity

Hearth Writing Assessment

Hearth Writing Assessment (limit 2 pages or 900 words [insert at end of paper])

Describe how your cultural hearth has been affected politically, and/or economically, and/or culturally because of colonialism or imperialism.

Suggested structure of essay (IF you choose all three topics):

Paragraph 1: Brief history of your hearth’s colonial experience. Thesis statement (last sentence in introduction) should state something like: “________________ has been negatively (or positively) affected economically, politically, and culturally because of the lingering effects of colonialism (or imperialism).

Paragraphs 2-4: Structure the body of your essay in a logical division of topics. For example, you could write a paragraph addressing the changing of political borders and its effects on the peoples; another paragraph could analyze the economic effects. For example, Haiti has never recovered from the huge financial debt it was forced to pay to the French after independence, and this has had a grave impact on the country’s economy. The last paragraph of the body could address any cultural aftereffects of colonialism. For instance, whenever foreign military bases are present in a colony, those military personnel usually interact with the natives resulting in cultural diffusion.

Paragraph 5: Your conclusion should summarize your body (not a repetition, but paraphrasing of findings). You should take a stand on whether or not colonialism was good and/or bad for your hearth. (Remember, there can be positive and negative effects.) You could also address any questions raised by your hearth’s current situation in terms of colonialism or imperialism.

7.  Agricultural & Rural Geography

8.  Urban Geography

Drawing on your first assignment (local annotated map), locate a historical map of your local area.  How and why has the area changed over time.  Reference urban models studied in this chapter.