In the past few weeks, we have been learning about slavery, race, and ethnicity in the U.S. and how experiences have been vastly different and unique by groups. Given that this is a survey course, chances are our study has left many of you thirsting for more, to dig deeper and understand in earnest these groups’ more personal stories.
For this presentation, you will have a chance to choose an ethnic group of your choice and read a book or watch a movie about that group. You will then create a 10-minute video review of the book or movie that you will share with the class and to which your classmates will provide constructive feedback
Group of Your Choice
Your group may be an ethnic group of your choice in the United States, either broadly or subdivision within the chosen group. Some examples include Middle Eastern Americans (or more specifically, groups connected to Syria, Turkey, Armenia, etc.), Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (or more specifically, groups connected to China, Korea, Vietnam, etc.), Latinx (or more specifically, groups connected to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, etc.), African Americans (those who have been living in the U.S. for generations or those who came to the U.S. more recently), Euro Americans (or more specifically, groups connected to Italy, Ireland, Eastern Europe, etc.), Native Americans (either in their past experiences or present-day experiences), or even better, one with an intersectional identity!
Book or Movie of Your Choice
The book or movie you choose can be fiction or nonfiction as long as it directly addresses your group as its main topic. You might find a nonfiction book or movie about the group’s history, struggles and accomplishments, where they stand today, and what we can do to help bring social justice and equity and right any wrong that might have been done to the group. You might also find a fiction that tells a more intimate story of specific individuals in their journey of challenges and triumphs and their contributions to the social fabric of this country. The sky is the limit and you should choose one that is personally meaningful to you and one you genuinely desire to learn more about.
Book Review or Movie Review
After reading or watching the book or movie of your choice, you will put together a 10-minute video review with the intention of sharing it with your classmates and me. Your review should include the following:
Explain why you chose the group and that particular book/movie.
Provide a good idea of what the book/movie is about but without giving away spoilers.
Clearly and explicitly connect what we have been learning in this class to what was presented in the book/movie and explain how this was done with concrete excerpts or clips whenever possible.
Describe how the book/movie accurately (or inaccurately) portrays the group to the readers/viewers and how it does so by providing specific examples.
Thumbs up or thumbs down? Give your recommendation on the book/movie and share what about book/movie resonated with you and what main lesson you took away after finishing it.
Though this is not a film course and the study of films is not the main focus of the class or this presentation, if you would like to get a general sense of how a movie review is written, you might want to check out 9 Tips for Writing a Film ReviewLinks to an external site..
Video Presentation
Your video should be around 10 minutes, give or take one minute, and address the five points outlined above. Please remember that your audience is your classmates and myself and address the viewers accordingly. The presentation will be submitted as a link to your video stored in an online source (e.g., YouTube, Google Drive) that can then be shared in the Peer Feedback page, not as a file. Remember to double check the shared setting so that anyone with the link will be able to view the video! You are free to use whichever video app you prefer. If you have trouble finding a suitable one, however, the following might be helpful:
Canvas has a couple of embedded video-creating apps, MC-Panopto and Studio that students can use if they would like. You can find them on the left-hand side menu of the Canvas course website. Here are some tutorials to help you get started: Panopto Video TutorialsLinks to an external site. or Using StudioLinks to an external site.
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