Title: 14 - Effect of Geography on Stories and Culture (Presentation)
Course: English 4A SU15 > Section: Unit: First Words

Obviously, someone growing up in Minnesota has a different life experience than someone growing up in southern California. That experience may affect things like sense of humor, beliefs, even the kinds of products people buy. You may even hear stories about people who don’t believe that it is cold enough in the winter to drive a vehicle on a lake and go fishing.

Cultures are largely defined based on the kinds of stories that are passed down from one generation to another. In this assignment you are to develop a presentation in which you take the stories from this unit and describe the role of geography in the stories that are told. How does the landscape of a place influence these stories in particular?

Necessary steps to complete the presentation:

Step 1: Research the geography of the Ancient Middle East (Gilgamesh Epic and Genesis), and Ancient Greece (Story of Deucalion).

Step 2: Determine what elements of the stories depend on the geography of those locations? (Cite thorough evidence from the text based on what it says and what it may imply.)

Step 3: How do those elements translate across time and culture? What value is there in reading stories that were written for a different time/place/people? (Analyze the impact of how these stories are developed. How do these elements relate to the overall story?)

Step 4: Describe how a story containing similar themes told from the perspective of your time and place might differ. (Summarize the stories by stating the themes and how they are developed.)

You may want to create your presentation with something like Prezi or Google Slides; you may even consider creating a presentation in the style of a news report or essay.