Cultural Activity 3 - Introduction

We will learn the vocabulary for food and restaurants in Chapter 9.  To enhance your understanding of French gastronomie, and to encourage you to consider French cultural values, you will need to complete one (1) of the following activities:

1. A cultural discussion in English of 500 words on a selected topic.
2. Reading a short text in French and answering comprehension questions in a Webcourses quiz.
3. A 10-slide narrated (in English) PowerPoint presentation of two (2) specific francophone regions and the traditional cuisine from each region.  

To Do - A votre choix

Choose one (1) of the three (3) available options to complete this cultural activity assignment.

A) Cultural Discussion: French vs. American Foods

1. Watch this video (10+ minutes) about French food preferences.What is your favourite French food? | Easy French 90Links to an external site.
2. Skim over one of these two articles to see what information from the video is mentioned or what other differences are pointed out that isn't covered in the video.
   • https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/10-ways-the-french-view-food-differently-than-americansLinks to an external site.
   • https://traveltips.usatoday.com/food-eating-habits-france-12279.htmlLinks to an external site.
   • https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-american-eating-habitsLinks to an external site.
3. Write a 500-word reflection (in English) on French food culture that addresses the two (2) topics below:
   • What cultural values are communicated by diet trends and habits - what values do we have in common? Where do we differ? Be sure to mention examples from the video and one of the articles that prove your point.
   • How would you adjust to eating like the French, should you decide to move or study abroad - what changes would you have to make and how would you handle it?
     • If you have experience moving from the States to live in Europe or in another country, draw from your personal experiences!
     • Conversely, if you moved to the States from a place that shares cultural values that are more closely aligned with French values, what are they and how do they shape your daily meal routine?

B) Comprehension

Complete the required work for each of the four (4) activities on the external website. Upload the four (4) screenshots of your results to Webcourses along with a 100-word summary in English about what you learned; be sure to review the requirements for the screenshots in the "Evaluation" section!

1. Use this link to access a website with comprehension activities about a meal in a francophone country : https://apprendre.tv5monde.com/fr/exercices/a1-debutant/le-repasLinks to an external site.
2. Complete the four (4) activities (Regarder, Ecouter, Lire, Vocabulaire).
   1. For each activity, submit your responses for evaluation on the website, make corrections, and take a screenshot of your best result.
   2. Copy and Paste your screenshots into a Word document and save it!
   3. Beneath your screenshots in the Word document, write a 150-word summary (in English) of what cultural practices/customs you learned about from the external website.
      • Your discussion must focus on CULTURAL INFORMATION - I do not want a summary of the activities you did or the vocabulary you learned, etc. I am looking for how the activity highlighted similarities and differences between meal preparation and service - do the people in the video do things the same way we do in the States or you do in your native culture?
        • Pay particular attention to the type of ingredients and where they come from, the table setting, and the reaction of the people at the table.
      • What does this tell you about appreciating food in French culture?
   4. Put the word count (main paragraph/s only, not your name, my name, course title, date, etc.) at the end of your summary.
   5. Upload the Word document containing your four (4) screenshots and your 150-word summary to Webcourses before the due date.

C) Presentation - Complete the required work and upload a 10-slide, narrated (in English) PowerPoint presentation to Webcourses; be sure to cite your sources!

1. Select one (1) specific region in France and present the following information
   • Climate - general seasonal information
   • Agriculture - what is grown, cultivated, raised there?
   • One (1) traditional dish from that region - what local ingredients (ingredients from that region in France) are used to make the dish?
2. Select another specific region of France or of a francophone country and present the following information
   • Climate - general seasonal information
   • Agriculture - what is grown, cultivated, raised there?
   • One (1) traditional dish from that region - what local ingredients (ingredients from that region in France) are used to make the dish?
3. Compare the regional specialties - how do the traditional dishes differ? How are they similar?
4. Which dish would you be most interested in tasting and why?

Evaluation

Student submissions will be evaluated using the rubrics below:

• Cultural Activity 3 Cultural Discussion Rubric
• Cultural Activity 3 External Website Comprehension Activities Rubric
• Cultural Activity 3 Presentation Rubric

Avoid resorting to stereotypes and be sure to use critical thinking!

If you have any questions, be sure to contact your instructor at least one (1) day before the due date!