{"id":449,"date":"2017-08-07T23:06:58","date_gmt":"2017-08-07T23:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/?p=449"},"modified":"2019-07-22T21:48:38","modified_gmt":"2019-07-22T21:48:38","slug":"using-a-semester-long-writing-project-to-support-essential-learning-goals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dept.writing.wisc.edu\/wac\/using-a-semester-long-writing-project-to-support-essential-learning-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"Using a Semester-Long Writing Project to Support Essential Learning Goals"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Professor Jennifer Gipson,\nFrench and Italian<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Instructor: <\/strong>Jennifer Gipson, Assistant Professor of French (jgipson@wisc.edu)
Class: <\/strong>French 248 \/ Folklore 230 (Ethnic Studies): French in the United States<\/p>

In this project, \u201cA History of French in the Upper Midwest in Objects from the Wisconsin Historical Society,\u201d <\/strong>was inspired by the British Museum\u2019s exposition \u201cHistory of the World in 100 Objects<\/a>.\u201d. \u00a0Students became \u201cexperts\u201d on an item of their choosing from the Wisconsin Historical Society\u2019s Special Collections.<\/p>

Course Description:<\/strong><\/p>

Why does Wisconsin have cities named \u201cLuxembourg\u201d or \u201cPrairie du Chien\u201d? \u00a0Why was the short story now hailed as the first known work of \u201cAfrican-American\u201d fiction actually written in French and published in Paris? \u00a0What ties to France did residents of post-Katrina New Orleans cite in a satirical petition begging France\u2019s then-president: \u201cBuy us back, Chirac\u201d? For Native Americans, had the land sold in the Louisiana Purchase even ever been \u201cFrench\u201d?<\/p>

This class will trace these and other questions of cultural and linguistic identity through the study of literary texts; political and religious writings; maps; film; folk narrative; music; and customary practices. Throughout, we will work to understand how notions of \u201crace\u201d and \u201cethnicity\u201d in the U.S have been shaped by French influence and the French language\u2014as seen, for example, in the renegotiation \u201cwhiteness\u201d among Cajuns or the impact of Native American\u2019s early contacts with French-speakers. We will also be attentive to ways that cultural artifacts or traditional practices become part of broader economic, artistic, or ideological exchanges. To this end, we might consider the Cajun music in Madison, the recent success of the History Channel\u2019s reality show Swamp People<\/em>, or even the competition for the design of Wisconsin\u2019s state quarter. All lectures and class work in English.<\/p>

Note that this class meets the Ethnic Studies Requirement:<\/strong> Our assignments will be geared towards the four essential learning goals associated with this requirement: \u201cawareness of history\u2019s impact on the present\u201d; \u201cability to recognize and question assumptions\u201d; \u201ca consciousness of self and other\u201d; and \u201ceffective participation in a multicultural society.\u201d \u00a0To meet these goals, we will study a variety of cultural artifacts, the links between which may not be immediately apparent. \u00a0Thus, we will work to draw parallels between different parts of this class and to relate themes of this class in relation to larger questions. \u00a0In short, success in this class requires that you think<\/em> about course topics (e.g, race, ethnicity, or Americanization) outside of class.<\/p>

Primary Learning Goals of Project<\/strong><\/p>

–Synthesize knowledge by relating item from the Wisconsin Historical Society to class themes<\/p>

–Discover how objects (texts, maps, photographs, etc.) tell stories<\/p>

–Challenge assumptions about history by discovering first-hand a multiplicity of histories and thinking about how people shape certain histories (c.f. Ethnic Studies Essential Learning Outcomes)<\/p>

–Learn about campus resources, special collections, and why primary documents matter–<\/p>

–Develop sensitivity to registers of oral and written discourse in preparing an audio essay<\/p>

First Day of Class<\/strong><\/p>

-Reflection: If you had to pick five objects to tell the story of your life…<\/p>

-Discussion: What would a history of Wisconsin in five object look like?<\/p>

-Goals: Think about how objects tell stories and how histories (or archives) are defined by choices that people make..<\/p>

Last Day of Class\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>

-Students presented a UW google sites page with an image of their item, a short abstract, an audio essay with transcript, and a one sentence question they sought to answer (example used with permission):<\/p>

–\u201cDid the French presence in the United States determine the success of the Lewis and Clark expedition?\u201d (object: the diary of Charles Floyd, a member of the Corps of Discovery)<\/p>

–\u201cWhat do 18th century portraits of m\u00e9tis <\/em>people tell us about their lives?\u201d (object: Portrait of Chief Tshu-gue-ga)<\/p>

\"\"<\/p>

Image courtesy of the\u00a0Wisconsin Historical Society. \u00a0Lewis, James Otto. The Abori<\/em>ginal Port-folio: a Collection of Portraits of the Most Celebrated Chiefs of the North American Indians.<\/em>Philadelphia: J.O. Lewis, 1835. Online facsimile at http:\/\/www.wisconsinhistory.org\/turningpoints\/search.asp?id=119.<\/p>

Intermediate Stages of the Project <\/strong><\/p>