Assignment: PowerPoint Presentation, Pt. I—Sec. 3

As you know, this semester you and a classmate will be responsible for a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation and a class hand-out.

By Saturday the 3rd at midnight, you and a partner should have signed-up for a topic and date. Anyone that has not chosen by this time, will automatically be assigned a partner, topic, and date. Groupings are determined by whomever signs up first.

Follow these steps:

1. Click on "Comments" at the end of this post.
2. In the "Post a Comment" box, leave both your and your partner's name (first and last), section, topic, and the preferred date—only one entry per pair is required.

Example: David Cortez & Will Jameson, Understanding Quakerism, Monday 9.18

Dates and topics are first-come, first-served. Follow these are the guidelines for the presentation:

Requirements:

1. The work distribution is up to you and your partner, though it should be somewhat equitable
2. Must be approximately 10 minutes in length
3. Should have no less than 10 slides, including one video clip (no more than 4 minutes in length)
4. Must include a handout outlining your presentation (25 copies) 

On the day of your presentation, email both your presentation and handout to me at dhdelao@gmail.com.

The best presentations will:

• First contextualize information, then present relevant facts
• Avoid a heavy use of animation and effects, choosing instead a simpler visual style (illustrations are highly recommended)
• Engage the class through a conversational style, utilizing questions and/or activities
• Utilize multimedia, such as YouTube or Google Video
• Conclude with a summarization of the information presented 

Remember, you are responsible for providing your own laptop.

Choose from a list of topics, then dates, below:

1. What is Karma?
2. Understanding Ley Lines
3. Ancient Deities: The Egyptian Gods
4. The First Christians
5. Understanding Sharia Law
6. Fundamentalism: Christian, Islamic, and Jewish
7. The Mysteries of Stonehenge
8. Who was Joan of Arc?
9. The Crusades: An Historical Overview
10. What is Transcendentalism?
11. The Foods of the Bible
12. Four Goddesses: Danu, Isis, Durga and Itzpapalotl
13. Mary Around the World
14. A Tragedy in New England: The Salem Witch Trials
15. Possession: An Historical Overview 
16. Understanding Santeria
17. Ancient Deities: The Mayan Gods
18. Who was the Buddha?
19. The Mystery of Bérenger Saunière
20. A Look at Snake Handling
21. Polygamy: A Worldview
22. A Look at von Däniken's Chariots of the Gods?:Unsolved Mysteries of the Past
23. Mythical Creatures: Thunderbirds, Leviathans, and Faeries
24. The Gnostic Gospels: An Overview
25. Ancient Deities: The Norse Gods

Presentation dates:

Week 5
Mo 9.19
1. Khuloud Rasheed and Erika Vasquez: The Mysteries of Stonehenge
2. Racheal Valdez & Christina Huy: Mythical Creatures:Thunderbirds, Leviathans, and Faeries.

Week 6
Mo 9.26
1. Ashlea Coski and Alisa Argend: A Tragedy in New England: The Salem Witch Trials
2.

Week 8
We 10.12
1. Sony Tran & Jimmy Tran: Ancient Deities: The Norse Gods
2. Madison Knowles & Chris Reyes: Polygamy: A Worldview

Week 9 
Mon. 10.17

1. Lyn Nguyen & Clayton Tran: Ancient Deities: The Egyptian Gods
2. Leilani & Joe: Understanding Santeria

Week 10
M 10.24
1. Martin Solorio & Kaya Zavagno: Possession: A Historical Overview
2. Thi Uong & Savauna Reyna: The Foods of the Bible

Week 12
We 11.9
1. Caitlin Valencia & Grace Putulin: Four Goddesses: Danu, Isis, Durga and Itzpapalotl
2. Brian Rus and Alex Giamomona: Fundamentalism: Christian, Islamic, and Jewish

Week 13
We 11.16
1.
2.

Week 15
We 11.30
1.
2.

Assignment: PowerPoint Presentation, Pt. I—Sec. 10

As you know, this semester you and a classmate will be responsible for a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation and a class hand-out.

By Saturday the 3rd at midnight, you and a partner should have signed-up for a topic and date. Anyone that has not chosen by this time, will automatically be assigned a partner, topic, and date. Groupings are determined by whomever signs up first.

Follow these steps:

1. Click on "Comments" at the end of this post.
2. In the "Post a Comment" box, leave both your and your partner's name (first and last), section, topic, and the preferred date—only one entry per pair is required.

Example: David Cortez & Will Jameson, Understanding Quakerism, Monday 9.18

Dates and topics are first-come, first-served. Follow these are the guidelines for the presentation:

Requirements:

1. The work distribution is up to you and your partner, though it should be somewhat equitable
2. Must be approximately 10 minutes in length
3. Should have no less than 10 slides, including one video clip (no more than 4 minutes in length)
4. Must include a handout outlining your presentation (25 copies) 

On the day of your presentation, email both your presentation and handout to me at dhdelao@gmail.com.

The best presentations will:

• First contextualize information, then present relevant facts
• Avoid a heavy use of animation and effects, choosing instead a simpler visual style (illustrations are highly recommended)
• Engage the class through a conversational style, utilizing questions and/or activities
• Utilize multimedia, such as YouTube or Google Video
• Conclude with a summarization of the information presented 

Remember, you are responsible for providing your own laptop.

Choose from a list of topics, then dates, below:

1. What is Karma?
2. Understanding Ley Lines
3. Ancient Deities: The Egyptian Gods
4. The First Christians
5. Understanding Sharia Law
6. Fundamentalism: Christian, Islamic, and Jewish
7. The Mysteries of Stonehenge
8. Who was Joan of Arc?
9. The Crusades: An Historical Overview
10. What is Transcendentalism?
11. The Foods of the Bible
12. Four Goddesses: Danu, Isis, Durga and Itzpapalotl
13. Mary Around the World
14. A Tragedy in New England: The Salem Witch Trials
15. Possession: An Historical Overview 
16. Understanding Santeria
17. Ancient Deities: The Mayan Gods
18. Who was the Buddha?
19. The Mystery of Bérenger Saunière
20. A Look at Snake Handling
21. Polygamy: A Worldview
22. A Look at von Däniken's Chariots of the Gods?: Unsolved Mysteries of the Past
23. Mythical Creatures: Thunderbirds, Leviathans, and Faeries
24. The Gnostic Gospels: An Overview
25. Ancient Deities: The Norse Gods

Presentation dates:

Week 5
Mo 9.19
1.
2.

Week 6
Mo 9.26
1. Yiannis Katsamakis and Matt Arsenberg: A Look at von Däniken's Chariots of the Gods?: Unsolved Mysteries of the Past
2. Sarah Piazza and Briana Abreu: Four Goddesses: Danu, Isis, Durga and Itzpapalotl

Week 8
We 10.12
1. Melissa Hawks and Ashlyn Acosta: A Tragedy in New England: The Salem Witch Trials
2.

Week 9 
We 10.19
1. Lisa Ta and Joseph Souza: Ancient Deities: The Mayan Gods
2. Alexander Sparks and Nick Dalmacio: Mythical Creatures: Thunderbirds, Leviathans, and Faeries

Week 10
M 10.24
1. Jeffrey Fu and Andy Dang: Ancient Deities: The Egyptian Gods
2. Joseph Quiambao and Lam Ngo: Possession: An Historical Overview

Week 12
We 11.9
1. Nicholas Nguyen & Kimberly Truong: What is Karma?
2. Justin Vien & Diana Lee: Who was the Buddha?

Week 13
We 11.16
1.Jessye Titherley and René Aguilar: A Look at Snake Handling
2.

Week 15
We 11.30
1.
2.

News Roundup 8.29.11

• Rep. Michele Bachman "jokes" that the hurricane and earthquake was God trying to get politicians' attention Washington Post
• Wiccan students at Vanderbilt University now excused to observe religious holidays Reuters
• Jon Huntsman: Evolution "part of God's plan" Politico
• What is the future of Hip-Hop in faith? Huffington Post
• A new debate amongst Christians: Should wives submit? The Tennessean
• Hysteria over Sharia Law in America Huffington Post

Week 02: Druids

The winter solstice is celebrated at Stonehenge

Mo 8.29

Class: Introductions

We 8.31

Read: Gdocs—"Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Excerpt from The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, “The Rapture” by Skip Horack

Class: Reading discussion; Assignment—PowerPoint presentation; PowerPoint presentation sign-ups

Due: REFLECTION 1

Reflection 1: What Was That?—Belief in the Paranormal

In America, it's difficult to imagine a camping trip or sleep over without someone telling a ghost story or two. In fact, from Ouija boards to mediums to haunted houses, Americans have long a held an interest in the paranormal. And if the plethora of current paranormal reality shows is any evidence, that interest has not waned. In fact, according to a 2005 Gallup poll, one in three Americans believes in ghosts. What are your feelings about the paranormal? Are ghosts real, evidence of an afterlife? Or are ghosts more likely the products of overactive imaginations? Finally, have you ever had a paranormal experience?

Include at least two of the following in your discussion:

• "When I Started to Believe in Ghosts" (Salon)
• "Experts Say Belief in Paranormal Common in US" (Voice of America)
• "How Does a Skeptic Understand the 'Paranormal'?" (Washington Post) 
• "Where Do Supernatural Beliefs Come From?" (Times of London)

Required:

• MLA Style
• Must be exactly two-full pages in length

Due: We 8.31

News Roundup 8.24.11

• Does Tim Tebow's Evangelical faith make him an easy target for critics? (Bleacher Report)
• Mitt Romney and Jon Hunstman have different takes on the Mormon faith that they share (Boston Globe)
• Saudi woman briefly detained after defying her country's ban on female drivers (Mashable)
• An MIT grad student recalls his "ex-gay" therapy (Bay Windows)
• Second Buddhist monk sets himself on fire to protest China's occupation of Tibet (Time)
• Young Christians abstain from alcohol at high rates (Christian Post)

Week 01: Hindus

Hindus celebrating Diwali, the Festival of Lights

W 8.24 

Class: Syllabus review