1.1 Bienvenidos

As a “cultural explorer” in this program, you’ll discover foods unique to this region and learn about their historical and geographical context. You’ll learn about Mediterranean cooking and the food that grows best in the fertile surroundings around you, trace the historical ties of different local foods to Moorish and other cultures, and compare different foods from different regions of Spain to see what makes them unique. With each new dish you try, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the region’s different cultures, from past to present, and appreciate their influence on the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle.

Along with studying food as an art form, you’ll explore other cultural elements around you — fine arts, fashion, music, cinema, comic books and other popular entertainment — and then analyze and reflect on these in wider historical and cultural contexts. All of your experiences will culminate in your final project: a video of a gastronomic or artistic element found in Alicante, set in context with your own personal spin.
Are you ready?

1.2 Spanish Stereotypes

Description of content: Discuss the Spanish Stereotypes. Students will discuss them and discover the real Spanish culture.

Description of assessments: Blog Post: A Pic and a reflection of an example of “breaking the stereotype”.

1.3 From Past to Present

Description of content: Explore the timeline of the main cultural and gastronomical facts. Reflect on the main cultures that have influenced the Spanish culture and gastronomy


Description of assessments: Blog post: Guess what history is hiding behind it? Students choose their gastronomy topic and analyze the history behind.

1.4 Regional Diversity

Description of content: Explore the diversity and variety of gastronomy and culture in Spain, paying special attention to Alicante idiosyncrasy.

Description of assessments: Blog post: Location of the topic: Students will reflect on the geographical and social location of their product.

1.5 Blog presentation 1

 

Description of content: Each student will do a presentation of the blog that he or she has been doing throughout the week.

Description of assessments: The presentations will be graded based on content, adequacy and originality

2.1 Tapas

Description of content: Discover the immense world of tapas: origin, variety and styles.

Description of assessments: Students will become creative chefs using traditional Spanish ingredients.

2.2 Music and Dance

Description of content: Enjoy the different Spanish music and dance styles from past to present.

Description of assessments: Blog post: Students will describe a traditional dance and music style related to their final project topic.

2.3 Media: Cinema and TV

Description of content: Discover the main media productions on TV and Cinema. Explore the most relevant Spanish TV shows/ series and cinema directors/ actors and their contributions to Spanish culture.

          Description of assessments: blog post of their TV show or series selection and their movie selection: Justification and argumentation in relation to their final project topic.

2.4 Comic and Street Art

Description of content: Discover the main comics and printed arts as a manifestation of the Spanish culture. Explore in Alicante some of the most popular graffiti’s.

Description of assessments: Blog post of their selected artistic image with a justification/argumentation in its relation with their final project topic.

2.5 Blog Presentation 2

 

Description of content: Each student will do a presentation of the blog that he or she has been doing throughout the week.

Description of assessments: The presentations will be graded based on content, adequacy, and originality.

3.2 Sports

    

Description of content: Learn about the most popular sports in Spain.

 Description of assessments:  Blog post: Student will reflect on a traditional sport or game in Spanish culture.

3.3 Festivities

 Description of content: Discover the most surprising traditions in Alicante and Spain


Description of assessments: Blog post: Students will relate their final project topic with a traditional festival in Alicante and/or Spain

3.4 Mediterranean Lifestyle

Description of content: Learn about the Mediterranean lifestyle and reflect on advantages and disadvantages and how easy/difficult is to be healthy


 Description of assessments: Blog post: Students healthy Mediterranean style goal

3.5 Final Video Presentation

Final Gastro-Cultural Video Project:

This video will be the culmination of the students learning throughout the course:

Student will create an individual video production about a chosen gastronomic or cultural element of Spanish gastronomy following with these characteristics:

a.Duration: 8-10 minutes

b.Content: The content of the video will include the following sections, related to all the content covered in class:

1.      Introduction: Justify the student’s topic selection

2.     Stereotypes: Discuss the stereotypes related with the topic

3.       Historical context: Mention the cultural and historical influences on the subject

4.       Regional characteristics and varieties: Regional variations of the topic

5.       Restaurants: Where this dish or product can be found.

6.       Music: What music style can be linked to the subject. Choose a Spanish song for the video.

7.       Media: TV shows or movies that we can connect with the topic.

8.       Art: Explain and justify the artistic representations that you associate with the topic.

9.       Festivities: Discuss the possible relation between the topic and traditional Spanish festivals

10.   Mediterranean lifestyle: Comment on the role of the chosen element in the Mediterranean lifestyle

11.   Conclusion: Highlight the most outstanding insights from the video project

c. Rubrics:

The evaluation of the final project will be based on:

a.       Completion and duration 25%

b.      Adequacy and content 25%

c.       Original pictures used 25%

d.      Preparation and originality of the video 25%