Welcome!

Welcome to each one of you!  I am looking forward to getting to know you and learning together about this fascinating aspect of Lancaster's culture.  Below are the instructions for the 6.5 hours of pre-course work you will need to complete before our class meets the weekend of February 3, 2019.  Please contact me if you have any questions!

A.  Create your Blog (1 hour): Due 1/25/19

1.     Go to https://www.blogger.com/about/

2.     Click on "Create your Blog"

3.     If you have a gmail address, sign in with gmail.

4.     If you don't have a gmail address, click on "Choose another account."  Then, click on "Create account."  Follow the steps to create your gmail address.  Then, go back to https://www.blogger.com/about/ and sign in with your new gmail address and password.

5.     Choose a title and type it in the first box ("[Yourname]’s Blog" but with your actual first name).

6.     For the address (in the second box), type this with your name instead: [yourname]amishcultureweekend2019.blogspot.com

7.     Choose a color theme (you can change this later).

8.     Choose "no thanks" when it asks if you want a domain.
9.     Go to https://amishcultureweekend2019.blogspot.com/ and post your blog's address ([yourname]amishcultureweekend2019.blogspot.com) as a comment under my first blog post so that I can link your blog to the class blog.  

B.     Write Blog Post #1: Intro (1 hour): Due 1/25/19

1.     This is your dashboard, where you can make new posts and manage your blog. Click on "View Blog" (on the left side at the top).  This is what your blog looks like when you go to your blog's address.

2.     Go back to your dashboard (it should still be in a different tab). Click on "New Post" (an orange button at the top left).

3.     Choose a title for your post (something like "Hello!" or "This is [your name]") and type it in the small title box. 

4.     Then start writing your answers to these questions in the big box:

a.     What does your name mean?

b.     What is something that has surprised you about living in the US?

c.      What is one question you have about the Amish or about American culture?

d.     What are three words that describe how you feel about (or what you know about) Amish culture?

5.     When you are finished, click "Publish" (an orange button on the right).

6.     Click on "View blog" to see what it looks like! When you want to write another post, go to blogger.com to log in to your blog. 

C.     Investigate the Pre-Coursework Sources (2 hours)

1.     Overview on Amish: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/amish_1.shtml

2.     Video on downtown Lancaster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBmOK6IG-Lo

3.     Amish in popular culture

a.     Amish Romance novels: https://www.newsweek.com/2015/05/08/fifty-shades-amish-strange-genre-romance-novel-324940.html

b.     Breaking Amish/Return to Amish (TLC shows) Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaking_Amish

c.      Amish uber: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/amish-uber-service/index.html

d.     Amish runners: http://www.witf.org/news/2015/11/pennsylvania-amish-man-runs-marathon-in-traditional-clothes.php

D.    Write Blog Post #2: Lancaster, the Amish, and Popular Culture by answering these questions (remember to go to blogger.com to log in to your blog) (2 hours): Due 1/28/19

1.     What is something that surprised you about the descriptions of Amish beliefs and lifestyle descriptions in Source 1?  What is something you would like to know more about?

2.     What is something that you learned about downtown Lancaster from Source 2?

3.     Which place shown in the Lancaster video was most interesting to you? Why? 

4.     How does downtown Lancaster seem similar to or different from the town you are currently living in?  Your hometown?

5.     What is your reaction to the article about Amish romance novels and TV shows (Sources 3a and b)?  How do you think you might react if you were an Amish person?  How do you think you might react if romance novels or TV shows were being written about your home community by outsiders?

6.     Have you ever used Uber?  How does that shape your impression of Source 3c?  Do you think you would take an Amish Uber if you had the chance?

7.     Have you ever participated in a race?  How do you think running in non-traditional running clothes might affect your experience (based on Source 3d)?

8.     Why do you think the Amish community requires its members to dress alike and in those styles? 

9.     Have you ever had to wear a uniform? Did you like or dislike wearing the uniform?  How did that experience affect you?

10. What is one question about the Amish or Lancaster that you are excited to find out more about?

E.     Write Comments to your Classmates (.5 hour): Due 1/30/19

a.     Find at least 2 classmates' blogs (at the bottom of the main class blog) and write a comment on either of their first posts.