5th Hour

What is 5th Hour?

The purpose of fifth hours is to provide an opportunity for you to engage with our college community beyond what happens in the classroom. Students must attend one event from each of three categories (descriptions of each category can be found below the google form). For each event a student attends they must submit an “And, But, Therefore” statement via the google form below. This statement should be 1-3 sentences long and follow the And, But, Therefore structure of storytelling which we will cover in class. ALL 5th hours MUST be completed before the Tuesday of Thanksgiving break!

5th Hour Google Form

Social Event

At three points during the semester, your peer mentor will host a “screen scream” virtual movie event. At this event the peer mentor will play a predetermined “science” movie (think Twister, Jurassic Park, Interstellar, The Day After Tomorrow, etc.). At this showing, audience participation via chat will discuss science concepts the movie got correct/incorrect, ridiculous/accurate depictions of scientists as a profession, and any other course-related topic. Fact checking in real-time is encouraged. The funniest audience comment/meme/or other contribution wins a prize (crowd vote). As these events are deemed “social” events students must view the movie with the group and participate in some form via chat to be considered present (tracked by the peer mentor). “And, But, Therefore” statements for this category should describe the movie storyline, not the “screen scream” event. Also, the group chat will be downloaded and sent to Dr. Neiles so keep it relatively clean!

Writing and Speaking Center

As was stated above in the grading section, every student must attend the Writing Center once per semester to pass the course. This also counts as one of your 5th hours! You must complete this 5th our using one of the two “Advanced Writing Assignments” and must bring a draft of the assignment with you (you cannot use your required tutorial for brainstorming or planning).Your peer mentor, Kimberly, will be doing a brief presentation to show you how to make an appointment and give you some ideas for how you may wish to use your tutorial. “And, But, Therefore” statements for this category should describe your meeting with the tutor.

Academic Talk or Artistic Storytelling

Students should select one academic talk (from the Natural Science and Mathematics Colloquium, Psychology Lecture Series, or Neuroscience Seminar Series) or one artistic event (for example an exhibit in Boyden Gallery, a tour of Historic St. Mary’s City, watching the dedication video and visiting The Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland, attending an event in the VOICES reading series, attending a music or theater production, etc). Your Peer Mentor will help you keep track of upcoming options in this category. “And, But, Therefore” statements for this category should describe the “story” of the content within the given talk or as the subject of the event, not the event itself.

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