Grading

Assignments will take place on Canvas, student should  have access to internet wither via home or school computer to complete these assignments.  Specific Due dates and guidelines will be posted with the assignment on Canvas.

Discussions

This is a highly interactive course and I want to give you the chance to connect with your classmates.  Online learning environments have many benefits and it can sometimes feel isolating.  I'll be implementing a couple ways to connect with one another and engage with our course content. Throughout the semester you will have assigned discussions (you will not have one every week). We will use different modalities to discuss, guidelines will be given on Canvas.  Discussions are 10 points. There are two due dates for this assignment....Thursdays 11:59pm for original response posts and Sundays 11:59pm for comment posts. Discussion assignments will not occur every week.

Engagement/Share Questions

Engagement questions will happen weekly. These are designed to encourage your engagement with content, ask for your input, or share ideas and/or resources. These are quick responses, and do not require the level of analysis that discussion assignments ask for. Assignments are 5 points each. These are mid-week assignments, due on Wednesdays 11:59pm

Reading Reactions/Quizzes

Throughout the semester you will be assigned readings related to activism and feminism.  These readings are designed to share information and insight into one’s self-discovery, path to activism, challenges in activism, and dedication to creating social change.  You will be asked to respond to readings via reading reactions (multiple choice, True/false, short response, or essay.)  Reactions are worth 20 points each; due by Sundays 11:59pm (except for our final week).

Spotlight on Activism

Similar to those in Fight Like a Girl, you will be required to research and share information on events, organizations, and/or actions that fit the criteria of this course.  There will be four (4) required write-ups to be turned in online.  For credit, you will submit 3-5 paragraphs describing What, When, Where, Who, and Why (as applicable) along with an analysis detailing how this activism is related to our class.  The action must be current to this semester, cannot repeat those mentioned in our readings, and cannot be events used for class/class activities.  Each write-up is worth 10 points.  You will post these spotlights on Canvas as blog posts.  Unlike blog assignments, you are not required to respond to classmates.  However, you are highly encouraged to read your classmates’ posts (you’ll learn a lot!) and are invited to comment. 

There will be one make up Spotlight toward the end of the semester so if you need to skip one of the earlier assignment Spotlights, or if you want to better a grade, you will have the chance to do so.

Weekly Check In

An end-of-the-week opportunity to check in. At the end of each weekly module I will ask you to respond with either 

1. Write a question you might have that needs to be addressed.

2. Type in, "All is great. I'm excited!" 

3. Express any concerns.

This will give you and I a chance to connect weekly and hopefully make sure that any questions are answered and that you are on track for the semester. Use this opportunity to share concerns, ask about course content, or simply let me know you are good. Check ins are 1 point each.  Note--the final week will be a 'check out' with slightly different prompts.

Body Politic Research Assignment 

This semester we will be looking critically at women’s health, the women’s health movement, and body politics. As a culmination of your learning in this course you will be required to complete a research paper related to the course topics. There are a number of possibilities for your project—something that we will discuss throughout the semester, so start thinking about it: What women’s health/body topic most interests you?  What are the social issues that impact/contribute to this topic?

The medium in which you complete this project is flexible--write a paper, create a digital story, do a presentation (via zoom since this is an online course).  I'm open to creative ideas--want to create a graphic novel? Let's talk! Other ideas...let's touch base! 

Components of the Action and Research:

• Topic & Thesis Statement (10 points)

Decide upon a topic and submit a couple of paragraphs describing your idea. You will also design a thesis statement to help direct your research (I'll give you more direction on this in Canvas).

• Bibliography & Outline (10 points)

I will give you guidelines on creating both a bibliography and outline. You will do this prior to the final assignment to give us a chance to touch base and make sure you are on track for the final.  The bibliography needs to be in process, but doesn't need to be complete. The outline will help you get organized for the final assignment.  More details on Canvas.

• Final Research Assignment (80 points) 

This will be a culminating final project for the semester. And an opportunity to connect what you are learning to your life personally. Details of this assignment will be discussed on Canvas—a wide selection of options are available for this assignment. The focus will be to tie together the critical analysis on feminism and sociology while incorporating your own experiences/interests with women's health.