Do you remember The Big Friendly Giant? Or how about A Wrinkle in Time? Most of us remember those late nights under the covers with our flashlights when we first really discovered books; when we no longer needed our parents to read our bedtime stories; when we were reading middle grade fiction. Middle grade fiction is for readers who are approximately 9-12 years old and for many, it is their first introduction to complex themes and developed characters in literature. In this class we will read middle grade fiction and analyze the importance of this genre and discuss its major components. Students will then write and analyze short fiction. This class will give students interested in literature and creative writing a unique introduction to both.

How do we understand the moving image in what we know as contemporary cinema? How do we critically engage the history and traditions of media practices while testing the boundaries of established forms? In Great Painters & Film Auteurs, students will, through discussions, frame analysis and guest speakers, engage with these and other questions as they not only discover the link between the great painters of the past and today's auteurs of the cinematic screen but develop a new and exciting "filmic" eye. Students will be challenged to think about how we truly perceive cinematic information and what is done to form a single, cohesive moment of visual, emotional power.

This course is designed to help you discover what heritage means for you. You will explore a personal heritage topic of your choice and develop your own definition of heritage. We will also learn about the heritage of others to help enhance your awareness of different heritages and improve your understanding of heritage as significant in the context of the community and society. We will journey through the world of heritage using guest speakers, discussions, selected readings, films, writing, research and field trips. All of this will increase your connection to heritage and your ability to utilize heritage resources for future heritage discovery.

Women have made huge strides in the United States and throughout the world, yet many traditional forms of repression remain, and new forms have emerged. "Women and Crime" will introduce you, using feminist methods, to the role women have in the American judicial system. Women from diverse backgrounds are increasingly lawyers, judges, police, and correction officers. Feminists' lobbying efforts have strengthened laws dealing with some of the crimes against women, such as rape, battering, sexual harassment, and stalking (Raffel & Sokoloff, 1995). But the system still does not treat women well, laws and the attitudes of those empowered to carry out the laws have done much new damage to women. Throughout the term we will explore the concept that crime is a social construct, a status conferred by society. We will also gain a broad perspective on women in the criminal justice system.

Selective works of the author Salman Rushdie will be examined and discussed. Rushdie's works cover a broad genre of literary styles, therefore we will try to examine the various genres as the basis of exploring and interpreting the author's fiction. Genres such as Post-Modernism, Surrealism, Post-Colonialism, Post-Imperialism - just to name a few - will be examined in an introductory fashion to raise the student's curiosity for further research. This may whet the students' appetite to look further into the works of other authors who write in these genres, whether in fiction or criticism.

This course is an introduction to oppression and the types of oppression that exist in North American society. The focus of the class is on the impact of oppression on women and comes from a feminist perspective.

The Literature of Surrealism course will attempt to cover many of the topics which are important for a better understanding of the history of the movement. Beginning with what came before it, we will then look at the initial literature which the movement created. From there, we will look at the different types of writing which the different Surrealist members created. As a conclusion, we will look at broader topics which can be seen in works throughout the movement, and we will look at a work that was influenced by "Surrealist" style. All of this will be done in order to stress the importance of literature in a movement which is most often remembered for its visual manifestations. Thus, by the time that the class is over, students will be able to fully grasp what the term "Surrealist" means and they will have a better understanding of what the Surrealists were trying to accomplish through their work.

This course is designed to give students who have no familiarity with The Bible an overview of its importance as the underlying text for much of Western Literature. It is based upon the premise that without first understanding what is actually on the page, students cannot accurately layer on another critical approach. Students will read parts of The Bible, as well as some of the more important literature which The Bible informs. The course is keyed to provide a "quick-book" approach, by teaching the two components jointly, not separately. There will be much reading, in class free-writing, two short quizzes, one three page paper, and a creative project.

Students will read, analyze, and discuss texts basic to Buddhism and Christianity, hear speakers who are practitioners of both religions, and develop projects which will stimulate dialogue between the two faiths. Topics will include the nature of prayer and mediation, approaches to creation and sustenance of the universe, and the issue of life after death.

This course is designed to give students who have no familiarity with The Bible an overview of its importance as the underlying text for much of Western Literature. It is based upon the premise that without first understanding what is actually on the page, students cannot accurately layer on another critical approach. Students will read parts of The Bible, as well as some of the more important literature which The Bible informs. The course is keyed to provide a "quick-book" approach, by teaching the two components jointly, not separately. There will be much reading, in class free-writing, two short quizzes, one three page paper, and a creative project.