Literature & Composition 401: Independent Study

Example Project Ideas: A customized independent study is a program that is designed by the student for the student. The instructor will guide the creation of the project and help structure it into units of study. The first four weeks of the year will be devoted to the student and instructor designing the project together. The student and their parents will be responsible to provide the instructor with all diploma requirements for the second course of study. There are thousands of different ways that this class could be designed. The second course of study is completely up to you. It could be a course needed to meet a specific diploma requirement (such as a history class) or it could be a specialized course of study of interest to the student, which would be counted as an elective credit. Below are a few models of what a customized independent study might look like. Example #1 "I want to take an art class. My favorite painting is Starry Night" Unit ideas: Focus on impressionism

Research Impressionism and write about how it has influenced culture today. Read a biography about Vincent Van Gogh and write a review. Create your own piece of Impressionist art. Compare Van Gogh to Monet. Shadow a local artist and write about the experience. Other examples of studies in art: women artists, Cubism, ancient art, any type of art history.

Example #2 "I love international politics and I want to learn more about it."

Unit ideas: Focus on the Middle East Research and evaluate how we got into the current state in the Middle East. Read The Kite Runner or similar book and evaluate its accuracy. Interview an immigrant from the Middle East. Investigate the same event reported through different media. Compare the arguments regarding the founding of the state of Israel. Other examples of studies in politics/government: Communism, Constitutional Law, the Supreme Court, Socialism, universal healthcare.

Example #3 "I love taking pictures and would like to be able to list a photography class on my transcript."

Unit ideas: Focus on photography Research and explain the development of the art of photography. Read a biography of Ansel Adams and write about his influence on the art form. Evaluate the visual rhetoric of political photographs. Compare Matthew Brady's war photos to current photos from Afghanistan. Create a photography collection. Other examples of studies in fine arts: graphic design, sculpture, fibers, architecture.