The objective of this course is to explore J.K. Rowling's world in the Harry Potter series through book discussions and activities. In this course, we will help legitimize the genre of fantasy by exploring topics, themes, and issues brought about by this series. In addition, we will try to understand what makes the series so compelling to generations of readers and what has made it the best-selling book series of all time. We hope to prove that Harry Potter is a work of academic merit to our students.
Students should be able to not just read the whole series and understand the plot, but also critically think about Harry Potter’s relevance to our modern world. We expect students to analyze the characters’ motivations, plot developments, and J.K. Rowling’s influence until today. We really have one question, for which we hope everyone can generate a different answer: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter is a classic and enduring tale — why?
Each class will usually be split into two parts. The first part is a fun activity based on that week's reading, for which you can win points for your house toward the illustrious House Cup. The second part is a discussion, a reading quiz, and a short lecture concerning that week's reading. House points will also be awarded for various things from making Harry Potter-themed food to house bonding and submitting your own discussion questions.
Attendance is mandatory. If you have an excused absence, we still expect you to review the lecture slides and complete the weekly quiz. We are lenient and here to support students, and as such only ask that they communicate their needs to us. There is mandatory two-page, double-spaced Written Response to the series and the secondary readings. In lieu of a final, you will have a final project. You must submit a project proposal to the instructors by the first week of May. The final project is your own creative interpretation of the material covered throughout the course. It can be whatever you want: a story written in the world of Harry Potter, an illustration of some sort, a video, a game, or performance art —anything you like.
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