This 10-week cycling ongoing course will explore the lives and impact of significant women throughout history. Students will use Canva and drawing techniques to create visually compelling storybooks that capture the essence of these women's contributions. The course emphasizes understanding the sociological contexts in which these women lived and how society's structure influenced their journeys.

Course Objectives:
    • Understand the historical and sociological contexts of influential women.
    • Develop visual storytelling skills using Canva and drawing.
    • Create a fully illustrated storybook by the end of the course.
    • Engage in discussions about the societal impacts on these women’s lives.

Every week for anyone new I will go over a quick introduction to visual storytelling & sociological perspectives while familiarizing students with Canva and the basics of visual storytelling.  I will introduce the concept of sociological perspectives in the context of women's history.

    • Activities:
        ◦ Warm-up: Sketching game related to historical events.
        ◦ Lecture & Discussion: Overview of sociological perspectives and how they relate to the lives of women in history.
        ◦ Workshop: Canva tutorial—students begin drafting a page of their storybook, focusing on a woman from history.


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Class Start Dates: December 2nd, 2024

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Weekly Topics:
 
Week 1: Welcome to Women’s Studies ; Canva Basics
Let’s kick off the course by learning how to use Canva, a fun and creative tool for storytelling. We’ll also explore the concept of “marginalization” and start thinking about how visual storytelling can help us share powerful ideas. This week is all about getting comfortable with the tools and themes we’ll use throughout the course.

Week 2: Women of Courage – Nadia Murad (Part 1)
This week, we dive into the stories of incredible contemporary women who have faced big
challenges. We’ll meet Nadia Murad, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and advocate for survivors of violence and genocide. We’ll also talk about “intersectionality” and how it connects to her story. By the end of class, we’ll start creating the first page of our Canva storybooks and think about our own contemporary heroes.

Week 3: Women of Courage – Greta Thunberg (Part 2)
Our journey continues with Greta Thunberg, a climate justice activist whose unique perspective has made her a global leader. We’ll talk about how Greta turns her differences into strengths and how her story inspires change. This week, we’ll add another page to our storybooks, focusing on courage and overcoming barriers.

Week 4: Women of Courage – Malala Yousafzai (Part 3)
This week, we’ll learn about Malala Yousafzai, a global advocate for girls’ education who
survived a life-threatening attack and emerged as a voice for change. In class, we’ll reflect on her story and use Canva to illustrate a key moment in the life of Malala, Nadia Murad, or Greta Thunberg. It’s time to bring their stories to life visually!

Week 5: Pioneers in Their Fields – Marie Curie (Part 1)
We’re shifting gears to look at groundbreaking women from the past! First up is Marie Curie, a scientist who changed the world with her discoveries about radioactivity. Together, we’ll revisit the term “intersectionality” and explore how Marie’s work paved the way for future generations.
This week, students will illustrate how a pioneer like Marie or someone they choose, made their mark on history.

Week 6: Pioneers in Their Fields – Amelia Earhart (Part 2)
Meet Amelia Earhart, the fearless aviator who broke records and shattered expectations by flying solo across the Atlantic. In this class, we’ll talk about her legacy and how she opened doors for women in aviation. On Canva, we’ll create pages that celebrate Amelia’s courage or highlight another trailblazer’s achievements.

Week 7: Pioneers in Their Fields – Ada Lovelace (Part 3)
This week, we’ll meet Ada Lovelace, often considered the first computer programmer. Her imaginative work in the 1800s laid the foundation for modern computing. We’ll wrap up our look at pioneers by adding another page to our Canva projects, capturing Ada’s story or the story of another groundbreaking woman.

Week 8: Axes of Privilege – Exploring Our Own Stories (Part 1)
Now, let’s turn inward. This week, we’ll talk about “axes of privilege” and how our own
identities shape the way we see the world. The teacher will share a personal example using a grid or wheel of privilege, and students will start creating their own diagrams. This is a big step in understanding how our own stories connect to the women we’ve studied.

Week 9: Axes of Privilege – Finishing Our Storybooks (Part 2)
We’re pulling everything together! Students will finish their storybooks, combining the life and impact of a woman they admire with their own axes of privilege. By the end of this week, everyone will have a completed project they can share, showcasing both history and their unique perspectives.

Week 10: Show and Tell – Celebrating Our Work
It’s time to celebrate! In our final class, we’ll reflect on all we’ve learned, from marginalization to intersectionality and beyond. Students will have the chance to share their Canva storybooks with the group if they’d like. Let’s look back on these inspiring stories and the creative journeys we’ve taken together.
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This course is designed with a flexible structure, allowing students to jump in at any week.
Each week is independent, enabling students to focus on different women and their societal impacts.

 A session may incorporate Slides (like Power Point), but they would be short presentations and used in moderation in order to not lose students’ attention.