Syllabus for my Walking Dead and Science freshman course
Yes, this is a real thing! I copied excerpts from the syllabus (I left out the boring legalese we have in our syllabi, learning outcomes, etc.) and posted it below for your reading pleasure (all memes appear in the original syllabus):
FYS 104: Walkers Ate My Science Homework: The Walking Dead and 20th Century Science
Course description:
This freshman-only course will focus on controversial scientific discoveries and technologies of the 20th century as seen through the lens of Robert Kirkman’s popular graphic novel series The Walking Dead and its equally popular television series. We will use Kirkman’s work to investigate the complex intersections between science, technology, and ethics. In order for an informed discussion of the controversies surrounding such advances to take place, a solid backbone of scientific content must form the core of the course. Topics to be covered include scientific methods and experimental design; ethics and scientific experimentation on humans, disaster preparedness and end-of-the-world scenarios, pandemics, biological warfare, genetic engineering , definitions of clinical death, life extension, and euthanasia. Students will be expected to have already viewed Seasons 1-4 of the series before starting the course. You should get the references to all the memes in this syllabus. Previous experience with the graphic novel series is encouraged but not required.
Note: In this course we will be discussing controversial subjects and viewing graphic material. All thoughtful fact-based opinions are equally valued, but you should be prepared to back up your opinions with evidence and logic. You are also strongly encouraged to share your “gut reactions” and opinions based not on facts but your personal belief system(s), but you should identify these as such.
Course requirements:
Students will be required to view ten episodes of The Walking Dead outside of class and answer a series of questions (called “Viewing questions”). You are encouraged to watch these episodes with other students and discuss the questions, but each student must hand in their own individual work. These episodes can be gotten from Amazon for about 1.99-2.99 per episode download. You may also find a friend who has the dvds, or can rent them from Netflix or other online vendors. The ten episodes are:
Students will be graded on the following:
The group project will be in lieu of a midterm exam. The week of Halloween the class will staff tables in the Student Center on one afternoon and hand out information on various ways that students can be prepared for “disasters” on campus. Yes, you are allowed to dress up as a zombie, a Walking Dead character, or even a mad scientist! Two-thirds of your grade will be working in a small group to gather the necessary information and put together a fun, informational handout on your assigned topic, and the remaining third will be based on your attendance and involvement at the Student Center event. We will staff the tables from noon until 3 and each person is required to be there for one hour (a third of the class will be on duty each hour). This should be a lot of fun, and at the same time help educate the campus on some very serious matters!
There will also be a final project. Each student will choose a different zombie film, novel (not TWD), graphic novel (not TWD) or tv series and prepare a 4-6 page paper analyzing the science presented in that work. There will also be a SHORT presentation on the last day of class, about 3 minutes per student, summarizing each paper. More directions will be forthcoming.
Rules of the Road:
While this course isn’t exactly a “Ricktatorship”, there are some course rules that must be followed....
......
6) There is no such thing as a “stupid question.” Please ask!
7) Always remember, “destroy the brain, destroy the ghoul.” (Night of the Living Dead)
Tentative topics list and assignments:
Course description:
This freshman-only course will focus on controversial scientific discoveries and technologies of the 20th century as seen through the lens of Robert Kirkman’s popular graphic novel series The Walking Dead and its equally popular television series. We will use Kirkman’s work to investigate the complex intersections between science, technology, and ethics. In order for an informed discussion of the controversies surrounding such advances to take place, a solid backbone of scientific content must form the core of the course. Topics to be covered include scientific methods and experimental design; ethics and scientific experimentation on humans, disaster preparedness and end-of-the-world scenarios, pandemics, biological warfare, genetic engineering , definitions of clinical death, life extension, and euthanasia. Students will be expected to have already viewed Seasons 1-4 of the series before starting the course. You should get the references to all the memes in this syllabus. Previous experience with the graphic novel series is encouraged but not required.
Note: In this course we will be discussing controversial subjects and viewing graphic material. All thoughtful fact-based opinions are equally valued, but you should be prepared to back up your opinions with evidence and logic. You are also strongly encouraged to share your “gut reactions” and opinions based not on facts but your personal belief system(s), but you should identify these as such.
Course requirements:
Students will be required to view ten episodes of The Walking Dead outside of class and answer a series of questions (called “Viewing questions”). You are encouraged to watch these episodes with other students and discuss the questions, but each student must hand in their own individual work. These episodes can be gotten from Amazon for about 1.99-2.99 per episode download. You may also find a friend who has the dvds, or can rent them from Netflix or other online vendors. The ten episodes are:
Wildfire (Season 1 episode 5)
TS-19 (Season 1 episode 6)
Pretty Much Dead Already (Season 2 episode 7)
Walk With Me (Season 3 episode 3)
The Killer Within (Season 3 episode 4)
When the Dead Come Knocking (Season 3 episode 7)
Made to Suffer (Season 3 episode 8)
30 Days Without an Accident (Season 4 episode 1)
Infected (Season 4 episode 2)
Us (Season 4 episode 15)
You will also be required to purchase the book The Zombie Autopsies by Steven Schlozman. Either paperback or hardcover is fine. TS-19 (Season 1 episode 6)
Pretty Much Dead Already (Season 2 episode 7)
Walk With Me (Season 3 episode 3)
The Killer Within (Season 3 episode 4)
When the Dead Come Knocking (Season 3 episode 7)
Made to Suffer (Season 3 episode 8)
30 Days Without an Accident (Season 4 episode 1)
Infected (Season 4 episode 2)
Us (Season 4 episode 15)
Students will be graded on the following:
- Viewing questions for each of the 10 episodes listed above: 25% total
- Take-home final exam: 15%
- In-class unannounced writing assignments: 20% total
- Zombie Autopsies reading questions: 10%
- Final project (PPT presentation and paper): 15%
- Group project on campus preparedness: 15%
The group project will be in lieu of a midterm exam. The week of Halloween the class will staff tables in the Student Center on one afternoon and hand out information on various ways that students can be prepared for “disasters” on campus. Yes, you are allowed to dress up as a zombie, a Walking Dead character, or even a mad scientist! Two-thirds of your grade will be working in a small group to gather the necessary information and put together a fun, informational handout on your assigned topic, and the remaining third will be based on your attendance and involvement at the Student Center event. We will staff the tables from noon until 3 and each person is required to be there for one hour (a third of the class will be on duty each hour). This should be a lot of fun, and at the same time help educate the campus on some very serious matters!
There will also be a final project. Each student will choose a different zombie film, novel (not TWD), graphic novel (not TWD) or tv series and prepare a 4-6 page paper analyzing the science presented in that work. There will also be a SHORT presentation on the last day of class, about 3 minutes per student, summarizing each paper. More directions will be forthcoming.
Rules of the Road:
While this course isn’t exactly a “Ricktatorship”, there are some course rules that must be followed....
......
6) There is no such thing as a “stupid question.” Please ask!
7) Always remember, “destroy the brain, destroy the ghoul.” (Night of the Living Dead)
Tentative topics list and assignments:
|
Date
|
Topic
|
Assignment Due
|
|
8/28
|
Intro to the course
|
|
|
9/2
|
Neuroparasitology: "Zombie" animals
|
|
|
9/4
|
Disaster preparation
|
|
|
9/9
|
Evacuations: Lessons from Katrina
|
|
|
9/11
|
Pandemics
|
Viewing questions episodes 1.5 & 1.6
|
|
9/16
|
The Real CDC
|
|
|
9/18
|
Pseudoscience
|
|
|
9/23
|
AIDS: Science and Superstition
|
|
|
9/25
|
Clinical definitions of death
|
Viewing questions episodes 2.7 & 3.3
|
|
9/30
|
Dealing with Corpses: Rites and Rights
|
|
|
10/2
|
Wildcard! You pick the topic!
|
|
|
10/7
|
Dangers of Pregnancy
|
Viewing questions episodes 3.4 & 3.7
|
|
10/9
|
Designing an experiment
|
|
|
10/14
|
Ethics and experimentation involving humans
|
|
|
10/16
|
Dehumanizing the “other”
|
Group report and handouts due
|
|
10/21
|
Euthanasia
|
|
|
10/23
|
Living with a medical time bomb
|
Viewing questions episodes 3.8 & 4.1
|
|
10/28
|
Midterm project: Meet at Student Center!!!
|
|
|
10/30
|
Genetic engineering
|
|
|
11/4
|
Timekeeping (meet in planetarium)
|
|
|
11/6
|
Lab safety and ethics at CCSU – lab tours
|
|
|
11/11
|
Bird Flu and Swine Flu
|
Viewing questions episodes 4.2 & 4.15
|
|
11/13
|
Disease control in a global age
|
|
|
11/18
|
Stereotypes of scientists
|
|
|
11/20
|
“Survival of the Fittest”
|
|
|
11/25
|
Mass Extinction
|
|
|
11/27
|
THANKSGIVING -NO CLASS
|
|
|
11/30
|
Zombie Autopsies
|
Novel reading questions
|
|
12/2
|
Zombie Autopsies continued
|
PPT slides for presentation due
|
|
12/9
|
Student presentations
|
|
|
12/16
|
Final exam due, 11 AM
|
|
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