LEARNING COMMUNITIES FOR FALL 2015
What is a learning community: A learning community integrates two or more courses using a common theme. By connecting
subjects through readings and assignments, understanding of the material is easier and learning is improved. Because the same
community of students is in the linked classes, the learning environment is more comfortable, students help each other succeed and
new friendships are formed. To register, sign up for the specific courses and sections numbers under the theme and description.
Just Us: Social Justice for a Just World
Is this the kind of society and world in which you want to live? In this cluster, you will investigate, discuss, and speak out about social justice issues
you care about the most. Find out what activists are doing to address injustices in areas such as civil rights, criminal justice, the environment,
foreign policy, immigration, labor unions, privacy rights, social class, women’s rights, and more. Learn how to advocate for the principles you
believe in and create a more just society. Learn how to let your voice be heard! Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENG 111 or ENG 115 or ENG 121
SOC -111 016 Introduction to Sociology
Phillip Terry-Smith
T/Th
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.
COM-111 028 Fundamentals of Oral Communication
April Copes
T/Th
2:00 – 3:15 p.m.
Promoting Wellness: Changing Ourselves and the World
"How can we change the world and our own lives for the better? Come join us to explore strategies for making choices and decisions that promote
the wellness of both our personal lives and the world around us--and to explore the power of writing as a tool for change. Prerequisite: Eligibility
for ENG 111 or ENG 115 or ENG 121
ENG-111 017 Composition and Intro to Literature 1
Johnny Lew
TuTh
9:30 – 10:45 a.m.
HEA-114 005 Components of Personal Fitness &
Wellness
Caryn Martin
TuTh
11 – 12:15 p.m.
Intermediate Algebra + Study Skills = Success
Want some help with your Intermediate Algebra class? This learning community includes your intermediate algebra mathematics class and a onecredit support experience that will help you develop the skills necessary to succeed with mathematics, and beyond. Boost your chance of success
in mathematics through this unique supportive environment and prepare yourself for the next step in your journey.
Prerequisite: Achieving an appropriate score on the mathematics part of the ACT or SAT, or completion of MAT 011 with a grade of at least a C or
scoring at an appropriate level on the Mathematics Placement Test.
MAT-012 007
ACA-100 007
Intermediate Algebra
Student Success
Amber Rust
Audra Butler
MWF
W
12:00 – 1:10 p.m.
2:00 – 2:50 p.m.
Speaking of History: Connecting with History through Speech
Good speeches have shaped and described U.S. history since the country’s founding. Expand your knowledge of selected U.S. historical events and
personalities while refining your public speaking skills, conducting research and gaining confidence as a presenter. Study texts, primary sources and
videos and gain speaking practice. Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENG 111 or ENG 115 or ENG 121
HIS-211 003
History of United States 1
COM-111 016 Fundamentals of Oral
Communication
Lester Brooks
TuTh
9:30-10:45 a.m.
Susan Kilgard
TuTh
11-12:15 p.m.
What is your Food IQ? Facts, Myths and Misinformation about What We Eat
What are the implications of your food choices? Did you know that something as common as table sugar can impact human rights, the
environment and human health? Study contemporary literature related to food's impact on health, politics, economics, culture and the
environment, and connect this information to knowledge gained through scientific inquiry. Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENG 121
ENG-121 015 Composition and Literature
Susan Cohen
TuTh
11-12:15 p.m.
BIO-135 004 Principles of Nutrition (Math
requirement waived)
Amy Allen-Chabot
TuTh
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.
Communication for Community Connections
What does it mean to be an engaged member of your community? Explore social justice issues in both local and global communities. Read and
discuss topics related to cultural awareness and concepts of compassion, charitable giving, and volunteerism. Investigate resources and services
provided by non-profit community organizations, and discover the benefits associated with volunteerism for both society and the individual.
ESL-312 903 Intermediate Reading and Vocabulary
Anne Kennedy
MW
ESL-319 903 Intermediate Listening and Speaking
Mary Applegate
MW
11:00am 12:40pm.
1:00-2:40pm
Creepy or Crazy: Exploring Supernatural and Psychological Phenomena
Ghosts! Hallucinations! Terrifying experiences! Disturbing psychological implications! What is really happening in the minds of literary characters?
What is really happening in the minds of real people? What do we know and what can we learn about these phenomena? Join us as we explore
fascinating and unsettling ideas about supernatural and psychological phenomena as well as the difficult-to-define realm in between. Prerequisite:
Eligibility for ENG 121
COM-111 005 Fundamentals of Oral Communication
Haley DraperBowers
MWF
9:00 – 9:50 AM
ENG-121 009 Composition and Literature
Dean Bowers
MWF
10:00 – 10:50 AM
And the Beat Goes On: Music and Culture
The foundation of this course will be the academic skills of close reading and close listening, which are fundamental to college writing and musical
understanding. From this foundation, students will learn about and gain practical experience in fieldwork and ethnography. Across the learning
community, students will design and produce their own research project documenting musical topics in our local community. Prerequisite:
Eligibility for ENG 121
ENG-121 006 Composition and Literature
Jim Finnegan
TuTh
9:30 – 10:45
MUS-262 001 World Music
Chris Ballengee
TuTh
11:00 – 12:15
*MUS 262 also meets a diversity requirement
Breaking Rules and Fighting Back: Inciting Change in American History and Literature
The women’s movement. Labor disputes. The civil rights movement. The Vietnam War. These events changed the course of American history, and
that would not have been possible without those individuals who were brave enough to stand up and fight for what they believed in. In this
learning community, we will discuss incidents of political and social unrest, and meet some of the most famous dissenters in US history. In addition,
students will encounter literary texts that feature rebels and nonconformists, and discover unforgettable characters that not only demand but also
create change. This learning community will prove that history is much more than dates and that literature can enlighten the past in fascinating
ways. Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENG 121
HIS-212 002 US History II
ENG -121 014 Composition and Literature
Russell
Rockefeller
Donna PackerKinlaw
MWF
10:00 – 10:50
MWF
11:00 – 11:50
How to Beat the System: Tales of Underdogs, Clones, and Megalomaniacs
How do societies shape the people who live within them, allotting power to some and none to others? In this learning community, you will read
literature and use sociological concepts and theories to examine how people are the products of their society. You will follow the rise and fall of the
underdogs, clones, and megalomaniacs produced by social constructs as they attempt to “beat the system” and gain some type of power and
recognition. Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENG 121
SOC 111 014
Introduction to Sociology
ENG-121 025 Composition and Literature
Gina Finelli
MWF
12:00 – 12:50
p.m.
Regina Johnson
MWF
1:00 –1:50 p.m.
Notice of Nondiscrimination: AACC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, Title IX, ADA Title 504 compliant institution. Call Disability
Support Services, 410-777-2306 or Maryland Relay 711, 72 hours in advance to request most accommodations. Requests for sign language
interpreters, alternative format books or assistive technology require 30-day notice. For information on AACC’s compliance and complaints
concerning discrimination or harassment, contact Kelly Koermer, J.D., federal compliance officer, at 410-777-7370 or Maryland Relay 711.