Project Based Learning Electives provided by the Berrien Springs Virtual Academy
Contemporary Film & Conversation: A Movie Theater Experience Spring 2026
All students must complete a project for these classes.
- Instructor: Mark Ring
- Contact: mring@homeoftheshamrocks.org / 269-932-5531
- Location: Celebration Cinema, Benton Harbor, Michigan
- Format: In-person
- Day/Time: Every other Tuesday, between 5:00–9:00 PM (see syllabus for details)
- Class Dates: January 13th - March 24th, 2026
- Additional registration on-site is not required
Grades 6-12
This 6-session experiential course is designed for students who like movies and want to explore it more deeply through a real-time, immersive movie theater setting.
Each session includes viewing a PG or PG-13 theatrical release. If you miss a class or decide the selected film is not a good fit for you for whatever reason, I will suggest an alternate movie options that is comparable and available to rent and watch at home. You can respond to those films through a make-up assignment to receive full credit for the class you missed.
*Please note: it is important to make as informed a decision as possible when choosing your student's Community Resource classes. Most locations will allow a student to drop a class after one meeting, at no charge if it wasn't a good fit for the student, but not all. Some classes plan ahead based on the number that have signed up and have purchased materials, hired teachers, etc. and there might be a fee for class time or materials given to the student if the student drops after one or two meetings. The school cannot pay for classes that students do not complete, so choose wisely; if you do not take the class off of your student's schedule by the deadline, you may be asked to pay for the class time incurred prior to dropping the class.
Teacher of Record: Mark Ring mring@shamrocks.us
