Humanities

= Welcome to our Wiki Page! =

I greatly look forward to our year together. This will be a different one for all of us as we explore the advantages of running much of class via a moodle. Below is the link for our moodle. Your sign on is the same one as your IC log in. Please let me know if you have questions and be sure you check back often!

Our moodle can be found at: [|www.tinyurl.com/hrhumanities]

[|Policies]: You can use the link and access our course policies and procedures. [|Calendar] [|:] Click on this link to access the course calendar
 * After reviewing the policies and procedures, please access and complete the forms on the Home page.

**Guiding Questions:** //What does it mean to be "human"? What is "art"? Why do we create?//
This course is a survey of the arts of Western and Eastern culture from its earliest appearance to the present day. Students read, view, listen to, and discuss works of art compared with the trends of their own and other eras. The goal of the class is to have students be able to describe and discuss historical events, ideas, styles, and major art works of various time periods. Over the course of the year, we will embark on a journey through history from the ancient world to our own "post-modern" civilization to explore the various elements of what we call Western civilization. With each unit we will discuss history, philosophy, art, literature, music, dance, religion, and science, and how each of these elements combine and build upon what came before to define an era. This is an English course, so 11-12 Grade Level Expectations in reading, writing, and reasoning apply. Analytical reading, evaluative writing, and high-level research will be key components of the course. Readings for the course will include a variety of short works and poetry from different cultures and time periods, as well as Homer's //The Odyssey//, Shakespeare's //Midsummer Night's Dream//, and a late 19th or early 20th century novel of the student's choice.

**NOTE:** portions of this course may be implemented in a "hybrid" format, meaning students will be completing activities at home on their own or in virtual classroom environments in lieu of actual classroom attendance.

Grade Level Expectations
This course addresses [|11th Grade Reading, Writing and Communicating Grade Level Expectations]:
 * 1) **Oral Expression and Listening:** Students will participate in a variety of small group activities and presentations, including one formal group presentation and one individual presentation per semester.
 * 2) **Reading for All Purposes:** Students will read a variety of literary and nonfiction forms, including poetry, drama, short stories and novels, as well as primary and secondary historical, philosophical, and technical works.
 * 3) **Writing and Composition:** Students will engage in a variety of creative, analytical, and argumentative forms ranging from parables and poetry to literary analysis and formal argument.
 * 4) **Research and Reasoning:** Students will participate in both personal and collaborative research on cultures, literature, music, and philosophy, considering how historical content relates to contemporary society and their own lives.

**21st Century Skills**
This course addresses the district's goal of Integration of [|21st Century Skills]:
 * **Communication:** Students will be communicating through writing, as well as oral and technology presentations for a variety of audiences and purposes.
 * **Collaboration:** Students will be working collaboratively on partner and small group research projects and in small writing groups.
 * **Creativity and Innovation:** Students will demonstrate creativity and innovation through creative writing activities, art interpretations, and personal philosophy expressions.
 * **Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills:** Students will demonstrate critical thinking through analysis and application of historical and cultural study and argumentative writing.
 * **Ethics:** Students will explore ethical principles through argumentation and application of personal research to philosophical questions and issues.

Activities

 * ** Class Activities and Discussion :** Many of the readings and activities for this course will be accessed online through our course [|Moodle]. In addition, students will participate in a variety of individual and group reading and discussion activities derived from a variety of sources. Completing all in-class and online activities, participation in group activities, and class discussion are expected.
 * **Individual Reading**: In addition to our whole group reading and discussion, students will be reading both whole-class and individually selected texts on their own that are thematically related to what we are exploring in class.
 * **Writing:** Over the course of the year, students will complete a variety of writing activities exploring different modes of narrative, expository, argumentative, and creative writing. Improvement and mastery of basic college-preparatory writing skills will be a key focus of the course.
 * **Art Interpretations**: An important part of our exploration of the arts is an experience of the creative process. Throughout the year we will experience first-hand a variety of artistic and creative endeavors as part of our class participation activities. These are intended to help us better understand the challenges and rewards of the creative process as students prepare to create their own "artistic expression" as part of their final project for the course.
 * **Research**: Research is an important component of this course. Students will engage in individual and group research projects of varying types and purposes throughout the year, culminating in a final research-based personal philosophy statement connected with a related artistic impression.

Evaluation
Grades will be based on a weighted grading system evaluating reading, writing, research, and presentation activities evaluating student progress toward appropriate Grade Level Expectations (GLEs). See the Moodle for individual writing and project rubrics. Standards evaluated on interim and summative assessments will be indicated by number on rubrics and in the gradebook. Students will track their individual progress on standards on personal performance records in Google Docs. For general rubric evaluation, see my **[|Definition of Proficiency.]**


 * Grading Scale:** 90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D, 0-59 F
 * Grading Categories/Weights:**
 * **Homework/Participation - 20%**
 * Class activities and discussion, reading and homework assignments, forum responses, and art explorations
 * **Formative and Interim Assessments - 30%**
 * Objective content quizzes, reading quizzes, and other graded knowledge checks
 * **Summative Assessments - 50%**
 * Final essays, unit assessments, projects, and presentations

Supplies
The following supplies will be required for the course:
 * Medium-sized three-ring binder with dividers or other organizational tool for keeping track of assignments and notes
 * Loose leaf notebook paper
 * Pencils and blue or black ink pens
 * //Recommended//: Portable electronic storage ("thumb" drive)