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Humanities Syllabus

"Picture a flower, a big bright flower in full bloom. The flower’s stem is STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). It is the superstructure, the infrastructure, the support system of the flower itself. The arts and humanities are the blossoms, of course–the source of the flower’s beauty, its fragrance, its identity, the visible mark of its health, and the wherewithal of the flower to reproduce itself. The stem is functional, strong, and essential, but pare away the blossom, and the stem has no purpose, no function, no value. In time it will wither and die.  It cannot survive the loss."   John Lithgow

Definition:  

  • A collection of academic disciplines that study the human conditions


Purpose of the class:  

  • Study how humans communicate through art, music, architecture, theater, philosophy, and literature


Areas of focus:

  • Pivotal moments in:

    • Art

    • Architecture

    • Music

    • Historical Movements

    • Literature / Theater

    • Philosophy / Religion

 

Units:

  • Fundamentals of Analyzing Art

  • Pre-historic / Mesopotamia

  • Egypt / Greece/ Rome

  • India / Asia

  • Africa / Pacific Islands

  • Major World Religions

  • Byzantine / Islamic Empires

  • Middle Ages

  • Renaissance

  • Baroque / Enlightenment

  • Romanticism

  • Modern Era


Assessments:

  • Quizzes at the end of each unit

  • Final Project—Humanities book


Grading Scale
100-97%      A+
96-93%        A
92-90%        A-
89-87%        B+
86-83%        B
82-80%        B-
79-77%        C+
76-73%        C
72-70%        C-
69-67%        D+
66-63%        D
62-60%        D-        
59% below   F

Rules:

  • If you expect more, respect more!

  • Respect is very important in this classroom. Treat others with respect to gain the respect you want. The following are ideas of ways that you can show respect to others and to yourself.  

  • Be courteous to those who have the floor, whether it is ateacher, or a fellow student.  

  • Do your own work.  

  • Come to class prepared.  

  • Disrespect will not be tolerated! This includes disrespect of fellow students, teachers, substitutes and yourself.


Policies:

  • Class Work

    • All class work needs to be completed in blue or black ink, or pencil.

    • If the work is not legible, you will not receive credit.

    • Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students will not receive credit or be able to redo the assignment, and this may lead to failing the class.

    • Late Work—I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE WORK!

  • Makeup Work

    • It is your responsibility to see the teacher for makeup work. Makeup work must be completed within two days of your return.

    • You may retake quizzes if you are not satisfied with your score.

    • Some things cannot be made up.  

Grading

  • Be aware that this class is not graded on a curve. In this class you are not competing against anyone but yourself for a grade. Your participation, self-improvement, attendance, responsibility, attitude, and completion of work will all be vital to your success in this class. Grades are not given—you earn them! Always remember that you create your own success in this class!


Syllabus Example

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