Ms.

Graefes Humanities Class

Name: Humanities 2013-2014 Syllabus

Welcome to Peddie! Humanities is a required course for all Freshman at our school. We will explore over 3,000 years of history, from the Ancient Sumerians to Enlightenment thinkers. Through reading ancient and medieval texts, our class will examine the human condition and the foundations of Western Society. We will often connect the material to our own lives and modern society. Below is the official description of the course. Our most dynamic cities are vibrant with the sights and sounds, the spiritual, artistic, and commercial, and political expressions of humankind. For this course, we will consider how our great cities of today New York, Paris, Londonwere shaped by cities of Ancient Iraq and Egypt; classical Athens and Rome; Cordoba and mercantile Florence. In tracing Western civilization from its origins in Mesopotamia through the classical period of the Mediterranean to The Middle Ages and the eve of the Renaissance, we will follow the progressions and impact of art and architecture, literature, politics, commerce, and religion. We will explore what a mega-city of 2013 (New York) has in common with a mega-city of the ancient world (Rome), and you will write about the strikingly similar patterns of hero figures found in the literature of the ancient world and those traceable in Harry Potter novels and other popular fiction and film. But, most importantly, you will be asked to note the resemblances between citizenship in one of the earliest forms of the city, thepolis, and your experience as a new citizen in our small model of a city, Peddie School. Books studied might include The Odyssey, Greek tragedy and mythology, Julius Caesar, portions of The Aeneid, medieval romance and adventure literature, and contemporary fiction. General Year Plan Fall Trimester History: Early Man, The Ancient World, Sumer, Egypt, Greece, Topics/Themes: Freshman Writing Program, Active Reading, History, Archeology and Philosophy Books: The Iliad, Troy, Gilgamesh, The Odyssey Winter Trimester History: Greece, The Hellenistic World, Ancient India, The Roman Republic and Empire Topics/Themes: Public Speaking, Leadership, Politics and Government Books: Antigone, Julius Caesar, The Aenied Spring Trimester History: The Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation and the Enlightenment Topics/Themes: Religion, Culture, Art History, Power Structures Books: The Song of Roland, Beowulf, and The Canterbury Tales *This is just a preliminary outline. The timeline may shift. The themes may change and evolve according to student interest and relevance.

Ms. Graefes Humanities Class Class Materials:

Name:

Humanities is not just a history/English class, its an introduction the techniques and practices of successful high school student here at Peddie. You are required to not only have organized binders but also organized computers and websites. We will organize our google drive as a class. 1) You will need two, large 3-ring binders. These are for the exclusive use of your Humanities course. Do not put stuff from your other courses in them. 2) The five blue dividers should be placed in one of your binders in this order: Reading, Vocab/Notes, Tests/Quizzes, and Handouts/Misc. We will call this binder your Blue Binder for the rest of the year. 3) The five yellow dividers should be placed in the other of your binders in this order: Grammar, PreWriting and Drafting Skills, Essay Structure, Essay Revision Skills, Correction Symbols. We will call this your Yellow Binder or Portfolio for the rest of the year. 4) Lets label the four yellow dividers with blank tabs (from top to bottom) this way: In-Class, Essay #1, Essay #2, Essay #3. Weebly Student Website: Eventually, we will all create student websites on a Weebly program designed for education. Your site will be password protected and only accessible to our class and your parents/guardians. I will assign you an address, and you will have the option to design and structure the site to fit your preferences. We will use the websites for current event blogs, warm-ups, group projects, timelines etc. Therefore you will be required to have certain tabs in your site. I will hand out a specific rubric with all the necessary components. Classroom Guidelines: Among Peddie Schools core values is respect. Students will demonstrate this value in the classroom in the following ways: Adhere to History Department Academic Honesty Guidelines. Listen to fellow classmates and do not belittle anyones ideas. You may, of course, disagree with one another, but always do so in a constructive manner. Contribute to class and small group discussions. We all need to learn from each other, and your ideas and input are important to this class. Turn cell phones off or to vibrate. No texting during class. Arrive to class on time and prepared with proper attire, completed homework, and due assignments ready to be turned in. Late assignments will not receive full credit. (Assignments printed after class has begun are LATE!) Take responsibility for missed notes, assignments, and assessments. If you miss class for any reason, it is your responsibility to get notes from a fellow student, to turn in assignments upon your return, and to contact me about rescheduling any missed assessments. (In the event of an extended absence, appropriate time will be given to the student to make up work.)

Ms. Graefes Humanities Class

Name: If You Need to See Me:

If You Need to See Me: You can usually find me in EDIT or in the EDIT during my free periods: o Monday: B, D, C o Tuesday: G, B o Wednesday: D, G o Thursday: B, D o Friday: G, B, C o Saturday: D o Below is my Contact Information. Email is always easiest o Email: sgraefe@peddie.org o Cell: 215 589 9463 o Twitter: @MsGraefe If you want to come see me at home, feel free, but it is probably a good idea to call first to make sure Im available. My apartment is in Roberson across for the History Building. This offer to drop by does not hold for when Doctor Who is on TV.

Class Website You can access information for our class from both the edline and the humanities class website http://humanitiesmsgraefe.weebly.com/ . The basic information about assignments will be available on edline but the class website will contain for more information and resources about each days activities and projects. Please save this website in your bookmarks for easy access.