Humanities

Instructor - Donna Logan

Overview
is an integrated History/Language Arts course. It focuses on skills: writing, reading, speaking, and listening. Students will read, write, present, and explore through the prism of American history, literature, art and music. Novels, short stories, plays, essays, poetry, and other primary sources are encountered regularly. A heavy emphasis is placed on improving writing, specifically drafting, rewriting, revising, editing, and polishing the final product. Our students are taught to write for a wide variety of purposes. Humanities classes are presented in an interactive environment with a special focus on debate, simulations, research, and projects.

Materials

1) A History of US: 11-Volume Set – by Joy Hakim. David McCullough’s (author & Pulitzer Prize winner) review: "After so many years of so many dreary textbook renditions of American history, Joy Hakim's series is a big breath of fresh air and the best-possible news for the youngsters who get to read them. Never dull, never the least bit plodding, she bring refreshing spirit and common sense to the telling of every episode. The historic personages, great and small, are all alive, real people, and the idea that history might ever be thought of as a chore has clearly never entered her mind."

2) Other works of American literature

In-Class Activities & Homework

A daily recap for the course and homework assignments are available by selecting the week from the daily journal.

Other Resources

Grammar Guide (mini-lessons and self-assessments)

Google Scholar (for searches of more academic-minded resources)

A History of US (PBS companion website to the Hakim series)

Federal Writers Project (1936-1940) website at the Library of Congress

Poems from the lesson with Roger Smith on October 18, 2007

Poems from the lesson with Roger Smith on January 15, 2008

Webquest - American Revolution from the British perspective