SYLLABUS/ HUMANITIES

WHITE STATION HIGH SCHOOL, MEMPHIS , TN

INSTRUCTOR: J. Haughton

text: The Humanities in Western Culture

FIRST SEMESTER

1st six weeks:

Chapter 1: Introduction -What are the Humanities? Why do we create?

Chapter 2: Mesopotamia and Egypt

Chapters 3 & 4 : Aegean and Early Greece

Chapter 5: Greek Drama- Oresteia Trilogy and Oedipus Rex

PROJECT: Working individually ---Visit the Univ. of Memphis Institute of Egyptian Art either in person on via internet.

Type a 2 page report describing what you saw.

Click on this address to go there: http://www.memst.edu/egypt/main.html

2nd six weeks:

Chapter 6 : Greek Philosophical Thought: Plato and Aristotle

Chapters 7 : Greek Art

Chapter 8: Roman Art

Required field trip to Brooks Museum to the the Greek Vases.

PROJECT: Study thoroughly the three orders of Greek columns. Choose one of the following for presentation in class You will work in groups of 3 or 4.

1) Use a video camera, travel around Memphis looking for buildings that show Greek influence. Find examples for the three types of columns. Identify the building and explain its architecture. (about 10 minutes in length)

2) Use the computer and prepare a multimedia presentation of buildings that show Greek influence. Find examples for the three types of columns. Identify the building and explain its architecture. (about 10 minutes in length)

3rd six weeks:

Chapters 10 & 11: Judaism and Christianity's Influence on art

 

Chapters 12 - 15 : Medieval Cathedrals

PROJECT: "Crosses" or "Stained Glass" --Your choice : instructions given in class.

SECOND SEMESTER

4th six weeks:

Chapters 16, 17, & 18: Renaissance Art

Chapters 21 & 22: Baroque Art

  • PROJECT: Working in pairs, choose an artist.
  • Give artist's life (about 300-400 words). This may be in outline form if you wish.
  • Each person will select a painting/sculpture/or building by the artist.
  • Give a picture of the work and write 500 or more words about the work.
  • Put everything together with an introduction, body, conclusion, and sources.
  • Must be typed on paper or paperless via Internet or Powerpoint on disk.
  • Show creativity in the way it is written and put together.

 

5th six weeks:

Chapter 24: Romanticism and Realism

Chapter 25: Impressionism and Post-Impressionism

Required field trip to Dixon Gallery

  • PROJECT: Working in pairs -- Choose a subject such as one of the following:
    • Individual portraits
    • biblical scenes (David, prophets, the Annunciation, the nativity, crucifixion, etc)
    • mothers and children
    • war (battle scenes or generals)
    • landscapes
    • seascapes
    • sports

    Find 10 pictures on your subject. Each person will do 5. Tell briefly about the artists and their pictures. Compare and contrast the works since they are on the same subject. Give sources. Make into a notebook or make it paperless via Internet or presentation on a disk.

6th six weeks:

Chapter 26: Twentieth Century.....emphasis on American artists, esp. Frank Lloyd Wright

Chapter 29: Modern Music

  • PROJECTS: Working individually--
  1. Visit a museum on the internet and write a 2 page report of what you saw.
  2. Choose a twentieth -century artist to research. Information will be presented orally.
  • More instructions will be given in class.
  • Return to homepage.

    location of this document: http://www.vroma.org/~jhaughto/