Humanities+Syllabus


 * Humanities **
 * 2010-2011 **
 * Miss DeWitt **
 * COURSE DESCRIPTION AND REQUIREMENTS **

Humanities course is the study of Western history from a non-military point of view. Instead, we look at our past and present through the study of history, religion/ mythology, philosophy, family, and ways of life, art, and music. These various areas are concerned with human values, beliefs, emotions, and how these are expressed through human creativity. Philosophy and religion are organized values and beliefs, whereas works of art (in literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, etc.) show the expression of these values and are often linked together. Humanities class is the study of cultural history within a chronological format to bind these values and beliefs and to help us understand who we are as a culture today. The understanding, appreciation and examination of Western cultural roots, values, and artistic achievements are the basic goals of the class. My desire is to help students understand their own world through the examination of Western cultural heritage. Humanities 2B will focus on the major developmental periods during the second half of Western civilization: The Italian Renaissance to the end of the 20th century. The work in this course is centered on: reading, writing (essays), note-taking, oral presentations, written research reports, art projects, cultural field trips, literature assignments, testing, and discussion. Humanities class is a difficult and demanding course due to the nature of the material that we will be studying. However, students with a wide range of abilities and interests will be successful in the class providing they are willing to //work hard// and //enjoy// the material! This course will prove to be outstanding for college preparation! You will need to keep a 3-ring binder as part of the class requirements. It is part of your grade and part of your exams. Your parents/ guardians may e-mail me at: jdewitt@lapeerschools.org with questions. I look forward to spending this trimester with you! 

 Miss Jennifer DeWitt B.S. Secondary Education (French and Spanish) Master in the Art of Teaching (MAT) Master of Arts in English Language Learning  ** Humanities Course Objectives **    As a result of this course students will be able to: 1. Recognize the influences of the past on our present society. 2. Think about how the past and present might influence the future. 3. Demonstrate a general understanding of the history of Western civilization. 4. Appreciate the values of Western civilization other than their own. 5. React critically to works of painting, sculpture, and architecture. 6. Understand how the humanities reflect the culture that produced them. 7. Explain how certain aspects of culture have changed and developed over time. 8. Express ideas about the above areas in written, oral or project form. 9. Improve skill in note-taking, reading, and test preparation. ** Humanities Binder **  The Humanities binder will be an important part of the course. It is part of your tests and exams. Keep it up to date and bring it to class **__every day__** (I cannot stress this enough)! It should contain everything we do in the class unless I tell that it’s not necessary to put it in your notebook.

GRADING INFORMATION

 * GRADING SCALE: ** The following scale will be used to assign letter grades.


 * ** Letter Grade ** ||  ** Percentage **  ||  ** Range **  ||
 * A || 93  ||  93-100  ||
 * A- || 90  ||  90-92  ||
 * B+ || 87  ||  87-89  ||
 * B || 83  ||  83-86  ||
 * B- || 80  ||  80-82  ||
 * C+ || 77  ||  77-79  ||
 * C || 73  ||  73-76  ||
 * C- || 70  ||  70-72  ||
 * D+ || 67  ||  67-69  ||
 * D || 63  ||  63-66  ||
 * D- || 60  ||  60-62  ||
 * F ||  ||  0-59  ||

a. Tests 40% b. Quizzes 35% c. Participation 15% //(__Your notebook will be considered part of your__// d. Homework 10% //__participation grade__).//
 * Marking period grades ** will be determined by the following percentages:

**// * Miss DeWitt reserves the right to adjust these percentages as the need arises. //**

In courses where an exam is given, the composition of **the final term grade** shall consist of:
 * 80% teacher determined activities, including but not limited to homework, assessments, formative assessments, projects, etc.
 * 20% Term exam, which includes results from common assessment


 * DAILY HOMEWORK AND MAKE-UP WORK **
 * (Please read this section very carefully to avoid confusion) **


 * __ LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED! __**

If you are absent, you will receive ONE DAY for each day that you were absent to make up homework assignments.

It is YOUR responsibility to get all missing assignments and complete those assignments along with any other additional work when you miss class.

For tests and quizzes, you must make up a missed test or quiz immediately upon your return to school after your absence.


 * EXTRA CREDIT **

Extra credit may be offered only if a student demonstrates effort in __all other areas__ of work and still is struggling in the class.


 * CELL PHONES **

School board policy states that (MCL 380.1303) cellular phones and pagers can be confiscated during the school day if turned on or in use. Students with ringing, beeping, vibrating, or VISIBLE cell phones or pagers will have their device confiscated by the teacher and turned in to the office to be picked up at the end of the day. You are here to learn, not to use your cell phone. **__If I see your cell phone out at any point during my class, I will confiscate it and you can get it from me at the end of the school day- this is called “//flagrant// cell phone use in my room!”__**

LEAVING CLASS
In order to leave class to visit the drinking fountain, restroom, or locker you must have your pass card. There are no exceptions to this rule.


 * FOOD & DRINK **

Absolutely no eating in my classroom! You may bring bottled water to class but the liquid must be clear- no pop, juice, coffee, etc. If you bring something of this nature, I will ask you to throw it away immediately.


 * PURSES/ BAGS **

All purses/ bags will be kept on the floor underneath of the student’s desk. If there is a problem with this, I will be more than happy to allow the student to keep his/ her purse/ bag on top of my filing cabinet and off of the floor. There are no exceptions to this rule!


 * INDIVIDUAL/ EXTRA HELP **

I love answering questions for students! I am also more than willing to help before and after school. I encourage you to ask questions and to come in for help if needed. I am generally available before school beginning at 6:45 a.m. I am not readily available after school unless prearranged.


 * CLASS NEEDS **

Each student needs the following by ** Monday, March 21st, 2011 ** : · 1 three-ring **binder** at least 1 ½ or 2 inches deep, with a sturdy, hard cover. · Lined paper/ notebook with paper · Tabbed dividers (I will tell you what to label the tabs in class) · This syllabus should be placed in the FRONT of the binder and stay there for the entire year. · Signed parent/ guardian signature form · A highlighter

You will be graded on your completion of the class needs on Monday, March 21st, 2011. This will count as a quiz grade worth 100 points.

** Individual Field Trips ** One requirement of this course is to complete individual field trips. It is impossible to take advantage of all of the wonderful cultural events that happen in and around the Lapeer area. Therefore, this gives you a great opportunity to learn how to seek out these events on your own. My goal is to expose you to different types of music, film, etc. in the hopes that you will begin to see the value in these new events and sights.
 * NOTE: If you have ANY problems getting the required materials, please see me IMMEDIATELY. If you wait until the day that these materials are due, I will not be able to help you. **

Below is a list of possible field trip ideas for you to take advantage of this year:


 * 1) Renaissance Festival (Holly, Michigan- tickets are $17.95 at the gate)


 * 1) Flint Institute of Arts (Flint, Michigan- free & special exhibits are free on Saturdays with //Target Free Saturdays//)


 * 1) Rent a foreign film from a local video store.


 * 1) Detroit Institute of Arts


 * 1) Various concerts and plays at the Whiting in Flint ( [] )


 * 1) Concerts performed by East and West High School bands and choirs.


 * 1) Lapeer Drama Club performances


 * 1) If you go on vacation somewhere, visit a historical site.


 * 1) Local historical sites around Lapeer (like the Historical Museum).

NOTE: You cannot use the same event more than once a marking period. Along with the visit, you must turn in something that proves you attended the event/ visited the site and a paper that summarizes your field trip.


 * Any field trips beyond the minimum of 2 can be considered for extra credit for the trimester. They must be turned in no later than the last week full week before exams. The timeline for seniors will be adjusted slightly. **

** Paper Requirements **
 * PLEASE SEE NEXT PAGE FOR THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PAPER. **


 * 1) Typed, double-spaced, TIMES NEW ROMAN FONT (size 12), **__1 page in length__**


 * 1) Answer the following questions in an ESSAY format:


 * 1) Where did you go or what did you visit?
 * 2) Where was the event located?
 * 3) Why did you want to attend the event/ site?
 * 4) What did you observe while you were there?
 * 5) What surprised you/ what did you think was cool or interesting, and WHY?
 * 6) Would you go back or attend a similar event? Why or why not?
 * 7) Did this change your feelings about this type of event/ site? How or how not?
 * 8) If you had to, what would you teach your friends or family about this event/ site?

** Parent/ Guardian Signature Form **

Due to the nature of art, especially in earlier times, students will see photos of nude sculptures, etc. like the famous //David// by Michelangelo (from the Renaissance era). We also may be viewing R-rated films (ex. Troy, Kingdom of Heaven etc.) **Your parent/ guardian signature below is necessary for you to be involved in such lessons.** Our textbook is //The Humanities: Cultural Roots and Continuities: Volumes I & II//. Parents may examine the book by written/ e-mail request.
 * STUDENT NAME: **

I have read the syllabus and understand the content, policies, grading scale, and expectations of this course.

**Parent/ Guardian Information**

__** Print Parent/ Guardian Name Home Phone: **__**_** __ ** Work Phone: ** __**_**


 * E-mail:**

__** Sign Parent/ Guardian Name **__


 * Print Student Name **

__** Sign Student Name **__

__ **// THIS PAPER IS DUE //** __
 * //SIGNED__ BY MONDAY, MARCH 21st, 2011.//**