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| "A Flea Market Flag" by Kelly Moore |
Humanities 11: 2021-22
Instructor: Jessica McCallum
E-mail: jessica.mccallum@animashighschool.com
Office Hours: Wednesdays and by appointment
“Through the humanities we reflect on the fundamental question: What does it mean to be human? The humanities offer clues but never a complete answer. They reveal how people have tried to make moral, spiritual, and intellectual sense of a world in which irrationality, despair, loneliness, and death are as conspicuous as birth, friendship, hope, and reason.”
From “The Humanities in American Life,” a 1980 report from the United States Rockefeller Commission on the Humanities
Course Description
In 11th grade Humanities, we will explore what it means to be an American and an Earthling at this crucial, fascinating moment in history. We will look at the state of the American experiment and dive into the complexities of our history to investigate how American life, and our own lives, have been shaped by a multitude of different perspectives and ideas. We will inquire into our own political and philosophical leanings in an effort to understand ourselves, our country, and our place in the world. Although we may never arrive at absolute answers, as thinking members of this extraordinary society, it is imperative that we ask the questions.
11th grade Humanities is designed to prepare you for the work you will do in college. As such, you should expect to read and write and research and think rigorously and vigorously. We will focus on developing skills that will help you succeed in the humanities in college such as critical analysis, making and supporting sophisticated claims, internalizing your own writing/learning process, and managing your time. Don’t be intimidated by junior year! This just might be the most riveting year of your intellectual life thus far. Bring your heart and mind to the experience. You have a solid community of Ospreys behind you.
SEMESTER ONE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: Rhetoric, Ideology, & the Democratic Experiment | SEMESTER TWO ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: Philosophy, Ethics, and Our Relationship with Earth |
What does it mean to be “American”? How is the study of history an ideological act? What are the historical origins of some of the ideological conflicts that divide us? What is the relationship between ideology and language? What do I believe about America, and how has my political ideology been formed by my value systems, my experiences, and my encounters with rhetorical discourse? What do people who disagree with me believe about America and how has their ideology been influenced by these forces? How do I communicate with rhetorical effectiveness in a politically diverse environment?
| “Your Life on Earth”: Philosophizing Purpose and Place What is the purpose of (your/human) existence? What is a “sense of place” and what is your place in the world? How do you characterize your relationship with Earth/place/resources? How can literature/art/film/music/etc. aid the human quest for purpose and place?
Ethics of Food How does food in America get from the source to your plate? How do we characterize America’s relationship with food? What are political and economic factors that shape this relationship? How do you characterize your own “food ethic”? How does a food ethic reflect one’s relationship with Earth and her resources?
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