Huzzah for Humanities!

Energize your curriculum and stimulate your child's mind with a survey course in the Humanities! Study of the arts is critical in developing a foundational knowledge of important milestones to prepare students for higher-level academics. There are amazing works of art to ponder, a wealth of literature just waiting to come alive, and fascinating cultural history to experience. Students will study art appreciation through hands-on projects, architecture, poets, composers, and an introduction to Shakespeare. Weekly assignments will include practical application through writing, art projects, and engagement with film and music.

I will lecture on the material each week, then assign reading, writing, and/or projects. This is a highly interactive course, so the actual book list is short. Much of the additional reading can be accessed through the internet (I'll provide links). You will need basic art supplies for the Post-Impressionist and Frank Lloyd Wright units, which I will detail before the unit begins.

Our unit study approach will include:

• The life and times of William Shakespeare, with a focus on his great tragedy, Hamlet.
• Anglo-Saxon literature.
• Lives of the Post-Impressionists and their work.
• The history of jazz music.
• The art and architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Course Objectives:

1. To understand the life, language, and authorship of William Shakespeare through his playwriting, sonnets, and culture of the day.
2. To explore themes and styles of Anglo-Saxon and early medieval poetry and literature.
3. Train the eye to recognize the different techniques of the Post-Impressionist artists and apply those skills to create the student's own pieces.
4. To enable the student in identifying a variety of jazz styles and become familiar with the founding composers and bands of the early jazz age.
5. To study the unique history and style of Frank Lloyd Wright as architect and his influence on architecture today.
6. To render basic floor plans and ornamentation in the FLW style.
7. The overall goal of the course is to bring about a greater understanding and appreciation of the arts.

Texts:

In addition to the following books, I will include links to other reference materials.

• Hamlet (Currently reviewing the best edition)
• The Anglo-Saxon World: An Anthology
• Post-Impressionists: Masterworks
• Jazz: A History of America's Music
• How to Think Like Frank Lloyd Wright