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Humanities History 2017-18

Picture
"He's neither celebrating the flag nor . . . stabbing it in the heart.  He's . . . to use a later term, deconstructing it. . . . [A]nother way to put it is that he's inviting you to become innocent. He's inviting you to look at these things as if you were a Martian. . . . And just to stare at them and to take them as natural artifacts." –Historian Todd Gitlin on Jasper Johns, "Three Flags," 1958 at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.
​

Introduction

This course examines the American experience from 1776 to the present with an emphasis on sharpening skills essential to the study and transmission of history through investigation, discussion, and written reflection on primary sources. 

In addition, our course will work in concert with Arts, English, and Philosophy & Religion to address four common Humanities questions:
  • How do we know what we know? What are the types of knowledge can we draw from various types of sources? How do we reconcile competing claims?
  • How does one live a good life? What has "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" meant to different individuals over time? What has happened when the freedoms of some conflict with those of others?
  • What makes for a good society? In what ways has the American project been imagined and implemented over time? In what ways have these ideals and practices been contested? 
  • What is the relationship of human beings to the natural world? How has geography impacted the trajectory of America's development?

Course Policies

Below the course policies can be expanded for more information.

​Introduction

This course examines the American experience from 1776 to the present with an emphasis on sharpening skills essential to the study and transmission of history through investigation, discussion, and written reflection on primary sources.

In addition, our course will work in concert with Arts, English, and Philosophy & Religion to address four common Humanities questions:
  • How do we know what we know? What are the types of knowledge can we draw from various types of sources? How do we reconcile competing claims?
  • How does one live a good life? What has “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” meant to different individuals over time? What has happened when the freedoms of some conflict with those of others?
  • What makes for a good society? In what ways has the American project been imagined and implemented over time? In what ways have these ideals and practices been contested?
  • What is the relationship of human beings to the natural world? How has geography impacted the trajectory of America's development?

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course students should be able to:
  • Read by navigating and drawing meaning from written and visual primary sources as well as scholarly historical writing.
  • Analyze the meanings and arguments presented by sources from multiple perspectives.
  • Reflect thoughtfully in conversation with peers to weigh competing viewpoints.
  • Write logical, well-supported, and sophisticated arguments.
  • Understand the development of U.S. government and society from independence to the present.

Format

Learning in this course structured to follow Bloom’s Taxonomy (outside link) in the path toward developing higher-level thinking within a historical context. While we will speak often about skills, it is also important to remember that even in the age of near-instant reference, a certain command of context is still essential for rigorous application of historical tools. This course is designed to equip you with the basic knowledge needed to frame your understanding and ask good questions for further research.​

On a day-to-day basis, much of our time will be dedicated to discussion of assigned texts, supplemented by interactive activities ​to practice notetaking, analysis, research, and other skills. At the end of each unit, you will be assessed through essays, projects, debates, or other larger assignments designed to track your comprehension and progress toward our course goals.
​
Coursework

Coursework will represent approximately 70% of your grade per marking period, though this segment is broken up into a variety of assessment areas, including:
  • ​Understanding and basic application will be assessed through short assignments that may be completed in class or at home (5-30 points).
  • Analysis, evaluation, and original creation will be assessed at the conclusion of most units (2-4 weeks each), depending on the skills and content being covered (60-100 points).
​
A full schedule of topics and assignments is posted on the Assignments page and will be updated continuously throughout the year.

Participation

​​​​Participation is assessed both indirectly through coursework (and is therefore represented in the student’s other grades) and directly at the end of each marking period. Direct assessment of participation will count for 30% of a student's grade per marking period and will be judged according to whether or not students achieve the following:
​
Basic expectations (these will earn you a "C"):
  • Be consistently seated and ready to begin at the start of class with the day’s assigned reading, a pen/pencil and notebook, and an adequately-charged computer or tablet.
  • Demonstrate a strong grasp of the assigned reading and viewing materials and evidence of having thought about discussion questions before class.
  • Respond thoughtfully when addressed by a peer or teacher.

​Standards of excellent participation (exhibiting these behaviors consistently will earn you an “A”):
  • Ask questions:
    • Address the entire class, an individual peer, or the teacher. Note that while you might be more comfortable asking questions of the teacher, the first two types are especially valued—and increasingly important—over the course of the year.
    • Effective questioning strategies include asking: for evidence to support a statement, for a statement that can draw together evidence, for elaboration on another student’s claim, for reactions to a statement, or even just for clarification.
    • Help move the conversation back on topic.
    • And, when appropriate, ask the group for a moment’s silence to slow the pace of conversation to give you, and others, time to think.
  • Listen:
    • Listen rather than just waiting to speak again.
    • Affirm the value of good peer contributions. Use body language (e.g. nod your head or smile) to show interest in what different speakers are saying.
    • Record the discussion. Take personal notes, as needed, to follow the course of the conversation and to remind yourself of points you may want to come back to.
    • Moderate the frequency of your own comments so you are an equal part of the conversation. For especially active contributors, I recommend counting to 30 or 60 before responding when a question is asked or limiting yourself to a certain number of comments
  • Comment:
    • Analyze the text, a comment, or the discussion itself.
    • Provide a considered perspective or opinion.
    • React explicitly to others’ comments by building on, modifying, or contesting what someone else has said.
    • Explain why you found a peer’s ideas interesting or useful. Even better, highlight a link between two of your peers’ contributions.
    • Keep the goals of each class session and unit in mind. Filling a gap or advancing the conversation toward those goals are especially valued.
  • Support:
    • Reference examples from assigned texts. Expect that this will be a constant feature of our course, so the sooner you can be proactive in this regard, the better.
    • Make connections to other texts, situations, or discussions. Keep in mind that while outside connections are valued, the purpose in making such connections should always be to aid in better elucidating the key issues under discussion. Bringing outside materials to class (e.g. a related reading, web link, or video to class) is encouraged and is viewed as a sign of preparation and deliberate engagement.
    • Identify when additional information might be needed and how we might get access to that information.

Extra help and communication​

Our time together is designed to be challenging. There may be times when you would like further clarification, need additional support, or are just generally feeling overloaded as you work to balance competing demands on your time. Please know that communicating any of these will be viewed on my part as a sign of intellectual and emotional maturity, not as a sign of falling short.

How do I ask good questions? The best questions are processed-based help (improvement in skills and understanding) and not reward-based help (“How do I get an A?”). You might ask these questions in relation to a historical concept, a specific skill, or performance on a graded assignment or assessment.

Can we meet? Of course! The preferred method for finding a time to meet is to send me an appointment request using Google Calendar, which I work to keep up to date. (Follow this link to see how to do that). Alternatively, you can send me an email with your complete availability for the day(s) that you wish to meet. In general, you should expect at least a 24-hour response time for emails sent during the week and longer on the weekends. I am often available for drop-in help during the school day in my office, MB418.

Further Course Policies and Comments

Academic honesty. Academic integrity is vital to the pursuit of knowledge. This class fully complies with the Humanities Program Statement on Academic Integrity. You are expected to submit your own work based on factual and clearly identified sources. You should understand that tests, papers, projects, and other types of assessment are designed primarily to track your progress toward our learning goals. Therefore, it is essential that you rely on your own efforts and do your best to ensure the integrity of all assessments. Any instance of academic dishonesty will be treated as a serious offense.

Citations. As historians, we will make extensive use of primary and secondary sources. Please be careful to always give credit to your sources. All written work should make consistent use of the Chicago Manual of Style systems of citation and should include a Works Cited page. For support, you can consult this helpful guide provided by the Ford Library (PDF), speak with a librarian, seek support from Study Skills, or ask me directly.

30-minute rule. Homework for this class should not take more than 30 minutes. This rule is not just mandated, but is also important to me. If you find that the time spent on your homework has exceeded 30 minutes, please send an email to Mr. Hall indicating that you have not completed the assignment and you will not be penalized for incomplete work.

​Late work. Nightly homework assignments must be submitted before the start of class and will not be accepted as late work. Major assignments may be submitted at a penalty of one-third a letter grade per school day. This means a paper submitted three days late would have dropped from a B+ to a C+. If you are finding yourself under pressure, please speak to me as early as possible. While extension requests that fall within 48 hours of a deadline are unlikely to be granted, open, honest communication is always valued, and I will do my best to help find a fair solution.

Technology. Computers, tablet devices, ebook readers, and even mobile phones are all welcome additions to our classroom. Indeed, for many of our lessons, your computer will be an important tool in the learning experience. Nonetheless, distracting or disruptive behavior makes it difficult to learn, both for yourself and for your classmates. As a courtesy to students around you, all sound notifications (especially on phones) should be muted. Please know I will be direct with you if I feel you are not adhering to the spirit of this policy. If necessary, I reserve the right to modify this policy for any individuals or course sections as needed.

Texts for Purchase

​Our course will make use of a range of readings from the Ford Library, though we will rely especially on our textbook and course reader. Both of the following are required purchases:
  • ​Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History, Brief Fourth Edition (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2014) (Amazon).
  • The HH250 Humanities History Reader (available for purchase at the campus bookstore).

Quick links

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  • Courses
    • China's Rise and Fall (spring 2018) >
      • Course Info
      • In Class
      • Assignments + Units
    • Archived Courses >
      • Living China's History >
        • Living China's History (fall 2017) >
          • Course Information
          • Course Project
          • In-Class
          • Assignments
        • Living China's History (fall 2018) >
          • In-Class >
            • The Death of Woman Wang
          • Assignments
      • China's Fall and Rise (spring 2018) >
        • Course Information
        • In-Class
        • Assignments
      • Japan's Empire and its Legacies (fall 2016) >
        • Course Information
        • Daily Review
        • Schedule >
          • JE Unit 1
          • JE Unit 2
          • JE Unit 3
          • JE Unit 4
          • JE Unit 5
          • JE Unit 6
        • Research >
          • Issues of History
          • Research Schedule >
            • Checkpoint #2: Annotated Bibliography
            • Checkpoint #3: Outline
            • Checkpoint #4: Supplemental Pages
      • Thinking about a Changing China (spring 2017) >
        • Course Information
        • In Class
        • Assignments
      • Humanities History (U.S. History) >
        • Humanities History (2017-18) >
          • Course Information
          • In-Class
          • Assignments
        • Humanities History (2016-17) >
          • Course Information
          • In Class
          • Assignments >
            • U1: The American Revolution & the Constitution
            • U2: Defining the Nation
            • U3: 19th Century Social & Cultural Transformations >
              • Cemetery Project
            • U4: A House Divided
            • U5: Industry & Empire
            • U6: Progressive Promise & Disillusion
            • U7: Global Conflicts
            • U8: Civil Rights & Human Rights
      • More Course Descriptions
    • Student Projects >
      • "Communism" (Independent Study)
      • "Issues of History" (Japan's Empire and its Legacies)
  • Skills
    • Reading >
      • Active Reading
      • Advanced Reading Strategies (Upper Mids and Seniors)
      • Outlining for Reading
      • Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources
      • Analyzing Primary Sources with SOAPSTone
      • Analyzing Visual Primary Sources
      • Selecting & Evaluating Secondary Sources
    • Thinking >
      • What is History?
      • Historical Thinking Chart (PDF)
      • Breaking Down History with the SPICE Factors
    • Discussing >
      • Engaging in Class Discussion
      • Evaluating Discussion
    • Researching >
      • Identifying Research Topics & Questions
      • Note Cards
    • Writing >
      • Zero Draft
      • Thesis Statements
      • Forming Counterarguments
      • Formatting Chicago-Style Papers
      • Ford Library Guide to Chicago-style Citations (PDF)
    • Tech Tips
  • Reference
    • Chinese History Tools
    • Further Reading in Asian Studies >
      • Books
      • News
      • Podcasts
    • Current Events around the World
  • About
    • About
    • Writing