Humanities A is essentially a reading class with a dash of social studies. Concretely speaking, in this course students read and analyze historical fiction and non-fiction texts set along chronological and geographic trajectories - beginning in the 17th century with British colonization of America and ending in the 19th century with the Reconstruction era. Yet this course does not prioritize students' memorization of historical facts and dates. Rather, Humanities A consists of six distinct units, designed to further students' understanding of literary elements (e.g., mood, tone) and analysis strategies (e.g., inference, cause and effect). Traditionally, units last six weeks - the first is dedicated to setting the relevant historical context, the next four focus on reading, discussing, and analyzing the book in class and for homework, and the final week consists of a novel review, exam, and Socratic seminar.
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Curriculum
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20 lessons
Pre-American Revolution - "War Comes to Willy Freeman" by James and Christopher Collier
This unit begins with taxation on the colonies after the French and Indian War and gives a concise overview of the conflicts resulting in the American Revolutionary war. Additionally, the literature focus begins with comprehension and moves to an in-depth analysis of literary elements. Primarily, literary analysis consists of plot, characterization, conflict, figurative language, and theme.
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4 lessons
Underground Railroad, Slavery, and Pre-Civil War Politics - Research Paper
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25 lessons
Civil War and Reconstruction - "The Glory Field" by Walter Dean Myers
