2015-2016

STUDENT SYLLABUS

Questions to consider
throughout the year:

ST
1 QUARTER

Big Picture Questions:





History (The Western Heritage):

Literature:

What is the nature of Truth? Is it Absolute? Who is man in relation to God?

How did Western civilization develop? How does it help to preserve biblical
truths in light of emerging worldviews?

How did ancient civilizations lay the foundation for Western culture?
What legacy did the Jews leave for Western civilization?
Chapters 1 and 2
The Epic of Gilgamesh (summer reading)
Genesis and Exodus 1-20 (summer reading)
Possible selections from Numbers, Joshua, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah
Selections from The Code of Hammurabi
Theogony by Hesiod
Works and Days by Hesiod
Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus
The Oresteia by Aeschylus (This includes three plays: Agamemnon, Libation
Bearers, and The Eumenides.)

How do we know about ancient civilizations?
Where and how did early civilizations develop?
How did cultural and political structures develop?
Why did Greece emerge as the most influential civilization?
What is Archaic Greece? (Sparta, Athens, the Trojan War)
Why did God preserve a pagan, Greek culture?
What is epic literature? (Hesiod, Homer)
What is tragedy? (Aeschylus, Euripides, Sophocles)
How does literature reflect cultural and religious beliefs?
Can we view the Bible as literature?

Key Concepts:

4 Tests:

Combined test over Gilgamesh and History Chapter 1

(AUGUST 26)
Combined test over Theogony, Works and Days, and Prometheus Bound
(SEPTEMBER 4)
Test over History Chapter 2
(SEPTEMBER 23)
Test over The Oresteia
(SEPTEMBER 30)

Gilgamesh EIGHT sentence paragraph

(AUGUST 21)
The Oresteia FIVE paragraph essay
(OCTOBER 7)

Greek theater performances

(OCTOBER 6&8)

Gilgamesh Mini-Seminar
(AUGUST 19)

2 Essays:







1 Group Project:



3 Seminars:














2 possible videos/DVDs:

Prometheus Bound Mini-Seminar

(SEPTEMBER 2)
Oresteia Full Seminar
(SEPTEMBER 28)

History Channel DVD: Last Stand of the 300 (about the Persian Wars)
Iphigenia

ND
2 QUARTER

Big Picture Questions:




History (The Western Heritage):

Literature:



Key Concepts:

2 Tests:











1 Essay:





Writing Workshops:













1 Seminar:





2 possible videos/DVDs:

What primary achievements occurred during the Classical Age?

How did Hellenism change civilization?
Chapter 3

The Odyssey by Homer

What is Classical Greece?
How did the Greeks preserve culture?
How does The Odyssey fit the classical definition of an epic?
What is nostos?
Why is The Odyssey considered a coming of age story?
How did Greek philosophies develop? (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, etc.)
How did art and architecture change during this period?
What was the Macedonian Conquest? (Philip, Alexander the Great)
What is Hellenism?

Test over History Chapter 3

(NOVEMBER 18)
Test over The Odyssey
(DECEMBER 2)

Literary Analysis over The Odyssey (close reading assignment)

(DUE BY DECEMBER 7)

Thesis statements
MLA Format
Introductions and conclusions
Argumentation and textual support
Peer editing and revision

The Odyssey Full Seminar

(NOVEMBER 16&19)

PBS video The Greeks (part 1)

The Odyssey (edited version)

The final exam for this semester will be comprehensive, covering everything that we have studied during the
first and second quarters. Students will have class time to review for the final.

RD

3 QUARTER

Big Picture Questions:




History (The Western Heritage):

Literature:

What was the basis for Roman law?

What caused the destruction of the Roman Republic, and what was the effect
of that destruction?
Chapter 4

Medea by Euripides
The Bacchae by Euripides
Clouds by Aristophanes
Birds by Aristophanes (possible reading)
The Last Days of Socrates by Plato (This includes his four dialogues:
Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo.)
Possible selections from The Republic by Plato
Possible selections from Poetics by Aristotle
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Key Concepts:

3 Tests:

Combined test over Medea, Bacchae, and Clouds

(JANUARY 27)
Test over Last Days of Socrates (Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo)
(FEBRUARY 17 ESSAY TEST)
Combined test over History Chapter 4 and Julius Caesar
(MARCH 2)

Essay over Julius Caesar

(FEBRUARY 24)

Last Days of Socrates Full Seminar

(FEBRUARY 10)

1 Essay:





1 Seminar:







1 Project:




3 possible videos/DVDs:

Structure of Greek plays

How does Aristotle define tragedy? Does tragedy purge the soul?
How does Aristotle define comedy?
What is political satire?
How did Clouds influence Socrates trial?
What is Socratic teaching?
What is a philosophical dialogue?
Fundamentals of Platonic theory
Who were the early Romans?
Why did Rome rise to power?
What is the Roman Republic?

Medea Mock Trial

(JANUARY 13)
Trojan Women by Euripides
PBS video The Greeks (part 2)
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

TH

4 QUARTER

Big Picture Questions:

History (The Western Heritage):

Literature:















Key Concepts:

3 Tests:

How did the Pax Romana contribute to future Western civilization?

How did Christianity grow throughout the Roman Empire?
Why did Christianity ultimately triumph over the Roman Empire?
How did the Judeo-Christian heritage affect Western civilization?
Chapter 5

The Aeneid by Virgil

Possible selections from Roman readings (Cicero, Lucretius, etc.)
Possible selections from early Christian creeds and letters
Confessions by St. Augustine
What is the Roman Empire?
Who were the most important Roman emperors?
Is The Aeneid an example of political propaganda?
How is The Aeneid a tribute to Homer?
What is Stoicism?
Why did the Roman Empire fall?
What did Rome initially think about Christianity? Why did it change?
Why did the early Church need councils and creeds?
What is a testimony?
Why is Augustines conversion so important?

Test over The Aeneid Books 1-5
(MARCH 30)
Test over History Chapter 5
(APRIL 20)
Test over The Aeneid Books 6-12
(APRIL 25)
*NO Test over Confessions; this information will be included in the FINAL EXAM

1 Essay:


Literary Analysis over The Aeneid (close reading assignment)




(DUE BY APRIL 29)

Writing Workshops:

Synthesis and analysis




Deciphering critical commentary




Argumentation, refutation, and support




Grammatical revision




Revision for style

3 Seminars:


Aeneid Mini-Seminars




(MARCH 23 & APRIL 22)




Confessions discussion




(APRIL 26 MAY 5)



The final exam will be comprehensive, covering everything that we have studied during the third and fourth
quarters. Students will have class time to review for the final.