Senior Humanities 2010

Spring Term Point Distribution Etc.

 Via email 22 Feb 2010:

Seniors:  We will be going on spring break in three weeks.  Over the break I will be preparing your mid-term grade reports, which are due the week we come back into session.  Printed below is a point distribution matrix for spring term so that you can see the big picture.  Your midterm grade will be based on observed classroom behavior, online posts, and the following written assignments:

(4) 1-page response papers (one on each film we watched)

(4)  weekly paragraphs related to world religions (2 assigned so far)

(1)  expository essay (draft is due with usual underlining and cover letter 05 March)

(1)  monkey group assignment to outline world religion exam question (see below, which               is excerpted from the unit overview distributed at the beginning of the unit; you need to prepare it in a way that individual contributions are clear and post it for the class on our weblog by 12 March).

At this point, I am not accepting submissions of weekly work or response papers that were due before today.  I’m just going to assume you made a tactical choice to skip the assignment and forego the credit. 

 

Item	Points	Notes
Expository #1	12
Hamlet Project	12
May paper	12
Weekly Paragraphs	11	Maximum of 1pt each
Class Participation; documented critical engagement over time	30	Includes seminar, small groups, online, journal, et al
Term exam	15
Film response papers	8
Total required	100
Challenge Project	7	Optional
Challenge Presentation	3	Optional
Total possible	110

2.  Prepare to answer this question on the final exam.  You will find the Smith book helpful here, in addition to our work in the classroom.

Discuss the four religions we studied this term (Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam).  With regard to each, please discuss

            A) the relationship between the divine and the human;

            B) the elements and purposes of religious practice;

            C) the form and goal of the religious community.

3.  Contribute to your group’s notes, to be posted for the whole group no later than 12 March.  Each monkey group is responsible for preparing an outline to the exam question for one of the four religions.  Group #1 is responsible for Judaism, Group #2 for Christianity, Group #3 for Buddhism, Group #4 for Islam. 

Spring Term Expository

Please submit a draft expository essay to me in class on Friday, 05 March.  I will have the draft back to you before spring break if you submit it as requested.

We will write on Hamlet in April, then on Homer in May.  I am well aware of your senior project commitments and will work around those deadlines. 

World Religions

This forum will provide a place for folks to post comments about the four religions we will be studying between now and spring break. 

Humanities Seminar 2009-2010

World Religions Unit

            Our goal over the next few weeks is for you to learn about four major religious traditions and to document your learning in three ways: 

1. Weekly paragraphs.  I will assign weekly paragraphs as is our custom.  We will not take class time to workshop the paragraphs.  Posting online will be required at times and always an option. 

2.  Prepare to answer this question on the final exam.  You will find the Smith book helpful here, in addition to our work in the classroom.

Discuss the four religions we studied this term (Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam).  With regard to each, please discuss

            A) the relationship between the divine and the human;

            B) the elements and purposes of religious practice;

            C) the form and goal of the religious community.

3.  Contribute to your group’s notes, to be posted for the whole group no later than 12 March.  Each monkey group is responsible for preparing an outline to the exam question for one of the four religions.  Group #1 is responsible for Judaism, Group #2 for Christianity, Group #3 for Buddhism, Group #4 for Islam. 

4.  Here is our general schedule, which is subject to change.  Please be on time for class, observe our usual rules about decorum, remember your nametags. 

Dates	Presenter	Topic
10 Feb	All	Introduction.  Please have read introductory chapter in Huston Smith.
12, Feb	Mr. Rottenberg & Mr. Comstock
17,19 Feb	Mr. Comstock	Christianity.  Read chapter in Smith as well as other assignments as posted.
22,24,26 Feb	Mr. Rottenberg	Judaism.  Please read chapter in Smith as well as other assignments posted on weblog.
01, 03, 05 March	Ms. Patlove, Mr. Miller	Buddhism. Have read the chapter before 01 March.
08, 10 March	TBD	Islam.  Have read the chapter before 08 March.
12 Mar	All	Wrap-up discussion

 Here is the weekly paragraph topic for next week.  The paragraph is due on Friday, 12 February.

To follow the news these days is to be confronted with one crisis after another:  the economy, climate change, wars, genocide, etc.  There’s not a lot of time to solve these issues.  As individuals we may be facing such issues for the first time and not know how to respond, participate, or engage the issues before us.  How much control do we have over these issues?  How much control should we have?  What kind of leadership will help us in these times?

            Each of the faith traditions we’ll be studying grew out of moments where humans confronted crisis, suffering, or challenges evident in their worlds.  The established order was no longer effective and needed to adapt or change.  Humans have used religion as a way to change established order and/or establish order. 

            It’s also possible to say that each of these traditions offers two paths, which, for want of better terms, we’ll call “ACTION” and “CONTEMPLATION.” 

            Please engage in a self-assessment about your tendencies toward action and contemplation.  To what extent are you inclined toward action in the face of circumstance?  To what extent are you inclined to contemplate rather than act? 

  Here is the weekly paragraph topic, due 26 February.

World Religions Weekly Paragraph #2

Woman at the Well

Compare the story of the Woman at the Well (John 4:1-30) to either the Garden of Eden story (Genesis 3) or the temptations in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13).  Identify what seems to be at stake for each character in the stories you choose.

Reading for Wed, 24 Feb:  Exodus 31: 12-18; Exodus 32

Someone asked for a timeline of Christianity similar to the one Mr. Rottenberg created for Judaism, so Mr. Comstock and I collaborated to produce this sketch.

Download Christianity Timeline 2

 

Spring Term Monkey Groups

Recall that I shuffled the groups at the semester break.  These are the new rosters:

1.  Will, Zephyr, Becka, Steph

2.  Noel, Kat, Ali, Sophie

3.  Jeannie, Rosie, Alice, John

4.  Isaac, Sam, Rylee, Isaiah