VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS

Art

ART 201, 202 VISUAL FOUNDATION

Open to all forms

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be able to draw the things that you see? This course will help you to discover talents you never knew you possessed. Visual Foundation, a prerequisite for all other studio-based art courses, introduces students to the fundamental concepts of two-dimensional and three-dimensional art. Students develop a comprehensive visual vocabulary as they actively confront visual issues and problems in the studio. The course emphasizes the importance of drawing as a primary tool for the development of visual ideas. Media such as pencil, charcoal and ink help students investigate various solutions to visual projects as they build technical skills. A broad range of formal concerns is presented through a series of sequential two-dimensional exercises. Exercises in the use of line, perspective and value will be explored in a sequence that builds in complexity as the semester progresses. Students will observe the work of professional artists for inspiration and learn to evaluate their own solutions and those of their peers through regular group discussion. Offered fall (201), winter (202) and spring (203).

ART 211, 212 INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY

Open to all forms Prerequisite: Visual Foundation

Anyone can take a photograph. You may have already taken hundreds of photographs during your lifetime. But what makes a photographic image truly captivating? Astonishing? Evocative? Memorable? It takes far more than pointing and shooting a camera. We engage in an ongoing discussion of the breadth of possibilities in the visual art of photography as students become comfortable using their cameras and the most current photographic software. This semester-long course explores the techniques and applications of acquiring, manipulating and outputting digitized photographic images utilizing Adobe Photoshop. The technical skills for digital photography are covered including refinement of exposure, post-image capture processing and print manipulation. Assignments range from specific exercises with depth of field, portraiture, landscape and abstraction. Students are expected to engage fully in critiques and classroom discussions. Students must provide their own DSLR camera and tripod. Offered fall (311) and spring (313).

Art 301 Principles Of Engineering

Open to all forms Prerequisites: Visual Foundation & Chemistry

This semester course is a survey course of engineering. The course exposes students to some of the major concepts that they will encounter in a postsecondary engineering course of study including materials, proposal writing, research and fabrication. Students will have the opportunity to develop skills and understanding of concepts through problem-based learning. Used in combination with a team approach, this course challenges students to continually hone their interpersonal skills, creative abilities and problem solving skills by using engineering concepts. It also allows students to develop strategies to enable and direct their own learning, which is the ultimate goal of education. Students will employ engineering and scientific concepts in the solution of engineering design problems. Students will develop problem-solving skills and apply their knowledge of research and design to create solutions to various challenges. Students will also learn how to document their work and communicate their solutions to their peers and faculty members.

ART 331, 332 3D DESIGN

Open to all forms Prerequisite: Visual Foundation

Learn how to weld, make pottery, shape wood and protect an egg from a 150-foot fall all in a semester course. The 3D Design class focuses on the use of all three materials (clay, wood, metal) and the use of both additive and subtractive methods of construction. Three-Dimensional Design, a studio art elective, offers students an opportunity to explore a wide range of three-dimensional form with emphasis on formal vocabulary and the development of an idea. Design problems evolve through the three phases of the creative process: discussion of criteria and development of preliminary ideas, translation of ideas into two-dimensional drawings and execution of plans into three-dimensional objects. Students learn to balance practical issues of function with the formal issues relating to aesthetics. Hand-building ceramic techniques are used in the production of functional ceramics. Students continue to use clay as a medium as they experiment by making scale models for projects, which will be made by using a variety of materials and methods. Formal exercises in wood, paper and welded steel emphasize the structural capabilities of line, plane and volume. Students learn to operate hand and power tools safely in the three-dimensional design studio. The text employed is Block and Leisure’s “Understanding Three Dimensions.”

Art 352 2d Drawing

Open to all forms Prerequisite: Visual Foundation

2D Drawing offers further exploration of the drawing concepts and skills introduced in Visual Foundation. Composition, line, perspective, value, spatial relationships and the portrait are reviewed and applied to more complex situations. In addition, a color drawing is introduced as well as several projects based on personal ideas and self-expression. This course can serve as a preparation for the Advanced Portfolio courses and students may use artwork created in this class to supplement their portfolio.

ART 361, 362 2D PRINTMAKING AND PAINTING

Open to all forms Prerequisite: Visual Foundation

In this course, students investigate several methods of print production, print vocabulary, and a brief history of printmaking. Through research, exploration, and experimentation, images are developed utilizing multiple techniques, both analog and digital, using the hand, the etching press and the large-format printer. Students explore technology in a broad sense, mixing traditional methods of printmaking with new image-making techniques. Contemporary relief methods, monotypes, collagraphs, and digital prints are some of the methods explored. The elements and principles of design are introduced to help guide students in creating thoughtful compositions. All inks and paints used in the class are water-based and non-toxic. Work created in this course can be used to supplement the Advanced Studio Art Portfolio. Offered winter (342) and spring (343).

Art 382 Video Art

Open to all forms Prerequisite: Visual Foundation

In this studio course, we explore the creation of moving images and the many ways in which video and animation can support creative expression. Students develop projects and occupy the roles of creator, subject and audience. As such, this course is lab-based and hands-on. The goal is to craft works of animation, experimental and documentary video that can be analyzed both in terms of their intended impact and their ability to elicit meaningful aesthetic experience. Classroom activities and projects focus on the use of Adobe Premiere editing software. Student assessment is based on the quality of and ability to present a cohesive narrative, and on acquired technical competence. Students must supply their own tripod and camera.

ART 410/A DRAWING & 2D DESIGN (A)

Open to IV, V & VI Prerequisite: Visual Foundation

This full-year portfolio course is designed to address a very broad interpretation of drawing and two-dimensional design issues. Light and shade, line quality, rendering of form, composition, surface manipulation and illusion of depth are drawing issues that will be addressed during the first half of the year. The elements of design (line, shape, illusion of space and motion, pattern, texture, value and color) and ordering principles (proportion/scale, rhythm, hierarchy, symmetry/balance and unity) help guide students in making coherent and meaningful decisions relating to composition. The elements are explored and used as a means of artistic expression. The principles help guide students in making decisions about how to organize the elements.

ART 430/A 3D DESIGN (A)

Open to IV, V & VI Prerequisite: Visual Foundation

Three-Dimensional Design Portfolio, a full-year elective, explores a wide range of three-dimensional concepts. Concepts, such as space, plane, volume, form, light and texture are explored through a series of three-dimensional exercises. Additive, subtractive and fabricated processes are utilized to articulate design ideas into coherent threedimensional solutions. Students are expected to demonstrate a variety of skills, which include traditional sculpture, architectural models, ceramics, wood and metal work as well as industrial design prototypes. Students explore the work of professional artists, designers and architects for ideas and inspiration. Students learn to evaluate their own solutions and those of their peers through regular critiques. Sixteen finished sculptures will be produced (8 breadth, 8 concentration) in accordance with the guidelines suggested by the College Board. Students will have the option of submitting their completed portfolio to the College Board to receive an Advanced Placement score.

Art 432 Design Science

Open to all forms Prerequisites: Visual Foundation and one semester of Geometry

This semester course is intended to provide students with hands-on experience in designing, creating and analyzing two- and three dimensional geometric structures, sculptures and models using a variety of media (including paper, wood, metal, ceramics, etc.). Students successfully completing this course would receive one semester credit in Arts and one semester credit in Mathematics. Possible topics and projects include tessellations, polyhedra, Platonic solids, Archimedean solids and the mathematics and design of commercial packaging. Class periods for this course would include lecture/demonstration and hands-on labs. One or two field trips to local manufacturing facilities and art museums would be included. Each student will maintain a daily journal containing research assignments, design sketches, and potential ideas relating to class projects. The resources of the Arts Center, the Welding Lab, and the Fab Lab would be utilized for the hands-on part of this course. Offered spring.

Art 441 ARCHITECTURE

Open to V & VI Prerequisite: Visual Foundation

Architecture may be taken as a one- or two-trimester course. Students may participate in only the first term if they choose, or stay for deeper project work and analysis in the spring. In this course, students embark on a journey of investigation, creativity and discovery. Focusing on design thinking and a wide range of 2D and 3D techniques, students are asked to solve a problem related to architectural and interior design. Through a series of hands on exercises, students explore formal concepts, design elements and principles, and history common to architecture, interior architecture, landscape architecture and industrial design. Alternative building techniques, sustainability, and "green building" are also investigated. Analytical skills and understanding are reinforced through critique, written assignments and field trips. Maintaining a notebook of design ideas, sketches, notes and research is a key part of the course. The course culminates with a final project, where students are asked to create a tangible presentation that effectively and creatively communicates their design intentions. Students utilize the Fab Lab and Mac Lab to create their final presentations.

The project theme will change from winter to spring trimester. Here are a few hypothetical projects that may differentiate the terms:

• Earthship Design: According to architect Michael Reynolds, "the Earthship is the epitome of sustainable design and construction." Students are introduced to the principles of Earthship design and sustainable building and are asked to design an "Earthship" or earth sheltered home. Students create scale drawings and a model for their final presentation.

• Tiny House Design: Students will focus on house design, sustainability and green building techniques as they develop ideas for a small but efficient home. Students create scale drawings and a model for their final presentation.

• Tree House Design: Students will focus on house design, structure and building techniques as they develop ideas for a small but efficient home. Students create scale drawings and a model for their final presentation.

ART 452/H 3D/WELDING (H)

Open to IV, V, VI Prerequisite: Visual Foundation

This course provides an introduction to welded steel sculpture. Technical and analytical skills are developed as students employ the concepts, vocabulary and techniques practiced in the Three-Dimensional Design Course. Students learn to operate safely the power tools and welding equipment associated with the fabrication of steel sculpture, including oxyacetylene and MIG methods. The course begins with research and discussion related to the history of 20th century sculpture, with a written paper presented to the class in a seminar format. Students build intermediary models prior to executing full-scale designs. A journal of drawings, research and personal observations is maintained as a method for organizing and developing potential plans. The semester culminates in a large-scale steel sculpture of each student’s individual design. The text used is Nathan Cabot Hale’s “Creating Welded Sculpture.” Offered spring only.

MUSIC MUS 201, 202 MUSIC FOUNDATION

Open to all forms

This course is designed for students who have little or no background in music, or for those with some playing experience who want to augment their overall musicianship. As an introduction to the fundamentals of music, students study music notation, theory, reading, listening, history and composition. Basic keyboard skills are introduced and incorporated into the class. Computer-based learning using “MuseScore” provides opportunities to compose music based on the styles and genres covered in class.

MUSIC 211/212 - SONGWRITING

Instructor Permission required

This course is designed for students who already have a basic foundation of music writing and/or performance experience. Students will delve beyond basic music theory and examine elements of songwriting harmony, form, lyric writing, and arranging. Basic keyboard skills will be reinforced and digital audio workstations will be used extensively to create fully produced songs.

Mus 221 Introduction To Music Technology

Open to all forms. No prerequisite Music Foundation or prior performance experience recommended

An introduction to the technology, concepts and techniques used for recording and producing music. This course addresses fundamental audio engineering concepts and audio production technologies in a hands-on lab environment. Topics include music production software and hardware, microphones, DAWs, MIDI, and sequencing tools. Projects will emphasize musical composition and production, utilizing notation software, audio production, and MIDI sequencing.

Mus 222 Audio Engineering

Open to all forms Prerequisite: none, but MUSIC FOUNDATIONS or prior performance experience recommended

This course will provide students the opportunity to investigate the technology, concepts, and techniques for recording acoustic and electric instruments in a studio environment as well as live performances. Topics include studio recording, microphone selection and placement, signal processing, studio acoustics, mixing and mastering, and related subjects. Through hands-on experiences, students will gain facility to produce professional recordings.

MUSIC 250 VOCAL ENSEMBLE (0.5 credits)

All singers regardless of experience can participate in Vocal Ensemble. This group performs at school events such as coffeehouses and Lessons and Carols and everyone in this group is invited to participate in the chapel choir. This group sings in all styles including sacred choral music, pop a cappella, and traditional choral music. Participation in one full year is the equivalent of one semester of your arts credit. Singers in this course are also eligible to sing in the a cappella groups Snapdragons and Hilltoppers and the Advanced Vocal Ensemble.

MUSIC 260 INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE (0.5 credits)

All instrumentalists can participate in instrumental ensemble. This course is divided into two groups based on instrumentation and style: Contemporary Collective is a modular ensemble performing jazz, funk, and other styles relevant to the twenty-first century musician. Chamber Collective is an ensemble performing music within the orchestral and wind-ensemble traditions. Special focus is given to cohesive interpretation, communication, and expression as an ensemble. Participation in one full year is the equivalent of one semester of your arts credit. Both groups perform frequently for school events and in the surrounding community.

MUSIC 410/A MUSIC THEORY (A)

Department permission required

The study of music theory sharpens and enhances one’s insights into and perceptions of music. The goal of this course is to develop an ability to listen to and to understand the processes and synthesis of music. Students will build skills in harmonic and melodic analysis, harmonization technique and the ability to transcribe music as well as rhythmic and melodic training. The course will use the National AP Curriculum in conjunction with the Applied British Royal School of Music Curriculum. At the conclusion of the course, the student will be prepared for the Advanced Placement Music Examination given by the College Board and/or upper levels of the ABRSM exam. The course will culminate with students composing and orchestrating original music in the style of their choice.

Theater

THE 201, 202 - THEATER I

Open to all forms

Theater I is a semester course designed to introduce students to the basic skills required to perform onstage. By examining the foundational skills of vocal projection, diction, active listening, presence, physical awareness, and script analysis students gain understanding and abilities within the art of performance. These skills serve students beyond the art form as well with clear benefit to public speaking, leadership, collaborating, and problem solving. Students learn and experience the importance of connecting to the imagination, committing to the present moment, developing empathy towards themselves and others, and engaging in a meaningful creative process. Students will be introduced to technical theater through projects and presentations so that they can understand and practice all of the elements involved in producing a professional theater production. A series of performances serve as formative assessments throughout the semester, including individual monologues, improvisations, and scenes from musicals and plays. Students in this course are not required to audition for extra-curricular productions.

THE 211, 212 THEATER II

Open to all forms Prerequisite: Theater I or instructor permission

Theater II is an intermediate course in theater that is a continuation of Theater I. It is designed for students with interest in delving deeper into all areas of the theatrical arts with emphasis on honing the craft of performance and public speaking. Select topics include advanced voice and diction development, audition/interview techniques, character and script analysis, movement, writing, directing, self-promotion, and the exploration of various theatrical genres. Students learn and experience the importance of connecting to the imagination, collaborating, organizing, creating a safe space, spatial and physical awareness, and engaging in a meaningful creative process. Through a series of performances, assessments, and exercises, students will develop an understanding and appreciation for the art of theater and will have a deeper connection to their inner artist. Students in this course are not required to audition for extra-curricular productions

Humanities

HUM 100 HUMANITIES I: ENGLISH, HISTORY AND RELIGION

Required for III formers

Welcome to St. George’s ... but how did you arrive here? How is this place different from all the others that you have been to or are from? This yearlong, interdisciplinary humanities course (which fulfills the third-form English requirement) will ask students to consider the variety of forces that have shaped the land, people, and places of Aquidneck Island. Students will reflect on their own personal journeys as well as examining the lives of the people that have lived and worked on this island with an examination of literature, poetry, historical narratives, and archival documents. Through sequential semesters focusing on the environment, the Native American experience, the colonization of the island, the growth of trade and industry, enslaved labor, the Gilded Age and the current era, students will build skills of direct observation, description, and analysis–developing foundational humanities skills. In doing so, students will make connections across texts and experiences, both academic and personal, and will develop an understanding of the people and history of Aquidneck Island, what the community has become today, and what their place is in that story.

Humanities English

HUM 220 HUMANITIES II: ENGLISH

Required for IV formers

Humanities II English and Humanities II History are integrated and interdisciplinary. These courses offer a comprehensive introduction to world history, religions, and literature with a focus on different regions of the world: The Middle East: The Crossroads of Civilization, South Asia: Cultural Blending, Conflict, and Change over Time, East Asia: Enduring the Traditions and the Modern World, Africa: Ancient Traditions and Cultural Change, Latin America: Explorations and Encounters, and Europe and the Western World: Agents of Change and Influence. Within this curriculum students will read literature related to cultural identity, learn about the traditions and beliefs of the great religions of the world, and focus on key events in history that transformed each region, while developing their critical thinking and writing skills. The focus in the English course will also be on finding common themes and experiences in literature and poetry written by authors from around the world.

HUM 450 AMERICAN STUDIES: ENGLISH

HUM 460/A AMERICAN STUDIES: ENGLISH (A)

Required for V formers

American Studies English will cover the full sweep of American literature/cultural history from the Puritans to the present. Texts will be chosen based on interdisciplinary interest and intrinsic literary merit. Students will learn how to be critical readers of texts both written and visual in order to be thoughtful analysts and consumers of American culture, ideology, and history. The reading pace will be brisk. There will be, on average, a test or essay once a week. On many days, students will be asked to offer a 10-minute analysis of a selected theme or quotation from the daily reading or a full-period essay on the topic under discussion. Works will include fiction and poetry, as well as speeches, memoirs, and literary non-fiction by a range of authors including Arthur Miller, Henry David Thoreau, James Baldwin, and Ta-Nehisi Coates. The honors section of this course will include more extensive readings, more in depth literary analysis, and more comprehensive essays and papers.

HUM 501/502 SPORTS JOURNALISM - fall semester and spring semester course

Open to VI, English Credit

This course will examine our community, current events, and cultural touch points through the lens of sports, chronicle the history of sports journalism through reading different forms of short and long form prose, listening to podcasts, and viewing relevant visual coverage, and tailor the experience to reading and listening about a student’s favorite team.

Hum

511 DETECTIVE

FICTION – fall semester course

Open to VI, English Credit

In this course, we will examine the tradition, the dynamic nature, and the attraction of Detective Novels. In addition to reading the first mystery writers, students will red short stories and novels covering the tradition and genre. We will explore the question of what distinguishes detective fiction from other works of fiction, the development of the detective as an archetypal hero, and what makes this genre so popular.

HUM 512 BOARDING SCHOOL LITERATURE - spring semester course

Open to VI, English Credit

Boarding schools and their surrounding settings and situations have become almost a genre in literature. This course would survey various types of Boarding School Literature with the goal of examining what the works tell us about the culture of boarding schools, how they are used/abused for sensationalism, what are the conventions of this type of literature.

HUM

520/A GLOBAL STUDIES (A) *

Open to V and VI, English, History Credit

What does it mean to live in a global community during a pandemic? How does the pandemic affect different groups of people within the same country, and how does the pandemic affect countries differently? What role does climate change play in the effects of the pandemic? What are the top ten questions facing today’s leaders? Who is the current global power? Where does tomorrow’s power come from?

This class will apply their knowledge of globalization concepts that we will explore in the fall to develop research questions using Ireland as a case study throughout the winter and spring culminating in a final project. Due to Ireland's role as one of the most globalized countries in the world, it will be a fascinating case study as the course grapples with the aforementioned questions as well as debates as to whether or not we are "post-globalization" as some experts argue. Ireland's geographic location, history, role in the EU, and much more make it the focus of this year's course.

*There is a charge for the travel component of this class.

HUM 521 CURRENTS IN MARITIME LITERATURE I - SEA MONSTERS, SHORELINES, AND THE MEANING OF HURRICANES - fall semester course

Open to VI, English Credit

A multidisciplinary exploration of the Human Relationship to the Sea, the course will explore classics in the field of Maritime Literature as well as modern explorations of the natural history, film, art, hyperlocal history, and experimental fiction of the sea. Students will practice formal and personal essay writing, speculative fiction writing, film making, digital curation, service learning and journal writing, leading to the production and presentation of a final class project.

HUM 522 MARITIME LITERATURE II - A VOYAGE INTO MELVILLE’S MOBY DICKspring semester course

Open to VI, English Credit

This course explores the influence of Moby Dick in the world of art, politics, psychology and environmentalism while also charting the significance of the Pequod's globe spanning voyage.

HUM 532 CRIMINAL LAW AND LITERATURE - spring semester course

Open to VI, dual credit English/History Credit

The purpose is to have students sharpen their analytical skills (and enhance their understanding and appreciation of literature and the law) by reading significant works of literature through a legal lens and to examine the legal questions that arise, especially as pertains to criminal law, in seminal works of literature as well as to understand the motives and psychology of characters. Works potentially include Billy Budd, Passing As I Lay Dying, The Great Gatsby, and Sweat.

HUM 541/A LOVE AND CLASS IN 19TH CENTURY NOVELS (A) - fall semester course

Open to VI, English Credit

The course will explore the social dimension of love and marriage in a range of classical nineteenth-century English novels. We will look at how issues surrounding class often thwart, complicate, or destroy romantic relationships in these narratives. Readings will include Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion by Jane Austen, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte; Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte; Great Expectations by Charles Dickens; Tess of D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.

HUM 542 READING AND WRITING POETRY - spring semester course

Open to VI, English Credit

The purpose of this course is to foster a love and appreciation for poetry through a semester’s immersion. Sensitivity to the exact language and condensed expression, confidence with the sometimes intimidating genre, are central goals. Students will study a wide range of 20th-21st century poets, from W.B. Yeats to Rita Dove. Along with intensive poetry analysis, students will write their own poems, collecting them into a portfolio for submission at the end of the semester.

HUM 551/A VISIONS AND REVISIONS (A) - fall semester course

Open to VI, English Credit

The purpose of this course is to alert students to the interpretive richness of “intertextuality”, texts building on or talking back to other texts. Classic literature texts will be paired with more recent works that revise or expand the original story, often by giving a voice to marginalized or victimized characters. Pairings will include Beowulf and Grendel, Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea, and Mrs. Dalloway and The Hours.

HUM 552 IMAGINING CHILDHOOD - spring semester course

Open to VI, English Credit

This course will explore a variety of 19th-21st century texts, paintings, photographs, and films that recreate and interpret childhood experience. The emphasis will be on the rich variety of perspectives on childhood, reflecting varied cultural, psychological, and developmental frameworks. Students will explore childhood through the lens of novelists, poets, photographers, painters, and social historians. Readings will include novels (e.g. A Prayer for Owen Meany, Annie John) short stories, social history excerpts, memoirs, painting, photographs, and poetry (e.g. Wordsworth, Heaney, Plath).

HUM 561 FREEDOM, DECISIONS, AND ETHICS - fall semester course

Open to VI, English credit

The purpose of this course is to practice ethical thinking, to become familiar with the most established ethical theorists (utilitarianism, deontological ethics, natural law, virtue ethics, feminism and care ethics) and to apply ethical theories to real-world scenarios. Two critical texts that will be used are Ethical Choices: An introduction to moral philosophy with case studies by Burner and Raley and Modern Ethics in 77 Arguments by eds Catapano and Critchley. This course overlaps with politics, religion, history, social science, English, and psychology in the variety of case studies we examine and the amount of writing that is required.

HUM 562 WOMEN IN LITERATURE: THE MAD WOMAN IN THE ATTIC - spring semester course

Open to VI, credit English

This is a course that will explore the complicated dynamics around gender and what it means to be a woman. Students will read a variety of female identified authors writing about women as they navigate the intimacy and desire as well as the struggle to exist within or beyond marriage and gendered expectations of women. It will be an opportunity for students to consider issues of gender in the past, present, and future through the feminist lens through reading the works of women authors including, among others, Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath, Virginia Woolf, Jane Austin, Dorothy Parker, bell hooks, Margaret Atwood, Chimananda Ngozi Adiche.

HUM 572/A NARRATIVES OF INCARCERATION & REDEMPTION (A) - spring semester course

Open to VI, English credit

The primary purpose of this course is to help students understand the problem of mass incarceration in the United States – not only its roots and history, but also its impact on prisoners and families. By reading the personal essays, memoirs, and biographies of convicts from a range of backgrounds, students will explore the paths to prison, the conditions in which prisoners do time, the flaws in the system, and the difficulties of transitioning from prison to the outside world. In order to contextualize the personal narratives, we will look at theological texts as well as expository writing about the prison system in the United States. The expository readings will provide historical and factual background for our discussions, while the theological texts will provide a framework for considering issues that are central to any discussion of incarceration – issues like justice, remorse, mercy, and redemption.

HUM 581/A & 582/A EVIL AND JUSTICE THROUGH FILM (A) - fall semester and spring semester course

Open to VI, dual credit English, History

Are humans innately good, or are we born with a propensity toward evil? Why does evil exist, and how should we respond when we encounter it? Through the screening and examination of documentary and narrative film as well as selected texts, students in this course will examine recent and historical manifestations of unjust practices as well as the contemporary responses to perceived evil. Topics will include the legacy of lynching in the United States, the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, the evolution of the incarceration system in the United States and the notorious meeting of senior Nazi officials where they discussed the "Final Solution to the Jewish Question". Students will emerge with an expanded appreciation for complex ethical challenges and an ability to engage with confidence in contemporary debates around justice, equity, punishment and morality.

Humanities History

HUM 230 HUMANITIES II: HISTORY

Required of IV formers

Humanities II History and Humanities II English are integrated and interdisciplinary These courses offer a comprehensive introduction to world history, religions, and literature with a focus on different regions of the world: The Middle East: The Crossroads of Civilization, South Asia: Cultural Blending, Conflict, and Change over Time, East Asia: Enduring the Traditions and the Modern World, Africa: Ancient Traditions and Cultural Change, Latin America: Explorations and Encounters, and Europe and the Western World: Agents of Change and Influence Within this curriculum students will read literature related to cultural identity, learn about the traditions and beliefs of the great religions of the world, and focus on key events in history that transformed each region, while developing their critical thinking and writing skills. In History, students will also learn how to do library research, evaluate sources, write research papers and present their findings.

Hum

470

AMERICAN STUDIES: HISTORY

HUM 480/A AMERICAN STUDIES: HISTORY (A)

Required of V formers US History Credit

A chronological survey of American history and culture, American Studies History will cover the full sweep of American history from the Puritans to the present. Students will learn how to be critical readers of texts both written and visual in order to be thoughtful analysts and consumers of American culture, ideology, and history. The reading pace will be brisk. There will be, on average, a test or essay once a week. On many days, students will be asked to offer a 10-minute analysis of a selected theme or quotation from the daily reading or a full-period essay on the topic under discussion. Works will include primary source documents from the Articles of Confederation through the Pentagon Papers, as well as key texts from John Locke, Adam Smith, Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. DuBois, Margaret Sanger and Martin Luther King Jr. The honors section of this course will include more extensive readings, more in depth literary analysis, and more comprehensive essays and papers.

HUM 600/A AMERICAN GOVERNMENT (A)

Open to VI by invitation Prerequisite: U.S. History; History Credit

This year-long advanced level course seeks to promote more active and informed citizenship and political participation for all individuals across the political spectrum. Elements such as gender, race, class, ideology, economics, and institutional power all affect the political standing of citizens and issues. Media, too, has long informed the experience of democracy. As such we will examine the role the media plays in shaping United States Government & Politics. Although not the motivating intention, successful navigation of the course, combined with consistent and diligent preparation, will likely contribute to student success on the College Board's AP US Government & Politics examination in May. Through the exploration of the Foundations of American Democracy, Interactions Among Branches of Government, Civil Liberties and Civil Rights, American Political Ideologies and Beliefs, and Political Participation combined with disciplinary practices related to the study of Political Science (Concept Application, SCOTUS Application, Data Analysis, Source Analysis, Argumentation) students will be exposed to an array of concepts and ideas meant to broaden their understanding of American Democracy

HUM 611/A RENAISSANCE STUDIES (A) - fall semester course

Open to VI, History Credit

This course will take an interdisciplinary look at the history, literature, art, and religion of Renaissance Europe (1416th centuries), while also considering how the Renaissance has impacted Western culture today and how we continue to imagine and reimagine the Renaissance. We will use Western Civilizations (Cole and Symnes) and Perspectives from the Past (Brophy) to gain an understanding of the historical period, alongside readings from Dante, Boccaccio, Petrarch, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Luther, and Calvin amongst others that will help students gain a holistic view of Renaissance thinking and culture. We will explore the art of the Italian Renaissance and Northern Renaissance and will consider, as we read Brecht’s Galileo and Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons, why the Renaissance continues to capture our imagination and inform our worldviews today.

HUM 612/A 20TH CENTURY EUROPE (A) - spring semester course

Open to VI, History Credit

This course takes an interdisciplinary focus on four main themes of 20th century European history: sustaining and dissolving empires; autocracy, totalitarianism, and warfare; feminism and civil rights; and the rise and fall of communism, while also relating the issues of today’s Europe (particularly the issues of immigration and rising authoritarianism) to the past. Students will utilize Western Civilizations (Cole and Symnes) and Perspectives from the Past (Brophy) to gain an understanding of the historical period, alongside works of literature and philosophy in full and excerpt, including Simone de Beauvoir, Hannah Arendt, Aldous Huxley, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Pat Barker, and John Le Carre.

HUM 621 RACE RELATIONS IN THE US - fall semester course

Open to VI Prerequisite: Enrollment in or completion of U.S. History, History Credit

The purpose of this course is to analyze, from a historical lens, but without a traditional history textbook, the unique issue of race in the United States of America. In keeping in the spirit of St. George’s School’s humanities curriculum, however, the course will explore a multitude of written works, including literary works produced by BIPOC folx, with the possibility of travel to key and historic locations of the Civil Rights Movement.

HUM 622/A RACE, CLASS AND GENDER (A) - spring semester course

Open to VI Prerequisite: Enrollment in or completion of U.S. History, History Credit

The course will focus on how intersectionality plays a role in race relations to expand upon how various identities have been marginalized throughout modern US society. Conversations will be nuanced, and require patience. Students who are curious will also need to engage beyond surface-level reading of the text. Students who wish to enroll in this class must be willing to engage in the dialogical practice of critical thinking, and be willing to engage with their peers in perhaps ways that may be challenging at first.

HUM 631 RACE, CLASS, AND GENDER IN SPORTS - fall semester course

Open to VI, History Credit

The purpose of this course is to examine how the markers of race, class and gender have affected our understanding of sport throughout American history. Utilizing a critical cultural studies approach, students will investigate how the markers of race, class and gender have impacted how sport has been produced, expressed and understood in the United States from the mid-19th century to the present.

HUM 632 CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS IN THE US - spring semester course

Open to VI, History Credit

This course will examine the origins, similarities, differences, and legacies of the African American and Native American civil rights movements, from the 19th century to the present. Students will examine the unique situations, personalities, and obstacles that defined each movement, and their general impact on these populations in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

HUM 641/A SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP (A) - fall semester course

Open to VI, History Credit

The goal of this course is to provide students with the opportunities to make St. George’s, the local community, and the world a better place. Students will engage on and off campus with mission-driven enterprises. As traditional lines between businesses, governments, and nonprofits blur, it’s important for future change makers to understand the evolving business landscape as well as the systemic inequities to create social change. Students will develop and practice skills, in the context of historical and social foundations, to create real and lasting impact.

Hum 642 Medicine And Humanities

Open to VI, History Credit

This course will focus on how cultural narratives, including race, class, gender, national identity, inform popular and expert understandings of medicine and responses to medical topics in a globalized world. Students will explore modern questions around health, well-being, medical ethics, and social inequality in human health experiences rooted in historical and global contexts. This includes topics such as the impact of Western biomedicine on the definitions of disease, wellness, and global adoption, and what happens when cultural understandings conflict. This course is an opportunity for the population of students at SG interested in pursuing a pre-med track in college, as most college pre-med programs now include interdisciplinary humanities curriculum.

HUM 651 RUSSIAN HISTORY - fall semester course

Open to VI, Dual Credit: History/English

This course is an opportunity to explore not only the history of Russia, but also its rich culture, including Russian literature, art, music, and language. The span of time covered will include Kievan Rus, the rise of Moscow, the dynasties of Russia, the Russian Revolution, the Soviet Union under Stalin, the fall of communism, through the present day along with a strong emphasis on Russian art, music and culture. An additional focus of the course will be to try to understand how Russians see themselves, through an examination of what they remember, value, and preserve and the implications of this in the current global community.

HUM 652 RUSSIAN LITERATURE - spring semester course

Open to VI, Dual Credit: History/English

This course is an opportunity to explore not only Russian literature, but also its rich culture and language. This is a different course from the course offered in the fall, as the emphasis will be more on the great works of Russian literature and poetry, from both Tsarist and Soviet Russia. Students will also learn the Russian alphabet and key conversational phrases. Readings will include works by Pushkin, Tolstoy, Gogol, Turgenev, Chekhov and Dostoevsky as well as the contemporary writers Bunin and Grossman and will be put in a historical and cultural context, so that students gain a greater understanding of this Eurasian land and its unique and complicated place in world history and literature.

HUM 660/A ECONOMICS (A)

Open to VI, History Credit

This yearlong course offers a primarily qualitative examination of the principles of micro and macroeconomics. After introducing fundamental economic concepts like opportunity cost, scarcity and choice, and the laws of supply and demand, the class focuses on practical applications of business principles such as: the costs of production; profit maximization; different models for business operation; and labor markets. Beginning in the second semester, students focus on macroeconomics. Primary emphasis is placed upon developing a basic understanding of aggregate demand and supply; monetary and fiscal policy; money and banking; unemployment; Gross Domestic Product; and the role of government. The course also focuses on developing skills applicable to careers in business and finance. Texts include Greg Mankiw's "Principles of Economics," The Wall Street Journal, and Charles Wheelan's "Naked Economics."

HUM 661 STANDARD ECONOMICS - fall semester course Open to VI, History Credit

This term course offers a primarily qualitative examination of the principles of micro and macroeconomics. After introducing fundamental economic concepts like opportunity cost, scarcity and choice, and the laws of supply and demand, the class focuses on practical applications of business principles such as: the costs of production; profit maximization; different models for business operation; and labor markets. Students then turn to macroeconomics. Primary emphasis is placed upon developing a basic understanding of aggregate demand and supply; monetary and fiscal policy; money and banking; unemployment; Gross Domestic Product; and the role of government. The course also focuses on developing skills applicable to careers in business and finance. Unlike its advanced counterpart (HUM660/A), this class will not provide preparation for either AP Economics exam and will require only the most basic skills in algebra and geometry.