College in High School Humanities

PA Arts & Humanities Standards

• 9.2.12.A Explain the historical, cultural and social context of an individual work in the arts.
• 9.2.12.D Analyze a work of art from its historical and cultural perspective.
• 9.2.12.F Know and apply appropriate vocabulary used between social studies and the arts and humanities.
• 9.2.12.G Relate works in the arts to geographic regions.
• 9.2.12.K Identify, explain and analyze traditions as they relate to works in the arts. 
• 9.2.12.L Identify, explain and analyze common themes, forms and techniques from works in the arts.

PA Core Standards- ELA 

• CC.1.2.11-12.H Analyze seminal texts based upon reasoning, premises, purposes, and arguments.
• CC.1.3.11-12.H Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of literature that reflect a variety of genres in the respective major periods of literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.
• CC.1.3.11-12.K Read and comprehend literary fiction on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.
• CC.1.4.11-12.C Develop and analyze the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic; include graphics and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

• The evolution of human history leading up to the Birth of Civilization.
• The significance of The Epic of Gilgamesh.
• The significance of The Bhagavad Gita (non-Western).
• The examples of the earliest written laws, temples, architecture, literature, and other art forms.
   

• Human development influences culture.
• Early humans wanted to understand their world and make meaning of it.
• Early humans shared stories through oral tradition.
• Organized religion grew out of ancient humans’ attempts to understand their world (mythology).

• Identify characteristics of ancient history and culture.
• Compare characteristics across ancient cultures, including Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Americas, the Indus Valley, and China.
• Read, analyze, and assess excerpts from The Epic of Gilgamesh (Mesopotamian) and The Bhagavad Gita (ancient India).

• What is our purpose on Earth? 
• How did civilization begin? 
• How did human beings learn to survive the onset of floods, fire, drought, and other natural disasters? 
• How did ancient cultures bring order to collective and communal life?
   

• What technologies and strategies did our prehistory ancestors develop to survive?
• What were the first civilizations to thrive, and what did they contribute to human development? 
• What is the relevance and influence of ancient stories like The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Bhagavad Gita?
   

• Landmarks in Humanities textbook
• The Epic of Gilgamesh
• The Bhagavad Gita
• Teacher-created materials
   

• Stonehenge
• Ishtar Gate
• Canopic jars
• Vedas
• Daoism
• The Epic of Gilgamesh
• Fertile Crescent
• The Bhagavad Gita
• Cunieform
• Pyramids of Giza
• Upanishads
• Mesopotamia
• Hammurabi’s Code 
• Heiroglyphics
• Nefertiti
• Shang Dynasty
• Ziggurats
• Stele of Hammurabi
• Cult of the Dead
• Olmecs
• Mandate of Heaven

• Teacher-created exam
• Text-supported written reflection scored with a rubric
   

PA Arts & Humanities Standards

• 9.1.12.F Analyze works of arts influenced by experiences or historical and cultural events through production, performance or exhibition.
• 9.2.12.B Relate works in the arts chronologically to historical events (e.g., 10,000 B.C. to present).
• 9.2.12.D Analyze a work of art from its historical and cultural perspective.
• 9.2.12.I Identify, explain and analyze philosophical beliefs as they relate to works in the arts (e.g., classical architecture, rock music, Native American dance, contemporary American musical theatre).
• 9.3.12.A Explain and apply the critical examination processes of works in the arts and humanities.
  • Compare and contrast
  • Analyze
  • Interpret
  • Form and test hypotheses
  • Evaluate/form judgments
• 9.3.12.C Apply systems of classification for interpreting works in the arts and forming a critical response.
• 9.4.12.A Evaluate an individual’s philosophical statement on a work in the arts and its relationship to one’s own life based on knowledge and experience.
• 9.4.12.D Analyze and interpret a philosophical position identified in works in the arts and humanities.

PA Core Standards- ELA

• CC.1.2.11-12.A Determine and analyze the relationship between two or more central ideas of a text, including the development and interaction of the central ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
• CC.1.2.11-12.B Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences and conclusions based on and related to an author’s implicit and explicit assumptions and beliefs.
• CC.1.2.11-12.E Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.
• CC.1.2.11-12.L Read and comprehend literary non-fiction and informational text on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.
• CC.1.3.11-12.G Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text. 
• CC.1.4.11-12.G Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics.
• CC.1.5.11-12.A Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on grade-level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

• Classicism - the period of the Greek legacy in philosophy, literature, visual arts, architecture, and music.
• Athenian democracy and the polis.
• The significance and influence of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle on modern thinking. 
• Greek column order, Parthenon, and influence on architecture.
• History and significance of ancient Greek theater, including Sophocles and Aristophanes.
• Homer’s influence on literature through his famous epic poems.

• The Greek influence on human culture is evident in our present day.
• The Iliad is an example of The Hero’s Journey archetype and an exemplar of epic poetry as attributed to Homer.
• Ancient philosophical ideas, including but not limited to relativism, virtue, and logic are relevant today.
• Oedipus Rex by Sophocles is an exemplary performance as practice for art criticism.
• Column orders and aspects of balance, simplicity, and harmonious proportion in art and architecture influenced our architecture today.

• Identify the transformation from the Aegean Civilization to the Hellenistic Era in Greek history.
• Compare and analyze the ancient philosophers and their influence on human thought today.
• Examine the hero’s journey and the characteristics of epic poetry in The Iliad.
• Classify the landmark plays, architecture, art, and music of the ancient Greek culture, including Oedipus Rex, for critical review practice. 

• What are the key characteristics of the Classical period?  
• What constitutes a classic? 
   

• What is special about the Heroic Age? 
• Who were the Greek Gods? 
• How did the defeat of Persia influence the rise of culture and democracy? 
• What makes Socrates a transformational figure in philosophy? 
• Why is ancient Greek theater so important? 
• What made Greek art and architecture so unique?
   

• Landmarks in Humanities Text
• The Iliad by Homer (excerpts)
• History of Philosophy podcast
• Videos of 2 different live performances of Oedipus Rex
• Teacher-created content
   

• Aegean Sea and Minoan culture
• Mycenaen culture 
• Heroic Age 
• Hero’s Journey
• Epic Poetry
• Homer
• Greek gods
• Persian wars
• Pericles
• Polis
• Olympic Games
• Greek Drama/Sophocles
• Greek Poetry
• Sappho
• Pre-Socratics
• Sophists
• Plato
• Aristotle
• Hellenic sculpture
• Parthenon
• Doric, Ionic, Corinthian
• Kithara and lyre
• Alexander the Great

• Teacher-created exam
• Text-supported written analysis scored with a rubric
• Persuasive presentation on architecture scored with a rubric 

PA Arts & Humanities Standards

• 9.1.12.F Analyze works of arts influenced by experiences or historical and cultural events through production, performance or exhibition.
• 9.2.12.A Explain the historical, cultural and social context of an individual work in the arts.
• 9.2.12.C Relate works in the arts to varying styles and genre and to the periods in which they were created (e.g., Bronze Age, Ming Dynasty, Renaissance, Classical, Modern, Post-Modern, Contemporary, Futuristic, others).
• 9.2.12.J Identify, explain and analyze historical and cultural differences as they relate to works in the arts.

PA Core Standards- ELA 

• CC.1.2.12.A Determine and analyze the relationship between two or more central ideas of a text, including the development and interaction of the central ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
• CC.1.2.12.B Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences and conclusions based on and related to an author's implicit and explicit assumptions and beliefs.
• CC.1.2.12.L Read and comprehend literary non-fiction and informational text on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.
• CC.1.3.11-12.A Determine and analyze the relationship between two or more themes or central ideas of a text, including the development and interaction of the themes; provide an objective summary of the text.
• 1.3.11-12.D Evaluate how an author’s point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
• 1.4.12.S Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research, applying grade level reading standards for literature and literary non-fiction.
• 1.5.11-12.A Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on grade-level
   

• The Roman Republic and its rise to empire.
• Pax Romana and its implications on Roman culture and development.
• Roman Law as related to the time period.
• The Aeneid and art as propaganda.
• Julius Caesar and Octavian Augustus.
• Stoicism as key vocabulary.
• Roman culture (including paintings, mosaics, portraiture and statues, architecture, and literature).
• China’s rise to empire (non-Western).

• “Captive Greece took its captors captive” is a significant metaphor for the birth of Rome. 
• The origins of the Roman Empire are blurred by folktales and legends.
• The Aeneid is a national epic cementing Augustus’ reign.
• The Roman Empire mirrored the development of non-Western civilization in China and can be compared to the United States of America.

• Explain the origins of Roman culture and the influence of Pax Romana.
• Analyze the transition of power from the Republic to the Empire and then the fall of Rome.
• Evaluate The Aeneid as a work of propaganda and compare it to modern examples.
• Identify the key works of art, architecture, and literature created during the Roman Empire.
• Distinguish fact from fiction in regards to Rome in the year 1 AD.
• Compare the rise of the Chinese Empire to Rome. 

• Why is the history of the Roman Republic shrouded in mystery?
• What made Rome the ‘greatest empire of all time?
• What caused the fall of the Roman Empire? 

• How did Roman leadership influence culture and vice versa? 
• What is the connection between Homer’s epic poems and Virgil’s Aeneid? 
• How does the Roman Empire compare to the United States of America? How did it compare to China’s Empire? 
   

Landmarks in the Humanities textbook
The Aeneid by Virgil (excerpts)
Rome: The Greatest Empire video
Teacher-created content
 

• Latins
• Estrucans
• Tiber River 
• Patricians
• Plebians
• Republic
• Gaius Julius Caesar
• Octavian Augustus
• Pax Romana
• Twelve Tables of Law
• Colosseum
• Stoicism: Livy to Senec
• Virgil and The Aeneid
• Ovid
• Horace
• The arch and aqueducts
• The Pantheon
• Roman mosaics
• Constantine
• Rise of Christianity
• Qin Dynasty
• Han Dynasty
• Chinese art, music, & Literature 

• Teacher-created exam
• Socratic Seminar
• Written text-supported reflections scored with a rubric
   

PA Arts & Humanities Standards

• 9.2.12.B Relate works in the arts chronologically to historical events (e.g., 10,000 B.C. to present).
• 9.2.12.E Analyze how historical events and culture impact forms, techniques and purposes of works in the arts.
• 9.2.12.I Identify, explain and analyze philosophical beliefs as they relate to works in the arts.
• 9.2.12.K Identify, explain and analyze traditions as they relate to works in the arts.
• 9.4.12.D Analyze and interpret a philosophical position identified in works in the arts and humanities.

PA Core Standards- ELA

• CC.1.2.11-12.H Analyze seminal texts based upon reasoning, premises, purposes, and arguments.
• CC.1.2.11-12.I Analyze foundational U.S. and world documents of historical, political, and literary significance for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.
• CC.1.3.11-12.H Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of literature that reflect a variety of genres in the respective major periods of literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.

Reading and Writing in Social Studies/History Standards

• CC.8.4.12.A Evaluate the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development throughout world history.
• CC.8.4.12.B Evaluate the importance of historical documents, artifacts, and sites which are critical to world history.
• CC.8.5.11-12.A Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
• CC.8.5.11-12.J By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 11-12  text complexity band independently and proficiently.

• The origins of the three major world religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) and their similarities.
• The influence of religion on culture. 
• Awareness and understanding of the various critical lenses as well as the benefits of their application.

• The three major world religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are rooted in revelation and ethical monotheism. 
• Christianity’s roots are embedded in the Greco-Roman background, Mystery Cults, and a discordant Jewish community.
• Critical lenses afford us the ability to see things from varying perspectives.

• Compare and contrast Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 
• Compare and apply critical lenses as practice for future criticisms. 
• Practice using critical lenses.

• Why does religion play such a central role in the lives of human beings? 
• How does organized religion influence art, architecture, learning, and other facets of culture?
• Why do people interpret various works of art in different ways? 
   

• What similarities do you see in the three revealed religions?
• How do the three religions influence culture differently? 
• What are critical lenses, and why are they important?  
   

• Landmarks in the Humanities textbook and accompanying music 
• Teacher-created materials
• I Can Hear the Sun by Patricia Polacco
• Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss
• Curious George by H. A. Rey
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
   

• Monotheism
• Hebrew Bible
• Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes
• Jesus and Paul
• The Gospels
• Christian monasticism 
• Christian symbolism
• Muhammad
• The Qur’an
• Hebrew arts
• Christian art & architecture
• Byzantine art & architecture
• Islamic art & architecture
• Religious music & liturgy
• Buddha & Buddhism
• Critical lenses: Feminist, 
• Marxist, Post-colonialism,
• Psycholgical

• Teacher-created exam
• Socratic Seminar
• Student-created presentation on critical lens practice scored with a rubric

PA Arts & Humanities Standards

• 9.1.12.C Integrate and apply advanced vocabulary to the arts forms.
• 9.1.12.E Delineate a unifying theme through the production of a work of art that reflects skills in media processes and techniques.
• 9.1.12.F Analyze works of arts influenced by experiences or historical and cultural events through production, performance or exhibition.
• 9.2.12.C Relate works in the arts to varying styles and genre and to the periods in which they were created (e.g., Bronze Age, Ming Dynasty, Renaissance, Classical, Modern, Post-Modern, Contemporary, Futuristic, others).
• 9.2.12.D Analyze a work of art from its historical and cultural perspective.
• 9.2.12.L Identify, explain and analyze common themes, forms and techniques from works in the arts.
• 9.3.12.C Apply systems of classification for interpreting works in the arts and forming a critical response.

PA Core Standards- ELA

• CC.1.2.11-12.J Acquire and accurately use general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
• CC.1.2.11-12.L Read and comprehend literary non-fiction and informational text on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.
• CC.1.3.11-12.G Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)
• CC.1.4.11-12.E Write with an awareness of the stylistic aspects of composition. • Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic. • Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms of the discipline in which they are writing.
• CC.1.4.11-12.F Demonstrate a grade-appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
• CC.1.4.11-12.G Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics.

• Major cultural accomplishments of the Middle Ages include education, music, visual art, and architecture.
• Significance of Beowulf and its contribution to spreading Christianity.
• Creative and fundamental influence of Dante’s Inferno as a text of protest.
• Summary of key takeaways from the Renaissance, Reform, Encounter, Baroque, Enlightenment, and Romanticism periods.
   

• Present-day culture is influenced by human history and experiences. 
• Human culture shares many similar innate characteristics across time and location.
• Culture is constantly evolving. 

• Interpret the historical events of the Middle Ages and their implications on the burgeoning culture.
• Read and evaluate Beowulf and Dante’s Inferno. 
• Analyze how religion influenced stories and characters. 
• View, critique, and compose two separate analyses of two different genres of art (dance, theater, visual art, etc.).
• Compose an analytical reflection of the course and the individual’s understanding.

• Why is synthesis a fitting explanation for the Middle Ages?
• How did the budding of what would become Europe compare to the more populous, urbanized China of the time? 
• What is significant about the Renaissance, Reform, Encounter, Baroque, Enlightenment, and Romanticism periods in history? 
   

• What was so transformative about the Middle Ages? 
• Why is Beowulf such an important literary work? 
• What were the implications of Dante’s Inferno on culture, politics, and religion? 
• What follows the Middle Ages, leading up to our modern era? 
   

• Landmarks in the Humanities textbook and accompanying music 
• Beowulf
• Inferno from The Divine Comedy
   

• Germanic tribes
• Carolingian Renaissance
• Feudalism 
• Norman Conquest
• The Crusades
• Bayeux Tapestry
• Beowulf
• The Song of Roland
• Tong and Song Dynasties
• Medieval church and art
• Romanesque style 
• Dante’s Divine Comedy
• Gothic style
• Polyphonic music
• Scholasticism
• Reliquaires & Religious Icons
• Renaissance
• Reform 
• Encounter
• Baroque
• Enlightenment
• Romanticism
• Modernism

• Teacher-created exam
• Socratic Seminar
• 2 written critiques of 2 different self-selected genres of art scored with a rubric
• Written personal reflection