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Preliminary Curriculum: Humanities Objectives:
Scope and Sequence: Graduation requirements include the three-year Humanities sequence, comprising English, History, and Bible, along with a fourth year of English (English 12) and at least two additional semesters of Religion/Theology. An optional fourth year of History will also be offered for those who are interested. The following is the expected Humanities course sequence:
The scope and sequence of these courses will cover—and interweave—a series of overarching themes, including the following: 1. The “Big Questions”: God, Philosophy, and Truth—including worldviews; the fundamentals of truth, goodness, and beauty; and key questions such as who God is and what he is like, what is a human being, what is the nature of humanness, and what is happiness. 2. Government and Politics—including governmental structure, the relationship of the governed and governing, laws and codes, and justice; and key questions regarding such topics as the purpose of government, the type of government that is most effective, and the government’s role in helping or hindering justice. 3. Social Structure—including family and marriage, gender, class, education and literacy, and the relationship of the community and the individual; and key questions such as how the structure of society influences behavior, beliefs, religion, morality, and laws. 4. The Impact of Technology and Science—including weapons and warfare, transportation, exploration and conquest, health and medicine, the economy and money, food and sustenance, and art and entertainment; and key questions such as what impact technology and science have on a society’s character, beliefs, prosperity, and relationships with other societies. 5. Art and Aesthetics—including music, architecture, literature, drama and performing arts, and visual arts; and key questions such as to what extent art imitates life (and vice versa), what is the influence of art on a people, and how a society’s art reflects its character and beliefs. The grades 9–11 Humanities classes, which will be about double the length of an ordinary class, will not be predominantly lecture-based (i.e., primarily featuring teacher instruction or explanation), but will instead include significant periods of Socratic-style class discussion and will also require regular research and writing assignments. The courses will incorporate an explicit interdisciplinary emphasis, with an attempt to identify cross-discipline connections not only within the humanities but also with the fine arts and the sciences. English 12 will be an advanced, literature-based course, featuring both in-class discussion and regular research and writing assignments. This will be required of all students for graduation. History 12 and the semester courses in Religion/Theology will be elective courses, with the specific topics still to be determined. Faculty background and student interest will factor into the topic selection for this course. Curriculum | FAQs | Student Life | Athletics | Return to Trinity School Home  Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill |
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