Mr. Hankins' Site

Instructor: Mr. Hankins

Course Description:  
Although the title of the course is “history,” This course will deal with more than bare historical facts. The purpose of 8th Grade History is to give each student a foundational understanding of the world he is a part of, by studying the western tradition he has inherited.  Therefore, the student will learn that all things (to include his/her own lives) happen within the context of history.  To understand the world in which he/she lives, the past must be first ingrained into their mind.  Students will learn that there is order and purpose to all things. The basis of this order is a correct view of the beginning of the world.
    
History, as we will be seeing, is the unfolding plan of the Creator-God to restore the fallen world to its created perfection.  He is in the process of reclaiming what is His—that is the World (Romans 8:18-23).  We will show how societies can either mimic the created order or they can be in rebellion against it.  Either will be evident in the music, art, government, and literature of these cultures.

This course will serve as a preparatory course for students on the threshold of their high school education.  We will show how cultures are a manifestation of the philosophical currents throughout history.  That is that these currents, or ideologies, are evident in the music, art, government, and literature of these cultures.  

In order to have a firm grasp on this, the student must first possess an understanding of what a world-view is.  Each individual holds a personal world-view or an intellectual grid through which he will analyze truth and the world around him.  The student must learn that God’s word is truth and that all things must be considered in light of it.

This course focuses on six major periods relevant in the development of Western Civilization: 1) The Middle Ages 2) the Renaissance 3) the Reformation 4) the Enlightenment 5) Modernism, and 6) Post-Modernism. Each of these periods, despite having distinct trends in thought, will be studied as being connected, each one building on the previous period.  The doctrine of God’s sovereignty over all things will be essential to the success of seeing history as an unfolding plan under His divine direction.

Course Objectives:
The successful student will display an understanding of what a Biblical world view is and be able to critique history through the lens of the Bible.
Each student should be able to give a summary of each period studied, describing what it is like and telling of any major persons during the period.
The student must demonstrate the ability to think critically connecting ideas with the subsequent manifestation of them in culture.  
Comprehend the religious/philosophical currents through Christendom and the decline resulting from the Enlightenment, and analyze them according to scripture.
Read and understand the literature of ancient civilizations and grasp how it corresponds to the beliefs and thoughts of the period.
Absorb the government and laws of societies in order to see how it displays their standards of morality.
Learn key figures and events of the periods studied and the impact which they have.
Examine artwork for its aesthetic value and philosophical meaning as it relates to each particular period.

Course Requirements:
Omnibus II will demand diligent note taking through attentiveness in class.  
There will be regular readings required as assigned, as well as possible written or oral reports on literature, in class presentations and/or short essays.
Quizzes will be given weekly announced or unannounced, as well as bi-weekly tests.  Each nine weeks test will be comprehensive.  Quizzes and tests can be made up only in the event of an excused absence.

Homework policy:

Regular homework assignments are a large part of the final grade.  They must be turned in on the day they are due.  It is the responsibility of each student to leave class with complete understanding of what is being required in the homework assignment.  Demerits will be assigned in the event that homework is not turned in.
A student may turn in a late homework assignment for partial credit; however, the demerits earned will remain.

Testing and Grading

80% of Semester grade
·    Unit tests 50%
·    Quizzes 30%     
·    Homework 20% (to be assessed at the end of each nine weeks)

20% of semester grade will be your final exam.

A = (90 – 100%)
B = (80 – 89)
C = (70 – 79)
D = (60 – 69)
F = (below 60)


Course Schedule (subject to change)
    
1st Quarter
What is History?
        Fall of Rome through the Early Middle-Ages.
        
        
Classroom Behavior
Be in class, in your seat, on time.
Be prepared.
Be respectful.  
Use the restroom between classes or during lunch. Please do not ask unless it is an emergency.
You are expected to follow all the rules given in the Mt. Salus student handbook without exceptions.

*This syllabus is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion