This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
Join us for a journey through American history and culture through music, art, architecture, theater, dance, and literature — from life on the prairie to post-war jazz, learn how the arts express the essence of life in America.
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 8th to 12th
Suggested credit: 1 full semester American History, Music & Art Appreciation, American Culture
Description
This two-semester online course will take you on a journey through American music, art, literature, history, and culture. From the Puritans and Native Americans; through the founders and pioneers; to the immigrants of Ellis Island and today’s newest immigrants, Americans have used music, paintings, poetry, dance and architecture to express the essence of life in America.
This course features dozens of colorful video sequences filmed by Professor Carol on location across the country. Each of the 24 course modules includes approximately 1 hour of video instruction with extensive materials for additional exploration. The course spans the period from Native Americans and the earliest European Settlers through Jazz and Broadway.
Outline
Week 1: Unit 13 – The Building Up of Arts Institutions and Mass Culture
Week 2: Unit 14 – American Arts Enter the World Stage
Week 3: Unit 15 – From Boston to the Prairie
Week 4: Unit 16 – New Technologies and the Gilded Age
Week 5: Unit 17 – The New Century Starts with a Bang
Week 6: Unit 18 – Opulent and Turbulent
Week 7: Unit 19 – Aftermath of WWI and the Roaring Twenties
Week 8: Unit 20 – The 1930s and the Flowering of American Arts
Week 9: Unit 21 – The Path to World War II
Week 10: Unit 22 – America’s Music: Jazz
Week 11: Unit 23 – Moving Into the War Years
Week 12: Unit 24 – The Post-War Years
Materials and Homework
Course Materials: The formal video class lectures and study materials for this course are found within Dr. Reynolds’ website. Students of America’s Artistic Legacy must register on that site to access the pre-recorded lectures (one hour each) for each unit of this 12-unit course, as well as the assignments, lists of terms, quizzes, and exams. http://www.professorcarol.com/homeschool-connections-courses/. A code will be provided that allows Homeschool Connections students a significant discount for these materials. The code (hsc2020aaa) will be currently active and will assist your purchase of the Circle of Scholars subscription (1/2 price = $30 per semester).
Homework:
Before our weekly live class: “Attending” (watching) the formal video class (one hour long) in anticipation of each live class.
After out HSC week live class: Complete all aspects of the assignments: including review of terminology, chronology, and points of discussion.
Biweekly Quiz: Before moving further, take the quiz which covers two units (for example, the quiz for Units 1-2 should be taken before our live class covering Unit 3.)
Time needed per week: 3-5 hours in addition to the live class, plus time devoted to preparing for the mid-term test and a final exam.
At least one writing assignment will be given as well.
