Huh? What's "Humanities?"

humanitities (n.) those academic disciplines which study the human condition. A scholar of the humanities studies, among other things, history and literature with the intention of providing intellectual skills, in addition to general knowdlege.

Occasionally during English Language Arts class, students will wonder aloud, "Why are we doing this in LA class?" Equally common is the concern among students that they are being asked to (GASP!) write in Social Studies class! Should your student express this concern to you... it's all true--skills necessary for academic success in ALL classes are being focused upon in Social Studies and Language Arts classes, and this approach is intentional. This approach is commonly referred to as Humanities.

In most cases, the themes and reading selections considered in LA class align with the historical context that is being studied in Social Studies class. The thought is that by aligning this material, students can gain a greater appreciation for the context of fictional and non-fiction reading selections. Additionally, by reading selections from a historical setting, or thematic relation, to Social Studies content, history is more likely to "come alive," or become even more relatable.

Sometimes, the difference between the two classes becomes even more grey. For example, next week students will be taking their second Data Based Question (DBQ) practice for the Social Studies New York State assessment in Language Arts class. Keep checking our blog for more information regarding the DBQ over the next few days...

Read Up and Write On!