This page contains past and present AHS Foundation course syllabi, assignments, course goals, and more! If you are building an AHS Foundation course, or just thinking about infusing some AHS Foundation approaches into a current course, we hope this will be a useful resource for you.
Common Goals and Practices of AHS Foundations
Wondering what AHS Foundation courses at Olin have in common? See attachment:ahsfoundationgoals2007.doc for a detailed overview of our common goals and practices.
AHS Foundation Syllabi
The History of Technology: Culture and Context (Robert Martello, Fall 2006) attachment:histoftech2006.doc
What is "I?" (Lynn Andrea Stein, Fall 2006) attachment:whatisi2006.doc
Culture and Difference: An Anthropological Approach (Caitrin Lynch, Fall 2006) attachment:cultanddiff2006.doc
The Wired Ensemble: Instruments, Voices, Players (Diana Dabby, Fall 2006) attachment:wiredensemble2006.doc
Making Story: Creative Writing Workshop (Christina Shea, Fall 2006) attachment:makestory2006.doc
Seeing and Hearing: Creating with Photographs, Video, and Sound (Helen Donis Keller)
AHS Foundation Assignments
Analytical Papers
Compare/Contrast. Christina Shea's Annotated Journal Assignment attachment:CSJournal2006.doc requires students to write a 2-3 page analytical paper comparing and contrasting at least two of the works read in the course. This assignment covers choosing a topic, choosing a thesis, and the mechanics of citing excerpts from fiction and poetry. Shea's journal assignment also includes an oral component.
Analytical Letter. Caitrin Lynch's paper assignment attachment:CLPaper12006.doc requires students to write a 3-4 page letter that includes formal academic citation and shows careful attention to craft. This assignment is described in four phases: thesis, first draft, commentary, and revision. Students are required to build an argument about why a fieldwork incident is compelling relative to anthropology, and must use evidence from at least two articles in the course reading.
Comparison. Robert Martello's paper assignment attachment:RMPaper12006.doc requires students to write a 4-6 page comparison paper that invokes course themes while comparing two assigned texts from class. It outlines the assignment in three phases: thesis; paper submission; option to revise or provide commentary on a peer's paper. Provides specific prompts regarding how to comment on a peer's paper.
Comparison. Lynn Stein's paper assignment attachment:LSPaper12006.doc requires students to write a 2-3 page comparison paper that may compare elements such as content, style, theme, or disciplinary perspective from two works read in class. This assignment is described in four phases: thesis; first draft; students consult with a writing tutor and provide commentary on a colleague's paper; final paper. Assignment includes prompts for student commentary.
Opinion. Diana Dabby's paper assignment attachment:DBPaper12006.doc requires students to write an opinion paper where students assess two assigned musical arrangements and make an argument about which one is the better arrangement. The assignment includes a rubric derived from Olin's non-technical writing rubric. (Visit the OlinRubricPage to view the entire nontechnical writing rubric).
Analysis. Diana Dabby's paper assignment attachment:DBPaper22006.doc requires students to write a 4-5 page analysis paper about how musical references in an assigned play develop the characters and action of the play. The assignment requires that students include and analyze at least 5 excerpts in their paper.
Short Writing Exercises
Analyze Reading; Provide Commentary. Students use Blackboard to post analysis of course readings and comment on other students' postings. attachment:CLBlackboard2006.doc
Develop Reading Questions. Students use the class wiki (similar to a web page) to post a one-page question about course reading. attachment:CSWikiReaderinquiry2006.doc
Analyze Student Commentary. Students use the class wiki to "decompress" after the class critiques their work. attachment:CSWikiDecompression2006.doc
Free-Write. Students free-write in class in response to a specific prompt. attachment:CSFreewrite2006.doc
Analyze Reading. Students use the class wiki to post responses to the professor's prompts about the reading. attachment:RMAnalysisNotes2006.doc
Apply Theory to Reading. Students write a two-page essay exploring an assigned theoretical concept in the context of course reading. attachment:RMTheorytoReading2006.doc
Analyze Reading; Develop Class Discussion. Students use the class wiki to post an "editorial" (with a creative role-play option) about specific course reading. Group of students uses whiteboard in class to post questions and talking points for class discussion. attachment:RMEditorialandDiscussion2006.doc