Megan Holden
Room K209
holdenm@ltisdschools.org (*preferred communication)
533-6100, ext. 5896
Conference periods: 3rd Period (“A” Days), 1st Period (“B” Days)
Lake Travis High School
Advanced Placement Art History Syllabus
2014-2015
Instructor: Megan Holden
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The AP offering in Art History is designed to provide the same
benefits to secondary school students as those provided by an introductory college course in art
history: an understanding and knowledge of architecture, sculpture, painting, and other art forms
within diverse historical and cultural contexts. In the course, students examine major forms of
artistic expression from the past and the present from a variety of cultures. They learn to look at
works of art critically, with intelligence and sensitivity, and to analyze what they see. Many
colleges and universities offer advanced placement and/or credit to students who have performed
successfully on the AP Art History Examination.
TEXT: Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, 11th Edition (Thomson, Wadsworth); supplemental
reading given in the form of teacher packets.
REQUIRED MATERIALS: Black/blue and red pens, pencil, notebook(s) with loose leaf
paper.
GRADING
Major grades (chapter quizzes, unit tests, essays, projects, minimum of 3 per 9 weeks): 70%
Daily grades (daily quizzes, homework, daily assignments, minimum of 6 per 9 weeks): 30%
Mid-term and final exams: 20%
MAKE-UP WORK:
Make-up work is the student’s responsibility. If a student misses class on the day of a test,
he/she should expect to make-up the test on the day he/she returns to class at the time established
by the instructor. If a student misses class on the day a paper is due, he/she is expected either to
email the paper to the instructor or to turn the paper in before the beginning of the regular school
day on the day the student returns to school.
All other make-up work must be done within the allotted time, according to school policy.
Students should not expect to make-up tests, quizzes, etc., during class time.
LATE WORK:
Students are expected to complete all work on time. Daily assignments will not be accepted
after the due date. A zero will be given for daily assignments not turned in on time. Students
need to keep track of all assignments handed back.
Major assignments will be penalized severely for each calendar day that it is late and will not
be accepted more than 48 hours after the due date.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
Students who plagiarize work will be disciplined according to school policy. A zero may be
given on the assignment, and proper disciplinary action will be taken. Students must not share
work or steal writing from published authors. When outside sources are used in writing,
students must document properly. Downloading papers from the Internet and/or “sharing” other
students’ writing will not be tolerated.
Students who copy homework or give or receive information about tests are violating the
honor code, and will be disciplined accordingly.
Students talking, passing notes, using a cell phone, or communicating in any way during
testing will be regarded as cheating and disciplined according to school policy.
TUTORIALS:
Tutorial times for AP Art History will be at 8:00 am or after school by appointment. There will
be occasional showings of supplemental videos before and/or after school. A supplemental disk
provided by the textbook company will be available to students to borrow and copy for home
use. If possible, extra sessions will be held during TAKS tutorial time and possibly on
Saturdays. For students taking the AP test, these sessions are invaluable. Occasional nonrequired field trips will be offered outside of school hours; participation in these is highly
encouraged.
COURSE CALENDAR*
FIRST SEMESTER
Weeks 1-6
Introduction to Art History/Elements and Principles of Art
Prehistoric Art/Intro to essay writing (formalism vs. contextualism)
Prehistoric/Ancient Near East
Egyptian Art
Pre-Columbian Art
African Art
Aegean Art
Greek Art
Roman Art
Weeks 7-12
Early Christian Art
Byzantine Art
Islamic Art
Mosques, Stupas and Hindu Temples
Asian Art
Medieval Art
Romanesque Art
Gothic Art and Architecture
Weeks 13-18
Early Italian Renaissance
Northern Renaissance
High Renaissance
Midterm
SECOND SEMESTER
Weeks 19-24
Mannerism
Venetian Art
16th Century Germany and the Netherlands
Italian Baroque
Spanish Baroque
Flemish Baroque
Dutch Baroque
French Baroque and Rococo
Weeks 25-30
Neoclassicism
Romanticism
Early American Art
Realism
Pre-Raphaelites
Impressionism
Post-Impressionism
Symbolism
Expressionism
Early Modern Abstraction
Weeks 31-36
Early Modern Architecture
Photography
Dada
Surrealism
Abstract Expressionism
Pop Art
20th Century Realism
African-American Art of the 20th Century
Late 20th Century Art
Final Exam/Project
*In order to best prepare for the AP exam, dates and order of material covered may change.