Humanities at Mass Academy is taught by Ms. Small, and revolves around the topic of what it means to be human. We attempt to answer this question through thoughtful readings, analysis of various texts, and engaging class discussions. Over the past few months, I learned that the two fields are far more similar than I thought, as writing has a process that is very similar to approaching a math problem or brainstorming a STEM project.
As we studied the origins of humanity, one of our first units was Ancient Civilizations. In this unit, we were tasked with working in groups to research and present information about a particular civilization. My group chose Mesopotamia, with a specific focus on the the city-state Sumer, for which we created the presentation below.
In this unit, we learned about the critical components of satire as we analyzed examples in various formats including essays, videos, and cartoons. This essay analyzes the tools Jonathan Swift uses in the juvenalian satire "A Modest Proposal" to target England's economic exploitation of Ireland in the 18th century.