CLAS/HIST240 Ancient Societies:
Sport and Recreation
Department of Classics
Monmouth College

Summary of Goals and Requirements

Your final grade will be determined in the following way:

I. Unit Quizzes 50%
II. Individualized Project 30%
III. Group Presentation 10%
IV. Class Participation and Other Work 10%

I. Unit Quizzes
Instead of a mid-term and final exam there will be SIX (6) unit quizzes. One of these quizzes will be based upon the site plan for Olympia. Another will be a Map/Geography Quiz which you have to pass to pass the course.

The other four quizzes will be based upon material covered in class and in course readings. For some sample multiple choice questions for these quizzes click here. Other types of questions may include true/false, fill-in the blank, and short essay questions.

There will be no make-ups for quizzes (except the map quiz), but at least on quiz grade will be dropped. The average of these quizzes will be 50% of the final grade.

II. Individualized Project
Each student will pursue a semester-long project which focuses on some special aspect of sport and recreation in the ancient world. Preparation for this project must include library research, analysis of historical evidence, and original work. At mid-semester you will submit a 300-word prospectus for this project. In this prospectus you will outline the topic and an evaluation of at least five works you have consulted on this topic.

The central product of this project can take the form of a research paper, creative writing, artwork, website or any other work which deals with material covered in course readings or discussions. All central products must be supplemented by a written statement (c.600 words) which contains the following information: 1.) a summary of the project; 2.) a description of its preparation; 3.) an annotated bibliography of at least ten works consulted ("annotated" means a brief explanation of how these works were used in the project); and 4.) an explanation of original aspects of this project. A prospectus for this project is due around mid-semester. The final individualized project is due at 3:30 on Tuesday, December 5, 2000 and will be 30% of your final grade.

NOTE: Course books can be cited in the bibliography but only as complements to at least five additional works. The quality of the material consulted will significantly affect the grade. It is highly recommended that a variety of resources be consulted, including books, journals, and websites. Heavy reliance on a single kind of resource (especially encyclopedia articles) is not advised.

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III. Group Presentation
Working in groups of three, students will choose one of their own individualized projects for a ten-minute presentation to the entire class. The first step in the preparation of this presentation is a written c.600-word statement in which each group member evaluates all the projects in the group (due on Thursday, December 7, 2000). Consider the quality of the presentation and its appropriateness for presentation to the class. These statements will be shared with other members of the group and with the instructor. The group will decide which project is best suited for presentation and decide how to make this oral presentation.

All  presentations will take place at the time scheduled for the final exam. The presentation will be graded on oral technique, originality, and content. Appropriate use of the personae of ancient Greeks and Romans in these presentations will automatically insure a higher grade.

Once the presentation is finished each participant will submit only to the instructor a short statement which evaluates the contributions of each member of the group to the final presentation. This statement is intended to signal to the instructor if there was any imbalance in these contributions; i.e., did each member of the group pull their own weight?.  This statement must not be submitted prior to the actual presentation but no later than 24-hours after the presentation. Students will receive a group grade for the presentation and an individual grade based upon the information in the statement.   The average of the group and individual grades will be 10% of the final score.

IV. Class Participation and Other Work
While attendance is not recorded daily, class participation is considered very important and the instructor will keep track of those individuals who participate actively in the course by making appropriate comments and asking questions.

Quizzes, both announced and unannounced, may be given at the discretion of the instructor. No make-ups for quizzes will be given.

All students are expected to attend the Fox Classics Lecture on Monday, November 6, 2000 at 7:30 P.M. in the Highlander Room and to submit a written summary and response by Thursday, November 9th. This paper should relate the lecture to the course.

In addition to the Fox lecture paper, other short papers will occasionally be assigned, including a mid-course evaluation , the individualized project prospectus, and the evaluation of the individualized projects.

All of this work, including class participation, will count 10% of the final grade.

This material has been published on the web by Prof. Tom Sienkewicz for his students at Monmouth College. If you have any questions, you can contact him at toms@monm.edu.

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