Week 1
Lesson 1
 Introduction to Art History and Arts of the Paleolithic Period
During Week 1, we will begin with a brief overview of what art history actually is and how it formed as a discipline. We will also introduce major art terminology that we will use throughout the course. The last half of the lesson is dedicated to an introduction to art history through a discussion of major Paleolithic pieces that predate written history. This week's case study is Stonehenge, through which we will study early monumental architecture and its potential meanings. 
 Week 2
Lesson 2
The Arts of Mesopotamia
During Week 2, we will explore the many cultures of the Mesopotamian world! This week's lecture will focus on the shift from hunter-gatherer societies to static societies and how that impacted the type of arts being produced. Students can expect to learn about religious significance of Mesopotamian sculpture and temples, as well as the impact of the first codes of law through the Code of Hammurabi. This week's case study is the Babylonian Ishtar Gate.
 Week 3
Lesson 3
The Arts of Ancient Egypt
During Week 3, we travel to ancient Egypt to explore this mystical civilization. This week students can expect to learn about the early development of painting, the influence of papyrus scrolls, the development of sculpture, a shift in monumental architecture through the pyramids of Giza, and the role of funerary arts through mummification and the importance of sarcophagi. 
 Week 4
Lesson 4
The Arts of Ancient Greece (Part 1)
During Week 4, we begin our two part unit on Ancient Greece, moving through some of the earlier periods of the Greek world. This week we emphasize the abstracted forms of Cycladic sculpture, the mythos of Mycenean sculpture and the Mask of Agamemnon, the painted frescoes of Crete, early Greek pottery of the Orientalizing period, and the basic developments of sculpture through the Archaic period, which lasts through about 480 BCE.
 Week 5
Lesson 5
The Arts of Ancient Greece (Part 2)
Sculpture was one of the most important artistic methods of expression throughout the Mediterranean and today we will evaluate how sculpture developed through the Classical period and into the Hellenistic period of Greece, through 30 BCE. Students will discuss how a shift in historical conversations lead to more emotional, realistic pieces.
 Week 6
Lesson 6
The Arts of the Roman Republic and Empire
During our final week, students will be looking at the shift in artistic practices in the Roman period, particularly their struggle with bronze work and their unique taste in portraiture. This week's case study will look at the Equestrian Portrait of Marcus Aurelius as a way of evaluating a shift in stylistic tendencies in portraiture, emphasizing old age as a way of humanizing their Emperors. 
 Week 7
Lesson 7
The Arts of Medieval Europe
This week, we will discuss the arts of medieval Europe, focusing heavily on architecture. Students will learn about the effects of the spread of Christianity on art during this period and spend a majority of the class discussing Christian architecture and sculpture. We will focus on the famed Notre Dame cathedral in Paris as a case study during this lesson, where students will learn about how these monumental churches were built and the importance of the sculptural elements.
 Week 8
Lesson 8
The Arts of the Byzantine Empire
This lesson, students will focus on the Byzantine Empire, which was the only part of the Roman empire that survived after 500 CE. Students will focus heavily on the influence of Islamic cultures in the Byzantine Empire, and will learn the differences in architecture between Mosques and Cathedrals, using the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul as the primary example. Students will learn about the rule of Justinian and how his rule affected art production--primarily through mosaics. 
 Week 9
Lesson 9
 The Italian Renaissance
This week, students will be exposed to a number of famous artists through our discussion of the Italian Renaissance. Students will learn about how the Renaissance happened and the importance of humanism at this time. They will primarily discuss painting and discuss the shift to more realism within images, starting with the works of Raphael. Then, we will discuss representations of the human body during this time, comparing Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.
 Week 10
Lesson 10
The Northern/German Renaissance
This week covers the lesser known Northern or German Renaissance. Students will learn about the differences in artistic development between Italy and Northern Europe at this time, focusing on paintings by artists like Jan Van Eyck and Albrecht Durer--through which students will learn about the shifting role of the artist in society. Further, students will be introduced to the idea of genre painting, or painting of everyday scenes and discuss why this might be important.