2022-23 Social Studies

2022-23 High School Program

Social Studies Sequence

3 years required in sequence

15 credits required for graduation

Core (Graduation Requirement)

Name	Yr/Sem	Level	Credits	Pre-requisites	Available to Grades	Elective  / NCAA Core
World Cultures Hon World Cultures	Year	CP Hons	5	None	9	Non Elective NCAA Core
This course considers the influence on contemporary life of the great civilizations from ancient times to the present. Attention is given to the cultures and contributions of the people of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Such great movements in history as the development of religions, the Industrial Revolution, nationalism, communism, and the emergence of democratic governments are also considered. Two important aspects of the course are the relationship between the environment and culture and an examination of religion, family, society, and the arts.
US History 1 Hon US History 1	Year	CP Hons	5	World Cultures	10	Non Elective NCAA Core
This course is designed to trace the development of the United States from its beginning as a European colonial empire, to its emergence as a world power by the beginning of the 20th Century. Geography, economics, social development, political trends, and the development of democratic ideals will be stressed with the historical events.
US History 2 Hon US History 2	Year	CP Hons	5	US History 1	11	Non Elective NCAA Core
US History 2 is designed to introduce students to the period from the 1900s to the present. This course assimilates many of the basic skills and knowledge developed in US History 1. Further, the course aims to develop the effects that the formative era had on the modern era. Emphasis will be placed upon the change from a rural, isolationist and agricultural nation to an urban, industrial, and international power.
AP US History	Year	AP	5	US History 1	11-12	Elective or Non Elective NCAA Core
This year-long course in Advanced Placement United States History is one of the most challenging courses offered by the Social Studies Department. Following the National College Board Advanced Placement curriculum, this course is designed to give students a strong analytical experience of various documents and primary sources that revolve around selected themes determined by the College Board that are divided into time periods of American history. Some topics that will be interwoven amongst the themes include, but are not restricted to, are American Colonialism, ideology of the Revolution, Jeffersonian ideals, Jacksonian Democracy, reform movements, Civil War, Reconstruction, Populism, Progressivism, immigration, industrialization, World War I, New Deal, World War II, and the Cold War. Students will not only evaluate the historic forces that shaped the development of the United States from pre-Columbian societies to the post-Cold War world, but will also examine multiple interpretations of the past and develop new explanations that address current trends in historiography. Students will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement United States History exam in the spring.
Hon Western Civ	Year	Hons	5	US History 2	12	Non Elective NCAA Core
The course will survey the heritage of Western civilization with emphasis on the ancient world, particularly the Greco-Roman period, and the subsequent cultural and intellectual developments that provided the foundation of European history. In addition, the course will examine many of the critical advances in the early civilizations of the Western world with emphasis on the ideological and philosophical developments of the societies that emerged amid the ancient Mediterranean basin. Following a brief introduction into the late Paleolithic era and the Neolithic revolution, the course will shift focus to the Aegean and survey a myriad of Greek contributions to the region's heritage. Such topics as pre Greek migration and later Greek settlements, the polis, philosophy, art and architecture, Homeric writing, mythology, and hoplite warfare will follow with the examination of episodic history in the Greek experience including the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, the Macedonian conquest of eastern Mediterranean, and the subsequent legacies of the Hellenistic age. Attention will then turn to encapsulate the history of Rome tracing the pre-Republic period through the developments that contributed to the rise of the Roman Empire. Upon examination of Rome's heirs, including Christianity, Islam, and Byzantium, the course will conclude with an introduction to the early medieval period in European history. Commitment to specific subjects may vary in content and scope.
Social Studies 9-12	Year		5	None	9-12	Non Elective

Electives

Name	Yr/Sem	Level	Credits	Pre-requisites	Available to Grades	Elective
Human Behavior Soc (paired with Abnormal Psychology)	Sem	CP	2.5	None	10-12	Elective NCAA Core
This course is an introduction to both human behavior and sociology. The first half of the course will focus on the social, biological, and psychological factors that determine personality and behavior. An emphasis will be placed on determining how early childhood, learning styles, and consciousness affect behavior. Additionally, significant time will be given to psychological disorders and the various treatment methods available to people with these disorders. The second half of the course will be devoted to sociology and group behavior. The instructor will expand upon knowledge gained during the first half of the course to further examine how individual behavior is influenced by others, culture, and society. The causes of social deviance and society's responses to deviants and their behavior will be discussed in depth.
Basic Economics	Sem	CP	2.5	US History 1	11-12	Elective NCAA Core
Basic microeconomic and macroeconomics concepts and principles are analyzed and discussed by the students in this course. Students will be introduced to the issues of taxes, inflation, unemployment, as well as the many facets of the role played by the federal government. Students will also gain an understanding of the economic challenges that face our nation, the study of measuring economic performance, supply and demand, money, and monetary policy. Students will apply economic concepts and principles to current problems in the public and private sectors. The course will extend into the international arena and examine economics from a global perspective.
Abnormal Psychology (paired with Human Behavior Soc)	Sem	CP	2.5	None	10-12	Elective NCAA Core
This is an introductory course in psychopathology or the scientific study of mental health disorders. The course will include definitions, theories, and classification of abnormal behavior (DSM-V). Content will focus on symptoms, classifications, prevalence, etiology, and treatment of mental health disorders, including mood, anxiety, eating, schizophrenia spectrum, substance use, and personality disorders.
AP European History	Year	AP	5	None	10-12	Elective NCAA Core
This year-long course will survey various critical developments in European history from 1300 through the late twentieth century. Whereas focus will emphasize internal economic, political, and social patterns that span the scope of modern European history, the course will examine many of the major cultural and intellectual movements including such topics as the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution, the Reformation and Counter Reformation, absolutism, the Enlightenment, and the emergence of nationalized state systems. Likewise, analysis of the industrial, military, and imperial proceedings of the European nation-states that characterized much of global history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries will follow the review of Western advances in technological innovations that contributed significantly to Europe's colonial pursuits in the so-called era of High Imperialism. The subsequent rivalries and escalated tensions among the imperialist powers will be addressed to determine the origins of two global conflicts in the twentieth century. With such a foundation, the course will demonstrate how the European order collapsed as the result of World War I leaving in its wake a period of increased turmoil including revolutionary impulses and alternative political arrangements. The survey of the interwar period including the global depression and World War II will follow with the various domestic and international post-war conditions that challenged the European states and shaped their history in the second half of the 20th century. Students will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement History exam in the spring.
Political Science (paired with Intro to Law)	Sem	CP	2.5	US History 1	11-12	Elective NCAA Core
This course is an in-depth study of the workings of the American Government, both in a historical and modern context. Study will focus on the three branches of government, the checks and balances of each, and the political arenas in which important decisions have been made. Significant attention will be given to landmark Supreme Court cases and the rights and responsibilities of American citizens. Students will be challenged to broaden their knowledge of local, state, and federal government by becoming active participants in town meetings and election campaigns. Students will be encouraged to analyze their political viewpoints and formulate opinion on controversial topics of the past and those facing our nation’s future.
Intro to Law (paired with Political Science)	Sem	CP	2.5	US History 1	11-12	Elective NCAA Core
In this course, students will explore and become acquainted with legal rights and responsibilities, the relationship between the law and its role in day-to-day activities, and general terminology. The students’ ability to analyze the law and apply critical thoughts to specific situations will be performed. Technology will be incorporated through online mediums to search for applicable case law and current events.
AP Psychology	Year	AP	5	None	10-12	Elective NCAA Core
This year-long course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students will be exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. Ethics and the methods psychologists use in their science and practice will also be taught. Students will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement Psychology exam in the spring.
Holocaust & Genocide	Year	CP	5.0	None	9-12	Elective
Holocaust and Human Behavior will allow students to use the lessons of history to reflect on the fragility of “civilization.” It will also allow students to become more reflective in their interactions with their fellow human beings and their responses to governmental policy and power. Students will begin the course by studying the roots of human nature, personality, and the dynamics of ethical decision-making. The Holocaust will be introduced with a study of the roots of anti-Semitism in Europe. This will be followed by a study of the philosophy, literature, art, music, history and economic circumstances that conditioned the German populace for a mass reception of National Socialism and the embracing of Nazi ideology. The program will then use the insights derived from an intensive analysis of the systematic and methodological destruction of European Jewry, and others, (1938 – 1945) to detect and attempt to understand the consequences of “prejudice in action.” Students will evaluate the actions of the perpetrators, victims, bystanders, rescuers, resistors, liberators and survivors. The course will conclude with students investigating the nature of genocide and mass killings that have occurred in the years following 1945.
History & Film	Year	CP	5	US History 1	11-12	Elective
This course will survey through the medium of film, cinematic perspective, and historiographical reading and research, a number of selected themes focused on global and American history. Beginning with a brief overview of cinematic history, the course will follow with analysis of pivotal domestic and international developments and patterns spanning the period from the late nineteenth century through comparative view of the United States in the post-World War I era. The course will examine pivotal international developments and trends that marked the interwar period. The course will conclude with a comparative analysis of World War II, the Jewish Holocaust, and the changes in the cinematic portrayal of war during the twentieth century. Amid the course survey, students will evaluate the relationship between film and history including how filmmakers interpret historical events and portray the past to a mass audience. Commitment to specific subjects may vary in content and scope. Amid the survey, the course will evaluate the relationship between film and history including the way filmmakers interpret historical events and portray the past to a mass audience. Commitment to specific subjects may vary in content and scope.
AP US Government And Politics	Year	AP	5	US History 1	11-12	Elective NCAA Core
Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics is offered as a rigorous elective course for juniors and seniors. The course seeks to explore and inform on topics related to political life, behavior, and processes in the United States. Topics include: Constitutional foundations of American government; political beliefs and behaviors of Americans; the influence of groups and interests on politics, including political parties, special interest groups, and the media; functions and organization of national government; public policies and those involved with creating them; and civil rights and liberties. Topics of study may be added as necessary, including application of current events as they relate to and interact with the curriculum. Students taking this class, no matter their level of political knowledge, will learn and understand how the United States government functions and behaves in order to make informed political decisions and take appropriate political actions in their lives. The course follows a nationally recognized curriculum, and students are encouraged to take the corresponding national test for potential college credit in May. The course emulates a college-level introductory political science course in subject matter, rigor, and class expectations.
AP Macro economics	Year	AP	5	Algebra 1	10-12	Elective
This year-long course is an introductory college-level course that focuses on the principles that apply to an economic system as a whole. The course places particular emphasis on the study of national income and price level determination; it also develops students' familiarity with economic performance measures, the financial sector, stabilization policies, economic growth, and international economics. Students learn to use graphs, charts, and data to analyze, describe, and explain economic concepts.