Social Studies
By immersing students in historical thinking skills, such as effective research, document evaluation and interpretation, and writing theses supported with analysis and evidence, the Social Studies Department prepares students to be active global citizens who compassionately negotiate the constant shift in world perspectives. Three credit hours are required for graduation.
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Big Ideas: Combines units in Modern World History from 1600 to the era between the World Wars and units in physical geography and human geography. This Course studies the social, political, cultural and economic themes that have shaped our world. Students will examine, in-depth, supplemental readings, maps and other materials to develop critical thinking and analytical skills that will help them prepare for possible Advanced Placement (AP®)/college-level courses. Literary and historical reading and writing are also major components of the curriculum.
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Grade 9 Prerequisite: Students who wish to place into Advanced Placement (AP®) World History during their freshman year are asked to take a Social Studies assessment exam. Assessment exams are arranged through the Admission Office during February/March. Placement for AP® World History for 9th graders is based on previous grades, standardized test scores and assessment results.
Prerequisites: Those students wishing to take AP level courses will have demonstrated intellectual scholarship in the subject and have received prior written approval from their previous Social Studies teacher.
Requirement: Taking the AP® World History Exam is mandatory. The cost is approximately $95.
Big Ideas: The AP
® World History course is designed around a clear framework of six chronological periods viewed through the lens of related key concepts and course themes, accompanied by a set of skills that clearly define what it means to think historically.
The six chronological periods are:
- Technological and Environmental Transformations to c. 600 B.C.E.
- Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies c. 600 B.C.E. to c. 600 C.E.
- Regional and Transregional Interactions c. 600 C.E. to c.1450 C.E.
- Global Interactions c.1450 to c.1750
- Industrialization and Global Integration c.1750 to c.1900
- Accelerating Global Change and Realignments c.1900 to the present
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Big Ideas: Examines political, economic, cultural, social and diplomatic events that shaped American life from 1865 to the modern era. Students will build skills such as critical thinking and writing, primary source analysis, historical research and bias detection.
- Industrialization, Immigration, Urbanization and Progressivism (1877-1920)
- America's rise as a World Power: Imperialism to Post WWI Era (1898-1930)
- Prosperity, Depression and the New Deal (1919-1941)
- From isolation to World War (1930-1945)
- The Cold War (1945-1991)
- Social transformations in the United States (1945-2001)
***Students wishing to further extend their knowledge of United States History can choose to take the course for honors credit, i.e. Honors United States History. Students choosing this option will have a differentiated curriculum in which they will complete an independent, inquiry-based research component each quarter and may have instruction and/or assessments adjusted to merit an Honors credit.
The Honors United States History curriculum will be presented to students in the first weeks of class. After this presentation, students should work with their parent/guardian, teacher and guidance counselor to decide if taking this accelerated curriculum is appropriate for their education and complete the necessary steps to fully enroll in the honors course.
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Prerequisites: Those students wishing to take Advanced Placement (AP®)-level courses will have demonstrated intellectual scholarship in the subject and have received prior written approval from their previous History Teacher.
Requirement: Taking the AP® United States History Exam is mandatory. The cost is approximately $95.
Big Ideas: The AP® United States History course is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in U.S. history.
Emphasis is placed on:
- Development of historical thinking skills such as chronological reasoning, comparison and contextualization, arguments crafted from historical evidence, and historical interpretation and synthesis.
- Thematic content learning objectives:
- Identity
- Work, exchange and technology
- Peopling
- Politics and power
- America in the world
- Environment and geography - physical and human
- Ideas, beliefs and culture
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Big Ideas: Students will examine essential questions such as: How does the United States Federal Government work? How does governmental decision making affect the economy? What is the citizen’s role in government and economics?
- U.S. Constitution and how it can be modified to meet the needs of a changing society
- Decision making processes in the three branches of the U.S. Government
- Federalism
- Concepts of capitalism, opportunity cost, supply and demand, money and banking, business and labor, international trade, personal finance, etc.
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Prerequisites: An honors-level course is significantly more demanding than a regular course. There will be a higher level of rigor in reading, writing and research assignments. Additionally, there will be a larger workload. Those students wishing to take honors-level courses are recommended to have a grade of "B" or higher in their previous Social Studies class.
Big Ideas: Provides an in-depth study of the federal government with an emphasis on analytical writing and critical discussion.
- Examination of the U.S. Constitution historically and how it applies today
- Analysis of civil rights and civil liberties
- Federalism and how it works between states and federal government
- Real world application of supply and demand, capitalism, opportunity cost and competition
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Prerequisites: Those students wishing to take AP® level courses will have demonstrated intellectual scholarship in the subject and have received prior written approval from their previous Social Studies teacher.
Requirement: Taking the AP® Government and Politics: United States exam is mandatory. The cost is approximately $95.
Big Ideas: The AP® Government and Politics course includes both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. government and politics and the analysis of specific examples. Students should become acquainted with a variety of theoretical perspectives and explanations for various behaviors and outcomes. Understand typical patterns of political processes, behavior and their consequences. Analyze and interpret basic data relevant to U.S. government and politics.
- Constitutional underpinnings of United States government
- Political beliefs and behaviors
- Political parties, interest groups and mass media
- Institutions of national government
- Public policy
- Civil rights and civil liberties
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Sessions will meet weekly at teacher’s discretion. Students can only earn credit for this course one time. If a student would like to continue after earning credit, she can join the Model United Nations Club. Independent Study Model United Nations may be taken as a standard letter grade, A-F or Pass/Fail. Students wishing to take the course P/F are required to complete the Pass/Fail Waiver and inform the teacher that they would like to take the course P/F within the first two weeks of the course.
Requirement: Participation in at least one Model United Nations competition is required and students are expected to fulfill academic expectations of conferences. The fee is contingent on the number of students enrolled in the class; however, it is estimated to be a minimum of $30. Further competitions may be available for those who choose to participate, at the student’s expense.
Big Ideas: Created to examine the primary functions of the United Nations and its diplomatic role with respect to the political, economic and cultural concerns of the global community. Through research, discussion, negotiation and debate, students will develop plausible solutions to contemporary global problems. These issues include, but are not limited to, human rights, protection of the environment, economic development, disarmament, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the complexities surrounding war and peace.
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Prerequisites: All students who are willing to accept the challenge of a rigorous academic curriculum will be considered for admission to Advanced Placement (AP®) Psychology. Written approval from their previous History Teacher is required for admittance to the course.
Requirement: Taking the AP® Psychology Exam is mandatory. The cost is approximately $95.
Big Ideas: Designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. Students learn about the concepts, principles and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields of psychology. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice.
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Each Sociology class will meet five times throughout a two-week period. Alternate days students will have Independent Study Time.
Big Ideas: Sociology is intended to introduce students to the study of human society and social interactions. The course will focus on the history of theories, methods of the sociological perspective, the role of individuals and groups in social structures, and the influence of the socialization and culture on peoples and societies.
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Prerequisites: All students who are willing to accept the challenge of a rigorous academic curriculum will be considered for admission to Advanced Placement (AP®) Comparative Government and Politics. Students must have previously taken U.S. Government to enroll in this course. Written approval from a previous social studies teacher is required for admittance to the course.
Requirement: Taking the AP® Comparative Government and Politics exam is mandatory. The cost is approximately $95.
Big Ideas: AP® Comparative Government and Politics introduces students to fundamental concepts used by political scientists to study the processes and outcomes of politics in a variety of country settings. The course aims to illustrate the rich diversity of political life, to show available institutional alternatives, and to communicate to students the importance of global political and economic changes. In addition to covering major concepts through comparison of political systems, the course covers specific countries and their governments. Six countries form the core of the AP® Comparative Government and Politics course include China, United Kingdom, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria and Russia.
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Each Facing History class will consist of a blended learning format, meeting two-three days a week. Alternate days students will have independent study time. Class will include a significant online portion. Big Ideas: Utilizes the Facing History approach of historical study to examine critical events of historical injustice from both World and American History. Facing History’s methodology helps students to critically examine topics such as antisemitism, prejudice and racism through historical case studies, with the ultimate goal of helping students to connect choices of the past with the ethical/moral decisions they will need to make in their own lives. The class will focus on the following Facing History units:
- Holocaust and human behavior
- Reconstruction: The Fragility of Democracy
- Eyes on the Prize: The Civil Rights Movement
