SOCIAL STUDIES

1 credit Grade 9

320 Civilizations

This course is a survey of the development of civilizations from the ancient to the modern world. Students will study civilizations of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. In particular, this course will examine the history, art, literature and philosophy of different civilizations and cultures, and how their ideas have influenced modern society.

1 credit Grade 9

321 Honors Civilizations

This honors course surveys the development of civilizations from the ancient to the modern world with an advanced emphasis on writing analytical essays Students will study civilizations of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas In particular, this course will examine the history, art, literature and philosophy of these different civilizations and cultures, and how their ideas have influenced modern society. In class, students will learn to synthesize what they have learned by engaging in daily discussions and written responses.

9th: Placed through admissions process

10th: Government & Politics (A) or Honors (B)

1 credit Grade 10

322 Early American History

The first semester of this course will provide a general introduction to the evolution of different political systems adopted by societies throughout history. A variety of specific case studies will be used to analyze these political systems The second semester will examine the political structures of local, state and national government in the United States. This course provides a critical foundation for concepts and events addressed in the subsequent three years of the core social studies curriculum. Reading, writing and analysis requirements exceed those of the non-honors course.

1 credit Grade 10

323 Honors Early American History

The first semester of this course will provide a general introduction to the evolution of different political systems adopted by societies throughout history. A variety of specific case studies will be used to analyze these political systems The second semester will examine the political structures of local, state and national government in the United States. This course provides a critical foundation for concepts and events addressed in the subsequent three years of the core social studies curriculum. Reading, writing and analysis requirements exceed those of the non-honors course.

❏ Civ (A) or Hn Civ (B)

1 credit Grade 11

332 United States History

This course is an examination of the social, political, economic and intellectual history of the United States from the colonial period through the twentieth century.

1 credit Grade 11

331 Honors United States History

This course is an examination of the social, political, economic and intellectual history of the United States from the colonial period through the twentieth century Placement by current teacher

❏ Civ (A) or Hn Civ (B)

1 credit

Grade 11

330 AP United States History

The AP U.S. History course is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in U S history Students will learn to assess historical materials—their relevance to a given interpretive problem, reliability, and importance—and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. Students will develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay format The course will cover pre-Columbian societies through the post-Cold War era. Students taking this course will be expected to take the AP Exam in U S History

1 credit Grade 12

347 Global Studies

In this course, focus will be given to the history, cultures and contemporary issues of the non-Western world and its peoples, to include: East Asia, Southeast and South Asia, the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, and Native and Latin America, with emphasis on both indigenous cultural development and cross-cultural exchange. An understanding of and appreciation for diverse traditions, beliefs, behaviors and points of view, will be emphasized

1 credit Grade 12

346 Honors Global Studies

This honors course includes the same focuses as Global Studies but will hold students to a higher academic standard in the grading of exams, papers, and related class work and will require students to apply both analytical and integrative thinking to subject matter

❏ U S History (A) or AP U.S. History

0 5 credit Grade 10-12

Elective

* 310 Introduction to Special Education

This course will examine the foundations of special education, gifted and talented conditions, the nature of sensorimotor exceptionalities, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and behavioral disorders. Students will observe and participate in special education settings, learn how to make modifications for special education students, relate the historical development of special education to current practice, and develop a portfolio project that investigates a special education topic of their choice.

0.5 credit Grade 10-12

Elective

* 376 History and Film

The popularity of film and television as cultural media has made it increasingly difficult to separate historical fact from Hollywood fiction This course provides students the opportunity to critically analyze and understand documentary film, Hollywood depictions of historical events, videos they consume on social media, and other non-written forms of history. In essence, this class is a study in myth-busting, while also using films as a means to continue the great debate regarding past historical events, figures and movements. The course will also investigate how cinematic depictions of the past help foster and reinforce popular opinions and misconceptions presented by both scholars and filmmakers, as well as encourage continued academic discussions concerning our knowledge of the human experience. Students will also learn some basic video editing skills as they create their own short historical film projects.

1.0 credit Grade 11-12

Elective

* 380 Documentary Film Studies

This course is focused on learning the foundational skills it takes to produce documentaries. Students will demonstrate their understanding of film production, by creating their own documentary. Students will learn about

0 5 credit

Grade 11-12

Elective video editing, filming, audio recording and mixing, film technique and analysis, oral history and interviewing, research and archival work, community engagement, social justice advocacy, and collaborative field work

* 482 Economics

This one semester course is designed to provide an overview of the roles of the individual, business, government and foreign trade in the American economy. The individual economic roles of earning income, consuming and performing as a citizen are examined along with consumer activities of buying, saving, borrowing and investing. The supply of money, banking systems, and monetary and fiscal policies are reviewed Additionally, the course discusses current events and the stock market to connect economic fundamentals to what is happening today.

0.5 credit

Grade 11-12

Elective

* 370 Hip-Hop Studies

This course uses an interdisciplinary approach to study the evolution of Hip-Hop. Topics include the music and literary prose that led to the foundation of Hip-Hop; elements of Hip-Hop culture; social-economic, ethnic, and geographic influences on Hip-Hop; generational shifts, commercialization, and the various stages of Hip-Hop. Through analyzing lyrics and studying major artists, students will change the way that they see the music, and learn to pull out the academic elements including historical context, literary elements, and political and social references

0.5 credit

Grade 11-12

Elective

* 336 African American Studies

This one semester course deals with the study of African American social, economic, cultural, and political history and intellectual life of American society from enslavement to modern day history. This course will include critical exploration of African American writers’ contributions to American fiction, poetry, drama, nonfiction, and music

1 credit

Grade 11-12

Elective

* 351 Psychology

This course is the study of human behavior and mental processes In this survey course, a variety of subfields will be explored including learning and behaviorism, memory, child and adolescent development, intelligence, personality, motivation and emotion, abnormal and social psychology. Students will learn about the variety of psychological perspectives and research designs used to observe, predict and understand behavior.

1 credit

Grade 11-12

Elective

* 352 AP Psychology

This course is the equivalent to college Psychology 101. It will introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the field of modern psychology. Focus will be on the study of behavior emphasizing the biological, behavioral, cognitive and developmental perspectives The conceptual issues that unify the subfields of psychology will be highlighted along with techniques and methods by which knowledge about brain, mind, thought and behavior is acquired and refined.

❏ Civilizations (A), U.S. History (B+)

1.0 credit

Grade 12

Elective

* 338 AP African American Studies

AP African American Studies is an interdisciplinary course that examines the diversity of African American experiences through direct encounters with authentic and varied sources. The course focuses on four thematic units that move across the instructional year chronologically, providing students opportunities to examine key topics that extend from the medieval kingdoms of West Africa to the ongoing challenges and achievements of the contemporary moment. Given the interdisciplinary character of African American Studies, students in the course will develop skills across multiple fields, with an emphasis on developing historical, literary, visual, and data analysis skills. This new

0 5 credit

Grade 12

Elective course foregrounds a study of the diversity of Black communities in the United States within the broader context of Africa and the African diaspora

* 379 Women’s Studies

In this one semester survey course, male and female students will be introduced to the basic ideologies and approaches of women’s studies in general, and will be provided a set of strategies by which the student may thoughtfully and analytically approach images and artifacts to learn more about the roles, experiences, and achievements of women in society

0 5 credit

Grade 11-12

* 723 Sports Marketing

Through a focused study of the business of professional and intercollegiate athletics, students will learn fundamentals of marketing, including social media, pricing strategies, crisis management, branding, and sponsorship Special attention will be given to how changes in governing laws, such as the NCAA Name Image Likeness Rule (NIL), affect how amateur and professional organizations and athletes create revenue.

Not currently offered:

* 336 African American Studies (0.5 credit)