Social Studies

Career Clusters connected to the Social Studies Department

GRADUATION REQUIREMENT:  

ALL STUDENTS MUST EARN 3.0 CREDITS OF SOCIAL STUDIES

Standard Social Studies Sequence:

Grade 9: Area Studies & Discovering Social Studies (both courses are required for Grade 9)

Grade 10: World History & Civics (both courses are required for Grade 10)

    *AP American Government (2 semesters/1 credit) can be taken in place of Civics

    *AP World History (2 semesters/1 credit) can be taken in place of World History

Grade 11: U.S. History OR Advanced Placement U.S. History (one of these is required for Grade 11) & Electives (optional)

Grade 12: Electives (optional)

Social Studies Department Course Descriptions

Required Social Studies Courses for Graduation

85330 Area Studies


0.5 credit - 1 semester

Grade: 9

The goal of this course is to explore the world through a Geographer's lens. We will expand our Social Studies skills, including analyzing primary and secondary sources, conducting research, and structuring an argument using evidence. This course covers three major regions in the world: Asia, Africa, and South America. Topics covered for each region will include cultural geography, physical geography, and relevant recent history. This course will also explore the interrelationship between these regions, their connections to the United States, and current geopolitics. The focus on regions of the world may vary based on current events. 

Priority Standards:


85350  Discovering Social Studies


0.5 credit - 1 semester

Grade: 9


This course will study how people and cultures make decisions and how these decisions apply to real-world situations.  An emphasis in this course will be placed on studying local, regional, state, national, and global communities along with news stories from various viewpoints and lenses of perspectives.  The course will also incorporate current events, critical thinking, digital citizenship, inquiry, and discussion on various topics from "all social studies" disciplines (behavioral sciences, economics, geography, history, political science,etc). Students will engage in research and discussions that focus on important issues in our society


Priority Standards:

85415 World History


0.5 credit - 1 semester

Grade: 10

This is a global history course aimed at tenth-grade students that provides a cohesive approach to learning and understanding the history of the world. In this course, students will explore our long human history—beginning with varying origin stories and continuing through the birth of the modern world. This course will help students learn how to use stories about the past to orient themselves to the present and prepare for the future. We cover a lot of ground (and a lot of time), but this course is not a typical march-through-time history class covering one event after another. Rather, we use a set of overarching inquiry problems and narrative frames, situated at a variety of scales, to organize and facilitate teaching and learning.

Priority Standards:

85416Y/85417Y AP World History


** LAUDE COURSE **

1.0 credit - 2 semesters

Grades: 10-12 

SPECIAL CONDITION: Sophomores may take this in lieu of World History


Special condition: This course is designed and directed for college-bound students who have shown previous success in Social Studies and plan to take the AP test in May. The fee for the AP Exam is $98.


AP World Modern is an introductory college-level modern world history course.  Students will cultivate their understanding of world history from c. 1200 CE to the present through analyzing historical sources and learning to make connections and craft historical arguments as they explore concepts like humans and the environment, cultural developments and interactions, governance, economic systems, social interactions and organization, and technology and innovation. This course is designed to prepare students to take the AP Exam in May with the goal of passing and earning college credit. Successful completion of the course satisfies the core social studies world history requirement for graduation. AP World can replace World History during 10th grade or be taken as an elective 11th or 12th grade.


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Priority Standards:

85420 Civics


0.5 credit - 1 semester

Grade: 10

This course will focus on what it means to be an American citizen. Being a citizen in a representative democracy requires its citizens to be knowledgeable in how their government works. This course will focus on the federal, state, and local governments. Major emphases are famous documents in American history, the three branches of government, and citizenship.

Priority Standards:

85650Y AP American Government

** LAUDE COURSE **

1 credit - 2 semesters

Grades: 10-12

SPECIAL CONDITION: SOPHOMORES MAY TAKE THIS COURSE IN LIEU OF CIVICS

(taken in place of Civics 10th grade year but open to 11th and 12 graders interested in potentially earning college credit)


AP US Government is a year-long class covering the general structure of American government & politics. 


Ever wonder why US politics seems so dysfunctional? You can take this class and find out. (spoiler alert: It’s largely because the founding fathers designed it this way.) Besides studying the Constitution and the three branches of government, we also look at political campaigns, protest movements, and the role of the media. Along the way, students will argue supreme court cases, create a political party/campaign, and spend a day at the state capitol in Madison previewing Wisconsin politics. 

 If a student wishes to take the AP American Government Exam, the cost per the College Board is $98.

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Priority Standards:

85515Y/85516Y United States History


1.0 credit - 2 semester

Grade: 11

Prerequisites: World History

A general survey on selected periods and topics in the history of our country; the study of the forces that have shaped American history from the Civil War to the present day; semester 1 covers the period from approximately 1850 to 1920, semester 2 covers 1920 to 1980.

Priority Standards:

85645Y/85646Y AP U.S. History


** LAUDE COURSE **

SPECIAL CONDITION: JUNIORS MAY TAKE THIS COURSE IN LIEU OF US History

1.0 credit - 2 semesters

Grades: 11-12

Special condition: This course is designed and directed for college-bound students who have shown previous success in Social Studies and plan to take the AP test in May. The for the AP Exam is $98.

In AP U.S. History, students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in nine historical periods from approximately 1491 to the present. Students develop and use the same skills and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical connections; and utilizing reasoning about comparison, causation, and continuity and change. This course is designed and directed for college-bound students who have shown previous success in social studies courses and plan to take the AP test in May. The fee for the AP Exam is $98.This course is designed to give students experience in taking a college level U.S. History course. It will require extensive reading and writing as the student progresses from the colonial time to the present. Students who want to be challenged and have shown previous success in social studies courses are encouraged to enroll. Students will be expected to complete homework over the summer as well as the expectation of 5 hours of outside classwork per week.

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Priority Standards:

Social Studies Elective Courses

85626 History of Social Movements in the U.S. (History of Dissent)

*Course not running for the 2025-2026 school year*


Elective

0.5 credit - 1 semester

Grades: 11-12

No prerequisites


This course will engage students in a research and discussion-based class that focuses on important social movements in United States history. There will be an emphasis on engaging with this history through lenses of gender and race. The course will use socratic seminars, structured academic conversations, research, and small group discussions to gain a better understanding of social movements and issues. Topics of study may include; institutional challenges related to health care, homelessness, the justice system, immigration, and education. 


Priority Standards:

85616 Exploring Wisconsin


Elective

0.5 credit - 1 semester

Grades: 11-12


In Exploring Wisconsin, students will investigate and research the geography, history, economics, politics, and culture of the great "Badger State.”  Students will be required to demonstrate their learning by completing various projects and presentations throughout the semester.  Field trips for students in good academic standing will be scheduled to enhance the learning in the classroom.   

Priority Standards:

85625 Sociology


** LAUDE COURSE **

Elective

0.5 credit - 1 semester

Grades: 11-12


Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. Students will analyze select text material, videos, and other resources to better understand how human action and consciousness both shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures. This class features a fair amount of hands-on learning and classroom discussion opportunities that will examine some potentially controversial topics.


These topics of study may include:


Priority Standards:

85627 Psychology


Elective

0.5 credit - 1 semester

Grades: 11-12

Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes. The origin of the field of psychology comes from biology, philosophy, and physiology. This course will provide you with a broad introduction to the field of psychology. Several different theories of human and mental development will be discussed. A focus on brain-based behaviors and biology is an underlying theme throughout the course. The class will also cover the various aspects of human behavior and answer some of the fundamental questions of “Why do people/animals behave the way that they do in certain situations?” and “How can people/animals change their behaviors?”

Priority Standards:

85630Y/85631Y AP Psychology


** LAUDE COURSE **

Elective

1.0 credit - 2 semesters

Grades: 11 & 12 

Special condition: This course is designed and directed for college-bound students who have shown previous success in Social Studies and plan to take the AP test in May. The for the AP Exam is $98.

The purpose of the AP course in Psychology is to introduce students to the scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the methods psychologists use in their science and practice. It is required that notes be taken on the readings and vocabulary documented. Knowledge, skills, and competency in the subject will be evidenced by reading quizzes, writing and objective assessments, and projects. Students can expect an average of 30-45 minutes of reading, note-taking and reviewing each night.

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Priority Standards:

85655 World War II History 


Elective

0.5 credit - 1 semester

Grades: 11-12

Historical introduction to WWII including analysis of such topics as the causes of war; strategy, tactics, and technologies in the major theatres; political and military leadership, the Holocaust, and various war crimes. The war at home will be studied including Japanese Internment, women and minorities in the workforce, and Badger Munitions. Students will analyze a variety of films and novels in this course and it will require out-of-class reading.

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