Social Studies

All students must complete a minimum of 3.0 credits of social studies (0.5 of which must be political science or a course deemed an equivalent by a school counselor) in order to meet graduation requirements set by Lakeland Union High School and the Wisconsin Department of Instruction.

Beyond this minimum requirement, many post-secondary plans have a minimum requirement of its own; including specific course requirements. Be sure to speak to your academic counselor to ensure you are planning for success with regards to your post-secondary goals. Any social studies courses taken beyond the 3.0 credits required for graduation will cover a student's required elective credits (9.0 required for graduation).

The following social studies courses are available via our CompassLearning Odyssey and Edgenuity providers.

* indicates the course has been aligned to a board-approved LUHS course.

Civics - 0.5 credit (required for graduation - online equivalent of Political Science)

In civics, students learn major historical political ideas, forms of government, and founding principles of U.S. government. Students learn the functions, structure, and powers of government at all levels. Emphasis is placed on the U.S. Constitution, its fundamental principles, and the form of government it created. Students analyze concepts of republicanism, federalism, checks and balances, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and individual rights. Students compare the U.S. system of government and economics with other systems. Students analyze the impact of individuals, political parties, interest groups, and the media; evaluate the importance of voluntary individual participation in a democratic society; and analyze the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Students examine the relationship between policies and culture in the U.S. Students learn the requirements for citizenship and the importance of active citizens in a democracy.

Psychology - 1.0 credit

This year-long course introduces high school students to the study of psychology and helps them master fundamental concepts in research, theory, and human behavior. Students are exposed to the facts, concepts, and principles associated with the major fields within psychology through direct instruction, interactive activities, projects, and writing assignments. As they progress through each unit, students will analyze human growth, learning, personality, and behavior from the perspective of major theories within psychology, including the biological perspective, the psychosocial perspective, and the cognitive perspective. From a psychological point of view, students will investigate the nature of being human as they build a comprehensive understanding of traditional psychological concepts and contemporary perspectives in the field. By using the scientific method, students will gain a practical understanding of common research methods. Course components include an introduction to the history, perspectives, and research of psychology; an understanding of topics such as the biological aspects of psychology, learning, and cognitive development; the stages of human development; aspects of personality and intelligence; the classification and treatment of psychological disorders; and psychological aspects of social interactions.

This course is aligned with applicable state standards, the American Psychology Association’s National Standards for High School Psychology, and the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects.

Sociology - 0.5 credit

This semester course delves into the fundamental concepts of sociology. This interactive course, covers cultural diversity and conformity, basic structures of society, individuals and socialization, stages of human development as they relate to sociology, deviance from social norms, social stratification, racial and ethnic interactions, gender roles, family structure, the economic and political aspects of sociology, the sociology of public institutions, and collective human behavior, both historically and in modern times.

US Government - 1.0 credit

In US Government, students learn major historical political ideas, forms of government, and founding principles of U.S. government. Students learn the functions, structure, and powers of government at all levels. Emphasis is placed on the U.S. Constitution, its fundamental principles, and the form of government it created. Students analyze concepts of republicanism, federalism, checks and balances, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and individual rights. Students compare the U.S. system of government and economics with other systems. Students analyze the impact of individuals, political parties, interest groups, and the media; evaluate the importance of voluntary individual participation in a democratic society; and analyze the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Students examine the relationship between policies and culture in the U.S. Students learn the requirements for citizenship and the importance of active citizens in a democracy.

US History I (to 1850) - 1.0 credit

In US History I, students study the history of the U.S. from the origins of society to 1850. Special attention is given to the development and characteristics of African, European, and Native American peoples. There is significant coverage of the political, economic, and social events related to the exploration, colonial, and revolutionary eras; the writing and ratification of the U.S. Constitution; the development of the early republic; sectionalism; westward expansion; and the development of American culture. Students learn basic geography as well as population and settlement patterns. Students learn about the development of the free-enterprise system in the U.S. Students examine basic American principles, including limited government, federalism, checks and balances, separation of powers, and individual rights as reflected in the U.S. Constitution and other historical documents. Students evaluate major reform movements of the 19th century and examine rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens.

US History I Semester 1: Beginnings to Independence - Students will analyze history as a discipline. Students will compare places and regions of the world prior to the Age of Exploration. Students will identify reasons for European exploration and colonization of the Americas. Students will trace the impact that Europe had on the Americas from Columbus to the formation of the 13 English colonies. Students will compare the motivations and tactics of different European nations in the Americas. Students will evaluate British policies following the French and Indian War and assess the impact of those policies in the colonies. Students will trace the events leading up to the Declaration of Independence.
US History I Semester 2: Confederation to the Eve of the Civil War - Students will examine the processes used to create the U.S. Constitution, including the ratification process, the addition of the Bill of Rights, the impact on the country, and a comparison to the Articles of Confederation. Students will trace the development of political parties in the United States. Students will compare the political ideas of each party, discuss the effects on early foreign affairs, and trace the events of the War of 1812 and the Jeffersonian Era. Students will examine issues around economics, politics, and expansion in the early 19th century. Students will evaluate reform movements in U.S. society during the first half of the 19th century. Students will examine the opportunities and conflicts that arose over westward expansion during the first half of the 19th century.

US History II (1850 - Present) - 1.0 credit

In US History II, students study the history of the U.S. from the Civil War to the present. Historical content focuses on political, economic, and social events related to sectionalism, slavery, industrialization, urbanization, major international wars, domestic and foreign policies of the Cold War and post-Cold War eras, and reform movements including the expansion of democratic processes and civil rights. Students examine the impact of geographic factors on major events and analyze causes and effects of the Great Depression. Students examine the impact of constitutional issues on U.S. society, evaluate the relationships among the three branches of government, and analyze efforts to expand the democratic process. Students analyze the impact of technological innovations on the American labor force. Students learn contemporary U.S. history, including the election of 2008 and the terrorist threat of the early 21st century. The course includes a review of U.S. history prior to 1850.

US History II Semester 1: Civil War to World War I - Students will analyze history as a discipline and briefly review the first part of U.S. history. Students will analyze the causes, events, and consequences of the U.S. Civil War, including economic, political, and social topics. Students will summarize the period following the Civil War and analyze the main people and issues involved in Reconstruction. Students will also trace the process of Reconstruction to examine its effects. Students will trace the growth of industrialization and consider its affects on the land, people, and economic development of the United States. Students will trace the transitions that the United States made both domestically and internationally from the eve of industrialization to the end of the Great War.
US History II Semester 2: World War II to the Present - Students will describe changes in the United States after the Great War. Students will also examine aspects of culture, politics, and economics that shaped the United States and its relationship with the world. Students will trace the actions of the United States from the period of isolationism to the final battles of World War II to the lasting impact the war had on United States and the world. Students will explain developments in the United States after World War II. Students will also examine the emergence of the Cold War and its effects on the United States, both at home and abroad. Students will examine and explain changes in the United States at home and abroad after World War II. Students will evaluate the role of the United States in the post-Cold War world.

World Geography - 1.0 credit

In World Geography, students study people, places, and environments with local, regional, national, and international perspectives. Students will understand the influence of geography on the present and past. The course includes study of the physical processes that shape patterns in the physical environment; the characteristics and interrelationships of climates, major land forms, and ecosystems; the political, economic, and social processes that shape regions; types of settlement; the distribution and dispersion of world population; relationships between people, places, and environments; and the idea of region. Students will analyze how location affects economic activities in different economic systems throughout the world. Students will identify the processes that influence political divisions and analyze how different points of view affect priorities in public policy. Students will analyze the effects of technology and human modifications on the physical environment.

World Geography Semester 1: Basics of Geography and the Americas - Students will examine the fundamentals of geography and how they apply to the study of the earth. Students will explore the importance of cartography and examine its use in geography. Students will analyze the physical processes that shape the earth, the distribution of ecosystems on Earth’s surface, evaluate how physical systems affect human systems, and understand that people create regions to interpret Earth’s complexity. Students will examine human geography and identify tools for characterizing and classifying cultures and regions. Students will identify and analyze economic responses to geography. Students will examine the culture, history, and contemporary development of North America. Students will identify all important geographic locations of the region of North America. Students will examine the culture, history, and contemporary development of Middle and South America. Students will identify all important geographic locations of the region of Middle and South America.
World Geography Semester 2: Regions of the World - Students will examine the culture, history, and contemporary development of Europe. Students will identify all important geographic locations of the region of Europe. Students will examine the culture, history, and contemporary development of Southwest Asia and Northern Africa. Students will identify all important geographic locations of the region of Southwest Asia and Northern Africa. Students will examine the culture, history, and contemporary development of Saharan and Southern Africa. Students will identify all important geographic locations of the region of Saharan and Southern Africa. Students will examine the culture, history, and contemporary development of East and Southeast Asia. Students will identify all important geographic locations of the region of East and Southeast Asia. Students will examine the culture, history, and contemporary development of South Asia. Students will identify all important geographic locations of the region of South Asia. Students will examine the culture, history, and contemporary development of the South Pacific, Antarctica, and Australia. The student will identify all important geographic locations of the region of the South Pacific, Antarctica, and Australia.

World History - 1.0 credit

This course highlights the nature of changes in international frameworks and their causes and consequences, as well as comparisons of major societies. The course emphasizes the development of relevant factual knowledge, leading interpretive issues, and types of historical evidence. Beginning with the earliest known civilizations, the course builds on an understanding of cultural, institutional, and technological precedents that, along with geography, set the human stage up to the present. The division of world history into broad chronological periods forms the organizing principle for dealing with change and continuity from the earliest civilizations to the present. Specific themes provide further organization, along with consistent attention to contacts among societies that form the core of world history as a field of study. A significant portion of the content dealing with the 20th and 21st centuries is accompanied by archival video footage.

World History Semester 1: Beginnings to 1750 - Students will analyze the importance of studying world history. Students will examine reasons why world history is relevant to their lives. Students will examine the beginnings of civilization and the formation of the ancient world. Students will analyze the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India, Greece, and Rome. Students will account for religious, political, economic, and cultural developments of global civilizations. Students will identify and compare the significance of each culture's affect on each other. Students will trace the Age of Exploration. Students will analyze interactions between worlds and assess the impact that civilizations have on each other. Students will evaluate the preconditions necessary for the growth of nations and empires.
World History Semester 2: 1750 to the Present - Students will examine world developments from 1750 to 1914. Students will trace the Age of Revolutions to the rise of industrialism, and imperialism to the coming of World War I. Students will trace the major events and identify key trends, themes, and people throughout the period. Students will evaluate current conditions from the perspective of historical themes.