Why This Course? Why Now?

This semester course will provide students with the knowledge to better meet the demands of our world and to make informed decisions, which are so crucial to our democratic way of life.  The tenth grade Modern Global Issues curriculum will focus on issues and problems in the modern world and their roots in the past.  Students will come to understand that modern problems did not simply materialize, but that many have their origins deep in history.  With primary attention given to the regions of the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, Eurasia, whenever possible, each unit will center on a problem dominating the world’s attention.  Using a highly readable textbook and relevant media and supplementary sources, students will first examine a region’s culture in an attempt to end all forms of intolerance, followed by the study of regional issues.  The issues will be traced back through the history, politics, economics, culture, and geography of the areas involved in order to gain a deeper appreciation of the situation.  Finally, the unit will conclude by considering the impact each problem will have on the individual, the nation, and the world.