History - Freshmen
MODERN WORLD HISTORY (101/102)
Grade 9: Level 2 and Honors
(Year) 1.50 credits
The goal of this course is for the students to understand themselves and others in time and place. The last two centuries are examined with a critical eye to understanding how we got here and why our world looks the way it does today. By learning how people have discovered, identified and tried to contend with essential questions of human affairs through time and across borders, students will have the opportunity to understand and appreciate different points of view.
Students study the rise of the nation state in Europe and the Americas, and efforts to create new forms of government. Specific events include the American and French Revolutions, the impact of industrialization, the rise of capitalism, the conflicts and wars that resulted from the competition for global resources and the rise of independence movements.
Students analyze global relations in the context of imperialism and efforts to reconcile differences through international relations and through institutions like the United Nations. Throughout the course, students explore historical events with the purpose of making connections with contemporary events, connections that will lead to a discovery of a wealth of history lessons that can be learned from and carried forward.
A variety of social science skills are developed. Students engage in reading for comprehension, analysis and writing skills. They prepare short essays, presentations, and practice 21st century skills.
Honors Option:
Honors level students should be leaders in class discussions, willing to take academic risks, display solid writing skills and be expected to work independently. In addition to the expectations outlined in level 2, honors students’ written work will be more rigorous and will be corrected to a higher standard.
AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY (137)
Grade 9: Advanced Placement
(Year) 1.50 credits
AP Human Geography introduces high school students to college-level introductory human or cultural geography. The content is presented thematically rather than regionally and is organized around the discipline’s main subfields: economic, cultural, political and urban. The approach is spatial and problem oriented. Case studies are drawn from all world regions with an emphasis on understanding the world in which we live today. Historical information serves to enrich analysis of the impacts of phenomena such as globalization, colonialism and human-environment relationships on places, regions, cultural landscapes and patterns of interaction.
Some topics with which students will engage include: problems of economic development and cultural change; consequences of population growth and international migration; struggles over political power and control of territory; conflicts over the demands of ethnic minorities and the role of women in society; explanations of why location matters to agricultural land use, industrial development and urban problems; and role of climate change and environmental abuses in shaping the human landscapes on Earth.
The goal for the course is for the student to become more geoliterate, more engaged in contemporary global issues and more informed about multicultural viewpoints. They will develop skills in approaching problems geographically, using maps and geospatial technologies, thinking critically about texts and graphic images, interpreting cultural landscapes and applying geographic concepts such as scale, region, diffusion, interdependence and spatial interaction. Students will see geography as a discipline relevant to the world in which they live; as a source of ideas for identifying, clarifying and solving problems at various scales; and as a key component of building global citizenship and environmental stewardship.
ANCIENT WORLDS CELTICS (186)/(187)
ANCIENT WORLDS GERMANS (188)/(155)
2024-2025:
Semester 1: Celtics
Semester 2: Germans
Grades 9-12: Level 2 and Honors
(Semester) .75 credit
The ancient world was a time of excitement and of danger. The world was newer and full of unexplored wonders. It was also a time of danger and mystery, when cruel God-Kings decided the fate of millions and savage rites were performed for even crueler Gods. Every semester the students and the teacher will explore one or two different societies that existed in this time period (3000 BC-1000 AD). We will examine not only their wars and adventures, but also their entertainment, art and when possible their lost languages and mysterious writing systems. The realms of the Gods and demons will also be explored, with an emphasis on the rites and magic used to satisfy and control these dangerous beings.
The idea behind Ancient Worlds is to introduce students to the events, peoples and ideas that existed between 3000 BC and 1000 AD. This time period is crucial for the development of modern society both in cultural terms and in technological terms. As part of the course, the students will make connections between the philosophies (both secular and religious), events, arts, and architecture of the society under study and their counterparts in the modern world. Join us as we explore Ancient Worlds!
The class will read original texts, observe and recreate the art of the period, discuss important events, learn how to pass notes in dead languages, and use technology to explore the ruins and objects left behind by these societies. The class will be assessed through a series of short papers, a small number of standard tests, a creative project and a final exam.
PHILOSOPHY AND RHETORIC (153/154)
Grades 9-12: Level 2 and Honors
(Semester) .75 credit
Did you ever stop to wonder why you have to go to school? Perhaps you have always wanted to know why the things that you do are judged to be either right or wrong or good or evil? Perhaps you have noticed great conflict in our society of late and have been curious to know its source? If any of the answers to these questions are yes, then you are a potential student of Philosophy! Congratulations, this is the class for you!
Every semester the students and the teacher will use the Socratic Method to explore different philosophical debates and topics. We will examine not only eternal debates such as what the nature of reality is and our relationship to that reality, we will also connect these classical arguments to our own lives and the society that we live in today. We will also examine the various philosophers themselves over time, such as Socrates, Aquinas and Nietzsche, in order to understand not only their world view, but to make our own world view clearer as a result.
The class will read original texts, debate philosophical questions, discuss important events, and learn how to grasp more clearly philosophical concepts by learning basic concepts of Rhetoric and Logic. The class will be assessed through a series of short papers, a small number of standard tests, a creative project and a final exam. Join us as we explore your mind!
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (128/132)
Grade 9-12 Level 2 and Honors (IP)
(Semester) .75 credit
This course is a study of the influence of people on the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of other people. This course examines how individuals affect and are affected by others. Topics include impression formation, how we learn behavior through media and the people in our lives, conformity and social influence, self-perception, relationships, attitudes, aggression, love,
prejudice, helping, attraction, group processes, and other components of social interaction.
The goal of this course is to explain how our thoughts, feelings, and behavior are influenced by
the actual, imagined, or implied presence of other people. Throughout the course, you will be
encouraged to think about how research in social psychology can shed light on events going on around the world and in your own lives and how it can help to better understand human existence and interactions. The principles of social psychology help explain everything from why we stop at stop signs when there is no one around to why we buy certain products, why in some situations we help others and in some we don’t, and what leads to more serious world problems, such as extreme prejudice and discrimination.
Students will develop a variety of skills in an effort to meet the course objectives. Specific skills
include, but are not limited to: critical reading skills, the ability to participate in class discussions, ability to apply ideas/theories learned to own story and examples from psychology, the ability to observe people in natural and experimental conditions and collect data, and experimental design.
Instructional strategies and materials include: discussions, readings, modeling of experimental
design, lectures, cooperative learning, audio-visual programs, and research and computer
activities. Assessments will include an essay, designing an experiment, a presentation, and a test applying key theories learned.
CURRENT EVENTS
Grade 8 (184)
(Quarter)
Grades 9-12: Level 2 (131)
(Semester) .5 credits
This course examines social, political and economic issues and conflicts in the contemporary world. The issues chosen for consideration in this course vary from year to year and require students to explain the conditions and motivations which contribute to conflict and cooperation between and among societies and nations. Students describe and analyze the effects of technology on the global community and study the causes, consequences and possible solutions to persisting contemporary issues such as human rights, health, national security, resource allocation, economic development and environmental quality. They also explore the historical background of these issues to develop an understanding of the relationship and tensions between national sovereignty and regional/global interests. Integral to this process is an examination of the role and function of regional, international, and multinational organizations.
Current Events provides an understanding of the historical roots of today's complex and ambiguous world power system. Interdependence, political control, command and market economies, revolution and technological change are the fundamental concepts emphasized.
Course materials include various texts, cartoons and readings from selected journals and newspapers from many countries. Computer access to world information sources is available. Skill development emphasizes research, oral presentation and critical thinking. Students are required to demonstrate their comprehension of course information and concepts through participation in a variety of class activities such as a model peace conference.
Instructional methods include class discussion, inquiry, guest speakers, and issues interpretation using print and television sources. Analysis, synthesis and evaluation of world affairs are furthered through evidence from many international sources. Written work consists primarily of critical analyses of news articles and editorials.
TELEVISION, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY (060)
Grades 8
(Quarter)
This course introduces students to a wide range of news and media sources and provides them with the skills to evaluate each critically. Course content includes theories of communication, characteristics of media, uses of media in different societies and the rapidly changing nature of media. Students examine the ways in which media affects society and the individual. Movies, television shows, documentaries, advertisements, magazines, radio, and web and blog sites will all be analyzed for their cultural meaning. Specifically, students learn the complexities and subtleties of message preparation and reception. 57 Discussion and analysis of the media through newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the emerging multi-media networks constitute the essence of this course. Using the computer to explore Internet or other "communications highways," students learn new techniques of information gathering. Learning activities and class discussion are supplemented by selected readings. Students develop a variety of critical assessment skills and the ability to apply and demonstrate these skills in classroom activities. Course materials include selected supplementary readings, a broad spectrum of newspapers and magazines and a variety of non-print media. Instructional methods include class discussion, guest speakers, experiments and inquiry and analysis of the news through a variety of sources. Students are expected to maintain an active interest in world affairs through reading and viewing sophisticated news reporting.
INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS & MARKETING (254)
Grades 9-12
(Semester) .5 credits
Introduction to Business and Marketing is recommended as a foundation course to a Business & Information Technology sequence. Students learn the functions of American and international business organizations in the global economy. Activities emphasize the roles of the consumer, marketer, and producer. Students learn the basics of the private enterprise system and are introduced to careers in business, including the opportunities of entrepreneurship and world trade.
CONTEMPORARY WESTERN RELIGIONS (179) (198)
Grades 9-12: Level 2 and Honors
(Semester) .75 credits
Religions and religious philosophies have always been and still are an integral part of human societies and have been the basis of much of the art, culture, and politics that have come to make up human history. In addition, religions have often formed the framework of people’s lives and provided meaning through both good times and bad.
This class will examine the theologies or philosophies underlying modern Western religions in order to understand their world views as well as on their impact on Western societies and the world in general. Varied and widespread ideas and movements such as Theories of Innate or Natural Rights, Progressivism, and Conservatism as well as many more, all have their origins in of the three modern Western or Abrahamic religions. The class will read and discuss original scriptures and texts such as the Sermon on the Mount or the Surahs, observe and discuss the art movements inspired by the Western religions such as Baroque or Renaissance art, and explore the architecture which are the physical manifestations of these faiths. Churches such as the Santa Maria Maggiore or the Umayyad Mosque will be explored. The class will be assessed through a series of short papers, a small number of standard tests, a creative project, and a final exam.
The idea behind Contemporary Religions is to introduce students to the philosophies, world views, and ideologies that form a core part of the human experience, not only throughout human history, but for a vast majority of humanity today. As part of the course, the students will use philosophy, the arts, and architecture to compare and contrast different beliefs systems in order to understand what they have in common as well as to understand the amazing diversity in humanity’s response to the most fundamental questions of human existence. Join us as we explore Contemporary Religions!
POLITICAL SCIENCE (165) (166)
Grades 9-12: Level 2/Honors
(Semester) .75 credits
Welcome to Political Science! The purpose of this class is twofold: the first is to examine, over the space of 90 days, the different styles of political leadership. Using treatises on leadership such as The Prince and The Art of War, as well as examining real politicians in action, you will grasp the qualities of successful political leadership and learn to recognize poor political leadership. In a republic such as ours, these skills are necessary as we use our voting power
every two, four, and six years to elect our leaders. We need to be able to distinguish between
good leadership and bad leadership. In addition, should you wish to become a leader in our
republic, this knowledge of past leaders and their techniques are crucial to your success. The second purpose is to take the skills acquired from a study of the techniques of leadership and
apply them to your own personal life. The person most suited to make decisions about your life is you! In other words, you will use these techniques to take control over the course of your own life, thereby benefiting.
The class of Political Science will introduce students to the philosophies, world views, and ideologies that form the reality of human politics, not only on the international and national level, but also on the interpersonal level. As part of the course, the students will read and discuss the philosophies and proponents for coercive, persuasive, and exemplary political leadership as well as examine real world examples. The class may be assessed through a series of short papers, a small number of standard tests, a creative project, and a final exam.