Social Studies

Course Availability

CP U.S. History I 209003 1.0 Cr. 9

This course is intended for the student who will be starting a career or exploring the possibility of entering a two or four-year college/university after high school. CP United States History covers the period from the formation of the American government and the Constitution through the Progressive Reform Era (1777-1914). Units covered include: The United States Constitution, early U.S. Presidents, The War of 1812, Industrialization, The Age of Jackson, Westward Expansion, causes of the Civil War, The Civil War, Reconstruction, The Gilded Age, Immigration and at the Turn of the 20th  Century, America becomes a World Power, and the Progressive Reform Era. Students selecting this course will be expected to be an active participant in the classroom. Students will be required to complete work outside the classroom to include, but not limited to, position papers, lesson extension activities, and researched based projects. 

Honors U.S. History I 209006 1.0 Cr. 9

This course is intended for the student who has the expectations of attending a four-year college/university after high school as well as considering taking Advanced Placement (AP) American History in tenth grade. Honors United States History covers the period from the formation of the American government and the Constitution through the Progressive Reform Era (1777-1914). Units covered include: The United States Constitution, early U.S. Presidents, The War of 1812, Industrialization, The Age of Jackson, Westward Expansion, causes of the Civil War, The Civil War, Reconstruction, The Gilded Age, Immigration and the Turn of the 20th Century, America becomes a World Power, and the Progressive Reform Era. Students selecting this course will be expected to be an active participant in the classroom. They must be willing to take responsibility for work outside the classroom to include, but not limited to, completion of a data based question (DBQ), position papers, and research based projects. Students selecting this course should have a strong background in English, since writing is an integral part of the course. 

CP U.S. History 2 210003 1.0 Cr. 10

This course covers the period from 1914 to the present for the college bound student interested in a four-year university or college. Topics covered will begin with World War I, through the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression, move to World War II and its aftermath, and conclude with modern day political and military history. This course will prepare the student for the college classroom, and writing will be an integral part of this course. Different types of writing, such as the formal essay, will be assigned.  Students taking this course should be prepared to work outside of the classroom. 

Honors U.S. History 2 210006 1.0 Cr. 10

This course covers the period from 1914 to the present and will do so in more detail than College Prep U.S. History 2.  Students choosing this level should have an interest in history and a desire to attend a four-year college or university. A major emphasis will be placed on writing and historical research, including primary source analysis. Writing assignments will be assigned on a regular basis and include different types of writing, such as the formal essay. Students selecting this course should have a strong English background, as writing is an important part of the class. Topics covered will begin with World War I, through the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression, move to World War II and its aftermath, and conclude with modern day political and military history.  They must be willing to take responsibility for work outside the classroom to include, but not limited to, completion of a data based question (DBQ), position papers, and research based projects. Students selecting this course should have a strong background in English, since writing is an integral part of the course. 

Advanced Placement U.S. History 210009 1.0 Cr. 10

The Advanced Placement Program in United States History is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in United States history. The program prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those made by full year introductory college courses. Students will learn to assess historical materials – their relevance to a given interpretive problem, their reliability and their importance – and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. An Advanced Placement United States History course should thus 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. Selecting an Advanced Placement course should depend upon a student’s commitment and is designed to be the equivalent of a freshmen college course in a high school setting. It is recommended that a student have a very strong background in both Honors History and English. This year-long challenge requires solid reading and writing skills and a willingness to spend considerable time outside the classroom, and requires frequent evaluations as well as extensive reading and essay writing. Students will also complete a summer assignment that will be due on the first day of class. 

CP World History 211003 1.0 Cr. 11

This college preparatory course will begin with the study of the medieval period and continue to the contemporary world. Important social, economic, cultural, and political developments in history will be discussed. Historical thinking skills that enable students to evaluate evidence, analyze content, interpret historical events, and construct sound arguments will be emphasized. In addition to the primary focus of historical analysis, students will be developing and applying skills which will prepare them for the college classroom. Students will be expected to use creativity in constructing original projects, complete independent work outside the classroom, and demonstrate understanding of standards through classroom presentations. 

Honors World History 211006 1.0 Cr. 11

This course combines a solid core of Western Civilization with an understanding of the micro and macro view of European History. Beginning with the medieval period, students will explore the social, political, scientific, technological, economic, and cultural history of the emergence of the First Global Age, the Age of Revolutions and the Twentieth Century. A timeline approach will be studied each marking period, which will instruct students in argumentative writing and debating, analytical reading and interpretation, critical thinking, and comprehension. 

Advanced Placement World History 211010 1.0 Cr. 11

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college or university world history course. In AP World History students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in six historical periods from approximately 8000 B.C.E. to the present. Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources, making historical comparisons, utilizing reasoning about contextualization, causation, and continuity and change over time, and developing historical arguments. The course provides five themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: interaction between humans and the environment, development and interaction of cultures, state building, expansion, and conflict, creation, expansion, and interaction of economic systems, and development and transformation of social structures. 

CP History 12 212003 1.0 Cr. 12

CP History 12 students will study American Government and Economics (Macroeconomics). The government aspect of the course includes the three branches of government on the local, county, state and federal levels. Economics will include the study of scarcity, supply and demand, the price system, market structures, banking, business organizations, the Federal Reserve, and labor unions.

Prerequisite: CP World History; concurrent enrollment in CP English 12. 

CP History 12 (CYBER) CY212003 1.0 Cr. 12

CP History 12 students will study American Government and Economics (Macroeconomics). The government aspect of the course includes the three branches of government on the local, county, state and federal levels. Economics will include the study of scarcity, supply and demand, the price system, market structures, banking, business organizations, the Federal Reserve, and labor unions.

Prerequisite: CP World History; concurrent enrollment in CP English 12. 

Honors History 12 212006 1.0 Cr. 12

This course content is the same as the CP History 12 description, but will be covered in greater detail. Requirements will include several projects, essays, and position papers. A research paper may be assigned. 

Honors History 12 (CYBER) CY512017 1.0 Cr. 12

This course content is the same as the CP History 12 description, but will be covered in greater detail. Requirements will include several projects, essays, and position papers. A research paper may be assigned. 

Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics 212009 1.0 Cr. 12

This course will give students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. Students will become acquainted with various institutions, groups, beliefs and ideas that constitute U.S. politics. Some areas of focus will include Constitutional underpinnings of the United States Government, political beliefs and behaviors, political parties, interest groups and mass media, institutions of national government, public policy, as well as civil rights and liberties. There will be heavy emphasis placed on following and understanding current political events. In addition, students are required to complete two five-page research papers. The first is a biographical sketch of a current member of the House of Representatives and the second involves the observation of local government in action. Students who maintain at least a 75% average are exempt from a final exam. 

Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics (CYBER) CY212009 1.0 Cr. 12

This course will give students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. Students will become acquainted with various institutions, groups, beliefs and ideas that constitute U.S. politics. Some areas of focus will include Constitutional underpinnings of the United States Government, political beliefs and behaviors, political parties, interest groups and mass media, institutions of national government, public policy, as well as civil rights and liberties. There will be heavy emphasis placed on following and understanding current political events. In addition, students are required to complete two five-page research papers. The first is a biographical sketch of a current member of the House of Representatives and the second involves the observation of local government in action. 

Electives 

Minorities in American History 213023 0.5 Cr. 11,12

Minorities in American History will provide an appreciation of the life, culture, and contributions of the people of many cultural backgrounds, which make up the United States. This course includes cooperative learning activities, research projects, oral and written reports, field trips, and guest speakers. Research paper required. This course is available to juniors and seniors only. 

CP Contemporary History 213003 0.5 Cr. 11,12

This course will provide the students an opportunity to take a more in depth study of the history of the United States since the conclusion of World War II. Students will examine and discuss the major political, military, and societal events that shaped our time. This course is divided by decades starting with the 1950’s to the modern day. Events covered will include the Cold War, Civil Rights Struggle, the effects of the Vietnam War, Counterculture, how the Watergate scandal reshaped the office of the presidency, Routes of Terrorism against the United States, America’s War on Drugs, American Relations in the Middle East, Desert Storm, September 11th. Students will be able to explore the personalities and the administrations of the Presidents of the United States since 1950. A semester paper/project will be assigned. 

CP Psychology 213013 1.0 Cr. 11,12

CP Psychology is an elective course designed to introduce the student to the basic concepts of psychology. The course will focus on research, biological factors, consciousness, learning, memory, personality, intelligence, human development, social interaction, psychological disorders, and treatment. A goal of this course will be to have the students understand themselves and others. This course is available to juniors and seniors only. 

Advanced Placement Psychology 213009 1.0 Cr. 11,12 

The Advanced Placement Psychology curriculum is a yearlong course designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior of human beings and other animals. The curriculum will cover the following topics: research, biology, sensation and perception, consciousness, learning, memory, cognition, motivation and emotion, human development, personality, intelligence, abnormal psychology and treatment, and social psychology. The course will be a rewarding experience for students with high interest in psychology and the willingness to accept the challenge of an Advanced Placement course; AP Psychology is designed to be the equivalent of a freshmen college course in a high school setting. It is recommended that a student have a very strong background in English, Science, and Social Studies. A research paper and portfolio are required. 

Sociology 213033 0.5 Cr. 11,12

This is an introductory course for college bound juniors and seniors that will provide a general overview of the concepts of sociology. Students will study human behavior and the organization of society, and analyze how people’s attitudes and behavior can impact society. Students will begin to understand their role in society and learn about various institutions that affect American culture. This course will encourage critical thinking skills, and students taking the course will be expected to participate in class regularly, as well as online discussions, complete all required reading, and project-based assignments for each unit.

Rechauffe 113045 1.0 Cr. 11,12 

This course is designed to teach students all phases of yearbook production from the planning stages to the finished product. Student objectives include acquiring communication skills, developing analytical thinking, and becoming proficient with computer technology. The students in the class will participate in the planning of the yearbook from determining the specifications to the final distribution. Students will develop many different skills, such as photography, design, advertising, and cooperation with other members of the staff. Students must be able to meet deadlines and be prepared to put time in after school. Computer technology has become an integral part of yearbook design and students will use many programs. Rechauffe is a useful experience for any student interested in design or journalism.

Prerequisite: Application, teacher recommendation