MMC Graduation requirement: Three years of SOCIAL STUDIES classes are required for graduation. Including:
(one year) World History OR Honors World History
(one year) United States History OR A.P. American History
(one semester) American Government OR AP American Government; AND (one semester) Economics OR AP Economics
The Social Studies department provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to function as useful citizens by giving them an understanding of themselves and the world around them.
9th Grade Requirement: World History
World History | Year Long | 9th Grade
This survey course integrates world history and geography, as well as expose students to world events and economics issues that have affected our past and continue to affect our future. Successful completion of this course will assure that each student has been assessed in the State of Michigan standards and Benchmarks in History and Geography, and will also aid students in preparation for competitive tests such as the MME, ACT, and SAT.
Honors World History (Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation) | Year Long | 9th Grade
This survey course integrates world history and geography, as well as expose students to world events and economics issues that have affected our past and continue to affect our future. Successful completion of this course will assure that each student has been assessed in the State of Michigan standards and Benchmarks in History and Geography, and will also aid students in preparation for competitive tests such as the MEAP, ACT, and SAT. This class will cover the same elements as World History with students working on further inquiry and reflection of the concepts through further exploration and extensions of the concepts in preparation for AP US History.
10th Grade Requirement: US History
United States History | Year Long | 10th Grade
This survey course integrates United States History since the Progressive Era and geography, as well as expose students to world events and economics issues that have affected our past and continue to affect our future. Successful completion of this course will assure that each student has been assessed in the State of Michigan standards and Benchmarks in History and Geography, and will also aid students in preparation for competitive tests such as the MME, ACT, and SAT.
AP United States History | Year Long | 10th-12th Grade
The Advanced Placement United States History offers a demanding curriculum that prepares students for success in higher education. This course covers the period of United States history from the first European explorations of the Americas to the present. The course covers political institutions and behavior, public policy, social and economic change, diplomacy and international relations and cultural and intellectual developments. The course teaches critical thinking as students deal with issues and develop a perspective and understanding of the subject. Students who complete this course may take the Advanced Placement examination for college credit.
11th Grade Requirement: Economics and US Government
American Government (Prerequisite: World History and US History) | Semester Long | 11th Grade
American Government deals with the structure and nature of government on the national, state, and local levels. Students are presented with a basic knowledge of the legislative, executive and judicial branches. Constitutional concepts such as federalism, checks and balances, separation of powers, limitation of government, and due process of law are included. Throughout the course the student is in contact with the fundamental principle that in a free society government exists for the benefit of the people and that they have a responsibility to make democracy work by being informed and participating in the governmental process.
AP American Government (Prerequisite: World History and US History) | Semester Long | 11th Grade
The Advanced Placement Government offers a more demanding curriculum that prepares students for success in higher education. This course will teach study techniques and encourage students to deal with material above the level of the high school curriculum. The course teaches critical thinking as students deal with issues and develop a perspective and understanding of the subject. Students who complete this course may take the Advanced Placement examination for college credit.
Economics (Prerequisite: World History and US History) | Semester Long | 11th Grade
This course is designed to present economic concepts and principles, such as, the factors of productions, consumption, money, price, supply and demand, international trade and taxation, economic history and comparison of economic systems. This course will help the student understand the economic problems faced by our country.
AP Macroeconomics (Prerequisite: World History and US History) | Semester Long | 11th Grade
The Advanced Placement Macroeconomics offers a more demanding curriculum that prepares students for success in higher education. This course will teach study techniques and encourage students to deal with material above the level of the high school curriculum. The course teaches critical thinking as the students deal with issues and develop a perspective and understanding of the subject. Students who complete this course may take the Advanced Placement examination for college credit.
Social Studies Electives
AP European History | Year Long | 12th Grade
This course offers a demanding curriculum that prepares students for success in higher education. It focuses on developing students’ understanding of European history from approximately 1450 to the present. Students investigate the content of European history for significant events, individuals, developments and processes in four historical periods, and develop and use the same thinking skills and methods (analyzing primary and secondary sources, making historical comparisons, chronological reasoning and argumentation) employed by historians when they study the past.
Global Issues | Semester Long | 11th-12th Grade
This course is a comprehensive look at the many cultures of the world today. This course will give students an in-depth look at ten of the world’s major cultures: the Middle East, North Africa, Japan, Africa, South of the Sahara, India, China, Southeast Asia, the former Soviet Union, and Latin America.
History of Social Change | Semester Long | 10th-12th Grade
This course examines the history of social change in America. It addresses the factors that contribute to social change and how these factors affect individuals in society. Topics of interest include technological growth, urbanization, civil rights, globalization, cultural diffusion, and social conflict.
Applied Psychology | Semester Long | 9th-12th Grade
This course focuses on the practical use of psychological principles in everyday life. Students will explore how psychology applies to their own thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and relationships, with an emphasis on personal growth and psychological wellness. Topics include stress and coping strategies, emotional intelligence, communication and relationships, motivation and goal-setting, decision-making, and mental health awareness. Through self-reflection, discussion, real-life scenarios, and skill-building activities, students will learn tools to better understand themselves and others and to apply psychological knowledge in healthy, responsible ways.
Psychology 1 | Semester Long | 10th-12th Grade
This is a survey course introducing students to the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. The course explores major psychological theories and perspectives while examining topics such as personality, learning, research methods, brain and behavior, and the historical foundations of psychology. Emphasis is placed on understanding human behavior through theory, research, and real-world application.
Psychology 2 (Prerequisite: Psychology 1) | Semester Long | 10th-12th Grade
This course builds on the foundations established in Psychology I and provides a deeper exploration of the science of psychology with an emphasis on mental health and well-being. Students examine topics such as sleep and other states of consciousness, memory, stress and coping, substance abuse, mental disorders, and treatment approaches. The course emphasizes applying psychological research and theory to real-world issues related to health, behavior, and personal well-being.
Child Psychology | Semester Long | 10th-12th Grade
This is a course that examines the intellectual, social, emotional, moral, and physical development of children from before birth through early adolescence. Students explore how biology, family, culture, learning, and life experiences shape development, while applying major theories and research to real-world topics such as parenting, education, health, and child well-being. The course emphasizes practical, evidence-based knowledge aligned with current guidelines from the U.S. government and the American Academy of Pediatrics and prepares students for future parenting and careers working with children.
AP Psychology (Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or teacher recommendation, Algebra 2 recommended) | Year Long | 10th-12th Grade
The Advanced Placement Psychology will cover topics including: approaches and history, biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning, cognition, motivation and emotion, developmental psychology, personality, testing and individual differences, statistics, abnormal psychology, and social psychology. This course will teach study techniques and encourage students to deal with material above the level of the high school curriculum. The course teaches critical thinking as students deal with issues and develop a perspective and understanding of the subject. Students who complete this course may take the Advanced Placement examination for college credit.
War and Peace | Semester Long | 10th-12th Grade
This course covers WW I, WW II, Korean War, Vietnam War, contemporary conflicts, and the hope of the US to remain at peace in our world today.
World Religions | Semester Long | 10th-12th Grade
This course is designed to give students a historical overview of the major religions that have helped shape world history. This is an elective class with much student involvement. It will cover Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity, and other religions that have impacted history.
Introduction to Law and Public Policy (Prerequisite: World History, US History, can be taken with Econ./Gov.) | Semester Long | 11th-12th Grade
This course would allow students to investigate the inner workings of our criminal justice system, and investigate how public policy impacts our country. This skills based class would provide students with an opportunity to research, create proposals, present information, collaborate with one another, debate and partake in healthy civil discourse in order to achieve desired objectives.