Social Studies
World History/Cultures CP
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
Students in this course study the historical, political, geographic, and cultural traditions of the world’s people. This class revolves around the interdependence of all the people of the world. The course covers the last 500 years across planet Earth. A consistent emphasis is placed on the dignity, value, and contributions of different societies. In addition, students will develop skills to analyze primary and secondary sources to craft written and oral arguments.
United States History I CP
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed as a survey of our nation’s early American history. This course examines a chronological survey of the major turning points, issues, people, and events in American history addressing the Pre-colonial and Colonial period, events leading up to the American Revolution, the origins of our Constitution, Reform Movements, Westward Expansion, the Civil War, and the Reconstruction Period. Students will learn fundamental concepts in Geography, Economics, and Civics to gain a better understanding of American history. Students will examine historical documents and materials, utilize primary sources, complete written assessments, as well as conduct historical research to develop as critical thinkers and become more well-rounded members of the community.
United States History II CP
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite – US I, US I CP, or US I Honors
This is a full-year course for juniors and seniors who have completed United States History I. This course offers a survey approach to the study of United States History from the late 19th century through the 21st century as America becomes a world power. Some of the topics studied are foreign policy, war, inflation, cities, capitalism, communism, socialism, ethnic diversity, etc. Emphasis is also placed on improving the reading, writing, and speaking skills of students.
Honors and Advanced Placement Social Studies Courses
Honors and Advanced Placement Social Studies class entrance is based on academic excellence and teacher recommendation. Admission to these courses is by department approval only. These courses are designed to challenge students to the limits of their abilities. It is imperative that the student has the motivation to meet rigorous standards. Students are expected to be well above average in reading, writing, and study skills.
World History H
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite:
*Grade 9 Department Approval required
World History Honors is an advanced, freshman-level course designed to provide students with an in-depth narrative of events and movements in World History from the end of the Renaissance to the present. Students will investigate the broad themes of intellectual, cultural, and political history and will appreciate how those ideas are reflected in trends of philosophy, popular literature, and the arts. Because events in history can only be understood in terms of their social context, this course will examine demographics and the influences of social classes and gender roles on history. The course will also focus on economic history and the role of industrialization by reviewing the development of commercial practices and changing economic structures to recognize multicultural influences on the world, particularly through an examination of imperialism and colonialism.
United States History I H
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisite: Course grade of 80 or better in World History H or 90 or better in World History CP
The United States History I Honors course is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and content knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials covered throughout the first half of U.S. history. The program prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses. Students will learn to assess historical materials—their relevance to a given interpretive problem, reliability, and importance—and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. The United States History I Honors 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.
AP United States History
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: Course grade of 80 or better in US History H or 90 or better in US History I CP
AP U.S. History is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in U.S. 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 should learn to assess historical materials-their relevance to a given interpretive problem, reliability, and importance-and to weigh the evidence using both primary and secondary sources and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. An AP U.S. 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. Content ranges from the Gilded Age through the present. Students may receive college credit based on their score on the AP US History Exam taken in May. Summer work may be required. Credit may be available for this course from Raritan Valley Community College for a fee.
AP European History
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisites: None for grades 11-12, World History CP or World History H; for grade 10, a course grade of 90 or better in World History H and teacher recommendation.
AP European History focuses on developing students’ abilities to think conceptually about European history from approximately 1450 to the present and apply historical thinking skills as they learn about the past. Seven themes of equal importance — the interaction of Europe and the world, economic and commercial developments, cultural and intellectual developments, states and other institutions of power, social organization and development, national and European identity, and technological and scientific innovation — provide areas of historical inquiry for investigation throughout the course. These require students to reason historically about continuity and change over time and make comparisons among various historical developments in different times and places. AP European History is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college or university European history course. Summer work may be required.
AP Human Geography
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: For grades 10-12, World History CP or World History H. For grade 9: Concurrent Enrollment with World History H
Ever wonder why certain towns have multiples of one store but not another? Curious about how location influences your culture and identity? Intrigued by countries around the world and by what you see on the news? Check out AP Human Geography! This course will take you on a global journey where you will learn about the world and topics that are relevant to today’s society by studying patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, the Earth and the world that we know today. Topics will cover thinking geographically, population and migration, cultural geography, political geography, agricultural geography, urban geography, industrial geography, and more! Through the studies of these themes, you will better understand the modern world and current events.
AP World History
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisites: For grades 11-12, World History CP or World History H; for grade 10, course grade of 90 or better in World History H and teacher recommendation.
The purpose of AP World History is to develop a greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts in different types of human societies. The course highlights the nature of changes in global frameworks and their causes and consequences, as well as comparisons among major societies. It emphasizes relevant factual knowledge, leading interpretive issues, and skills in analyzing historical evidence. The course offers balanced global coverage, with Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania all represented. Students are encouraged to take the Advanced Placement examination upon completion of this course. Summer work may be required.
AP U.S. Government and Politics
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisites: None for grades 11-12; for grade 10, 90 or above average for the year in World Honors, teacher recommendation, and concurrent enrollment in USI Honors
AP US Government and Politics will give students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. This course includes both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. government and politics and the analysis of specific examples. Students will participate in a variety of activities exercising their civic duty, including but not limited to attending public meetings, working on political campaigns, performing community service, and writing letters to the editor. The course also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. government and politics. Students will become acquainted with a variety of theoretical perspectives and explanations for various behaviors and outcomes. By completing this course, students will know important facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to U.S. government and politics. They will understand typical patterns of political processes and behavior as well as their consequences (including the components of political behavior, the principles used to explain or justify various government structures and procedures, and the political effects of these structures and procedures). Students will develop skills in interpreting basic data relevant to U.S. government and politics. In addition, students will critically analyze relevant theories and concepts, apply them appropriately, and develop their connections across the curriculum.
AP Psychology
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: Grades 11-12; 90 or above average in most recent required CP SS class for the year (World, USI, USII), 80 or above average in most recent AP SS class
The design of AP Psychology is to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental process of human beings and other animals, the biological bases of human behavior, as well as the statistical methods necessary to analyze psychological research. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. Students will learn about some of the explorations and discoveries made by psychologists over the past centuries. Students will assess some of the differing approaches and perspectives adopted by psychologists, i.e. biological, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, and socio-cultural. Students will gain an appreciation of how psychologists think and their use of critical thinking and analysis. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice. Students are encouraged to take the Advanced Placement Examination upon completion of this course.
AP Microeconomics/AP Macroeconomics
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisites: 80 or above in Algebra II
Part 1: Microeconomics
AP Microeconomics is an introductory college-level microeconomics course. Students cultivate their understanding of the principles that apply to the functions of individual economic decision-makers by using principles and models to describe economic situations and predict and explain outcomes with graphs, charts, and data as they explore concepts like scarcity and markets; costs, benefits, and marginal analysis; production choices and behavior; and market inefficiency and public policy.
Part 2: Macroeconomics
AP Macroeconomics is an introductory college-level macroeconomics course. Students cultivate their understanding of the principles that apply to an economic system as a whole by using principles and models to describe economic situations and predict and explain outcomes with graphs, charts, and data as they explore concepts like economic measurements, markets, macroeconomic models, and macroeconomic policies.
Students are encouraged to take the Advanced Placement examinations in both areas upon completion of this course. Summer work may be required. Algebra and basic calculus are used throughout the curriculum. Concurrent enrollment in Algebra III or higher is encouraged. This course meets the requirement for 2.5 credits in financial literacy.
Social Studies Electives
These courses do not meet U.S. History Graduation Requirements
America in the New Millennium
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: None
This elective, semester course is designed to complement the required United States history course sequence. America in the New Millennium CP consists of seven units beginning with a brief study of current interpretations of the U.S. Constitution as well as contemporary Constitutional controversies and then moves to a 7-week study of the ideas, people, events and technologies that shape the politics, society and economy of 21st Century America. In addition, five two-week units focus more specifically on U.S. citizenship responsibilities, the economy, policy and problems concerning immigration, global competition for energy, and the impact of emerging technologies, especially in communications. Students will practice and learn the curriculum through numerous activities which employ cooperative learning, Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences and differentiated instruction. Assignments that require the higher-order thinking skills from Bloom’s Taxonomy will monitor student achievement. Students will analyze and evaluate suggested solutions to the many challenges that face the nation. Students will also be given opportunities to propose alternative solutions.
Community Connections
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Semester Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
The overarching goal of this course is to make a difference by learning about service and engaging in hands-on activities. Students will develop skills by studying and serving the needs of the community in which they live. One part of this course will consist of building relationships with senior residents (“adopting a grandparent”). Students may also engage in other projects such as need identification and community beautification. Students will use disciplinary lenses and techniques of research in the social sciences to meet the course goals. Students will investigate issues facing groups in Hillsborough and other communities with which they identify. As part of their research, they will consider the strengths and weaknesses of policy proposals to address social problems and develop action plans and recommendations for government at all levels.
Economics
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade level: 11-12
Prerequisite: None
This half year course is designed to expose students to micro- and macro-economic concepts as well as basic financial literacy. The course is divided into two sections; the first half of the semester consists of the microeconomic study while the second half is both macroeconomics and financial literacy. Microeconomics covers scarcity, price determination, the theory of the firm externalities, and supply and demand. Macroeconomics details public finance, fiscal and monetary policy, inflation, unemployment, and economic growth to round out the semester-long course. While consumer topics are covered during the course, an emphasis is also placed on critical thinking skills, as well as the understanding, application and analysis of those economic concepts. Students will learn to question, evaluate marginal costs and benefits, and explore the various ways in which one action causes secondary actions. This course meets the requirement for 2.5 credits in financial literacy.
Gender Studies
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: None
This semester course for students in grades 11 and 12 examines the role of gender in people’s lives. Students will analyze how attitudes toward gender changed throughout the 20th century and early 21st century. Special attention will be given to the flapper and the suffragette era, the 1950s housewife and family life, and the 1960s and 1970s. Students will also look at how gender issues today impact their lives. Students will discuss topics such as abortion, body image (eating disorders, steroids, and plastic surgery), diverse identities, sexual harassment and assault, and how media portrayals of different genders. Students will also analyze terms relating to gender and sexuality including transgender, cisgender, etc. The final unit will discuss gender throughout the world and discuss topics like honor killings, female genital mutilation, human trafficking, child marriage. Current events will be discussed as students will learn about human rights and equality.
Genocide and Holocaust
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: None
This semester course is an examination of Identity and the Pyramid of hate and prejudice, the Declaration of Human Rights, the study of comparative genocides including an examination of the Armenian genocide, Irish famine, genocide in Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Darfur, and in Myanmar, the genocide and cultural genocide of America’s indigenous peoples, and slavery, the history of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust. Genocide is studied through primary and secondary sources, literature and film. This course specifically emphasizes the study of comparative genocides and directly fulfills the state’s mandate for genocide and Holocaust education. The Holocaust, genocide, and human rights studies program is especially appropriate for students who are interested in social work, psychology, criminal justice, law, public administration, international policy, sociology/ philosophy, anthropology, and religion.
Government and Politics
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 semester
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed to provide students with a practical knowledge and understanding of the American government and its direct connection to their lives. Students will be able to apply knowledge of the Constitution and demonstrate their understanding of how the American system of government functions on the local, state and national levels as well as the impact on individual citizens. Students will also be able to demonstrate their understanding that US citizens have both rights and responsibilities in order for our government to maintain order in our society.
Individual & Interpersonal Behavior
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: None
This course covers 6 units about how people develop their behaviors and how people interact with each other. It stresses the study of individuals as they react to the pressures of everyday life. Emphasis is placed on such topics as learning theory, personality development, relationships, stress, and emotional illness. Students examine these and other similar topics by using various readings and videos, research, discussion, and debate. Start to understand what goes on in your mind and the minds of others. Learn how your experiences and interactions with others help shape you into a unique individual.
History of Popular Culture in America
Formerly Titled: Popular Culture
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: None
Why do memes go viral? What defines a culture? Find out by taking the History of Popular Culture! This is a semester course that explores the themes, success, failures, and history of Popular Culture during the 20th and 21st centuries. This course will focus on pop culture in the United States starting with the 1920s and 30s and continuing to the present day. Using excerpts from readings, television clips, movie clips, music, radio, art, and news articles, we will learn about the development of popular culture and the impact that popular culture has on individuals living in the United States. By taking this course you will become a more critical consumer of popular culture.
Race in the United States
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
This course will deepen students’ understanding of the history of race and ethnicity in the United States. Focusing primarily but not exclusively on the period after 1865, students will examine the social construction of race and ethnicity, with the aim of understanding the complex ways race and ethnicity have operated in American politics and culture. We will examine how race and ethnicity have been defined; how definitions have changed over time; their internal logic and contradictions; and ways they impacted the post-1865 United States politically, economically, and socially. We will approach these issues from a comparative perspective, probing the experiences of differently racialized groups through in-depth analysis of primary and secondary sources. Topics include lynching and Jim Crow, immigrant exclusion, miscegenation laws, racism in popular culture, suburbanization and white flight, the rise of the prison- industrial complex, and the role of technology in racial discrimination.
Sociology
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade level: 11-12
Prerequisite: None
This junior and senior semester elective course of study is developed around a thematic approach to sociology and social issues. The inquiry approach is used to motivate students to think critically about a wide range of topics that can apply specifically to their lives as well as people throughout the world. The course is divided into five major areas: culture (world, America, and personal), conformity and deviance (cults, serial killers, alternative groups), groups and group dynamics (bullying, cliques, and leaders), marriage and family life, and problems resulting from social change in America. Sociology focuses on the past as well as analyzing current issues that affect American society. Studying Sociology enables students to develop a better understanding of the world around them as well as their own behaviors and attitudes. It emphasizes an understanding of their responsibility to their community, nation, and world and that human rights are essential for everyone.