Social Studies

The essential nature of Social Studies as an area of discipline requires that the heritage of the past, the complexity and challenge of the present, and the speculation of the future are inherent aspects of courses of study. The Social Studies requirements for high school graduation have been established at 3 credits for grades 9-12. One of the credits is earned in ninth grade upon completion of World History. United States History, a one credit course, is taken during the tenth grade. American Government, a one semester, 1/2 credit course, must be taken at either the eleventh or twelfth grade level.

University systems recommend that college-bound students have at least three years of high school preparation in Social Studies, including one year of U.S. History, one year of World History, and a basic understanding of government on the local, state and national levels.

3 credits of social studies are required

WORLD HISTORY - REQUIRED

Grade level: 9

Year: 1 credit

Prerequisite: None

Description: The ninth grade World History survey course examines the Reformation, the Age of Enlightenment and Reforms, the French and Latin American Revolutions, the Industrial Revolution, the Rise of Nationalism and Imperialism, the World-at-War, as well as the economic and political challenges of a Post-Cold War world.

UNITED STATES HISTORY - REQUIRED

Grade level: 10

Year: 1 credit

Prerequisite: World History

Description: This survey course will explore U.S. History from Reconstruction to the present. The objective of the study of U.S. History is to offer the student knowledge about the role significant generational events have played in the development of this nation socially, economically, and politically.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY

(THIS COURSE MEETS THE US HISTORY GRADUATION REQUIREMENT)

(WILL BE OFFERED EVEN YEARS, ALTERNATING W/AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY)

Grade level: 10 as an alternative to US History or 11-12 for Social Studies Elective

Year: 1 Credit

Prerequisite: World History

Description: AP U.S. History is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college or university U.S. history course. In AP U.S. History students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in nine historical periods from approximately 1491 to the present. Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical comparisons; and utilizing reasoning about contextualization, causation, and continuity and change over time. The course also provides seven themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: American and national identity; migration and settlement; politics and power; work, exchange, and technology; America in the world; geography and the environment; and culture and society.

AMERICAN CIVICS - REQUIRED

Grade level: 11-12

Semester: 0.5 credit

Prerequisite: World History & US History

Description: This course is designed to prepare the student to effectively function as a productive citizen in our increasingly complex society, by understanding how our system of government developed, how it operates and a citizen’s responsibilities toward the government. The student will, as an adult, be better able to participate in the democratic process.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

(THIS COURSE MEETS THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT GRADUATION REQUIREMENT)

Grade level: 11-12

Year: 1 credit

Prerequisite: High achievement (A/B average) in US History.

Description: This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of American government. To accomplish this, students develop analytical perspectives for interpreting, understanding, and explaining political events in this country. U.S. Government and Politics is a highly structured, very demanding college-level course for students who are serious about earning college credit. One of the primary objectives of this course is to expose students to all areas covered on the AP examination. Thus it is imperative that a high-level academic environment exist and that the student is dedicated to learning is highly motivated, and is willing to put forth the time and effort required for a course of this intensity. The course will also provide students with a foundation in civic education.

At the conclusion of the course students should have a more sophisticated understanding of majority rule democracy, constitutionalism and civil liberties. Students will also be able to see the relationships and distinctions between formal and informal institutions and the public policies that are developed as a result of these relationships.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

(WILL BE OFFERED ODD YEARS, ALTERNATING W/AP US HISTORY)

Grade level: 10-12

Year: 1 credit

Prerequisite: High achievement (A/B average) in World History.

Description: The purpose of the AP Human Geography course is to introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of the Earth’s surface. Students employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human social organization and its environmental consequences. They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their science and practice. This course is intended for highly dedicated and motivated college bound students!

HOLOCAUST - GENOCIDE & TERRORISM

Grade level: 11-12

Semester: 0.5 credit

Prerequisite: World History & US History

Description: This course is designed to better understand the historical and social significance of the Holocaust. Holocaust topics include Jewish life/culture, the roots of anti-semitism/hate, the rise of Hitler & the Nazis in Germany, the ghettoization and resistance during WWII, the Nazis and other perpetrators of the Holocaust, the war crimes trials and the responsibility to bear witness to the atrocity of systematic genocide. The post WWII end and day genocide will also be examined - Rwanda, Cambodia, Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union and the Armenian genocide. Students are expected to participate in discussions, express opinions in writing, view video evidence, and interact with others.

INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

Grade Level: 11-12

Semester: 0.5 credits

Prerequisite: World History and US History

Description: This introductory course in psychology is a survey of the multiple aspects of human behavior. It involves a survey of the theoretical foundations of human functioning in such areas as learning, motivation, emotions, personality, deviance and pathology, physiological factors and social influences. It directs the student to an insightful understanding of the complexities of human relationships in personal, social and vocational settings.

Dual Credit

Introduction to Psychology

10-809-198

3.0 NTC Credits

SOCIOLOGY

Grade level: 11-12

Semester: 0.5 credit

Prerequisite: World History and US History

Description: How about a head start on your college career with potential college credits. This course will enable the student to better understand the social environment they live in and one’s place in the social world. We look for explanations of why people act the way they do and look to generalizations to forecast our futures. This course covers social theory and research, culture, deviance, conformity in groups, collective behavior, socialization, institutions, stratification and social change through discussion, writing, videos, and interactions with others.

In addition to fulfilling the elective Social Studies requirement this course is offered as a Dual Credit Course with credit given to students with a C or higher through NTC and most schools within the University of Wisconsin System. Please check the NTC website or with your counselor to determine which universities accept this course as credit.

Dual Credit

Intro to Sociology

10-809-196

3.0 NTC Credits

MERRILL HISTORY

Grade level: 11-12

Semester: 0.5 Credit (can be taken multiple times)

Prerequisite: High achievement (A/B average) in World History & US History.

Description: The overall goal of the Merrill History class is to gather and preserve local stories from citizens of Merrill and the surrounding area. Students will work together to develop questions to ask members of the community that relate to significant buildings, recreational locations, people, events, etc. The history interviews recorded and saved by the students will then have the ability to be applied to a virtual walking tour of Merrill and archived at the Lincoln County Historical Society. "Merrill History" will develop students' communication skills, computer skills, and etiquette while simultaneously making a difference in their community by preserving local histories for generations to come. Students will be able to leave a lasting legacy possibly years beyond their lifetimes both displayed throughout the community and online. This course is a project based class with the need for students to manage their time to meet deadlines.