A: Social Studies Courses

Ethnic Studies: (required for 9th grade students)

This Ethnic Studies course is designed to develop an understanding of how race, ethnicity, nationality, and culture have shaped and continue to shape individuals and society in the United States. The course prepares students to participate in concurrent or subsequent social studies and literature courses with a solid understanding of historical trends and historical thinking. This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge to achieve an understanding of and an appreciation for the various cultures in their community. The focus is around the experiences of African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos/as, and other racialized peoples in the United States. Students will be engaged in both intellectually and emotionally rigorous content constructed around issues of ethnicity, identity, service, and social justice. Students will research and examine how twentieth century events reveal power, privilege, ethnocentricity, systemic oppression, and cultural hegemony that influence their individual experiences into the twenty-first century.

*This course description is provided by the state of California. It is subject to change based on the teacher assigned to the course

Modern World History, Culture, and Geography: (required for 10th grade students)

Students in grade ten study major turning points that shape the modern world, from worldwide revolutions to two world wars. They trace the rise of democratic ideas and develop understanding and connections to current world issues. Students are able to analyze experiences of justice and freedom from worldwide revolutions and make comparisons to their own rights and freedoms as United States Citizens. Students develop an understanding of current world issues and are able to relate them back to their historical, geographical, political, economic, and cultural contexts. Students consider multiple accounts of events in order to understand international and domestic relations from a variety of perspectives through the lens of primary source material. This course is project and discussion-based and advocates for students to be facilitators and activists of their own learning. 

United States History: (required for 11th grade students)

United States History and Geography: Continuity and Change in the Twentieth Century Students in grade eleven study the major turning points in American history in the twentieth century. Following a review of the nation’s beginnings and the impact of the Enlightenment on U.S. democratic ideals, students build upon the tenth grade study of global industrialization to understand the emergence and impact of new technology and a corporate economy, including the social and cultural effects. They trace the change in the ethnic composition of American society; the movement toward equal rights for racial minorities and women; and the role of the United States as a major world power. An emphasis is placed on the expanding role of the federal government and federal courts as well as the continuing tension between the individual and the state. Students consider the major social problems of our time and trace their causes in historical events. They learn that the United States has served as a model for other nations and that the rights and freedoms we enjoy are not accidents, but the results of a defined set of political principles that are not always basic to citizens of other countries. Students understand that our rights under the U.S. Constitution are a precious inheritance that depends on an educated citizenry for their preservation and protection. 

*This course description is provided by the state of California. It is subject to change based on the teacher assigned to the course

AP United States History:

AP US History is a rigorous, college-level course that covers US History from 1491 (pre-Columbian North America) to the present. Students will engage with a US history textbook, primary and secondary sources, and scholarly articles to study and analyze the people and events of the past. Students will also build historical thinking skills of contextualization, comparison, causation, and continuity and change over time. Students can expect a weekly textbook reading assignment and notes, as well as weekly assessments.

The course culminates with a national test in May, consisting of 55 stimulus-based Multiple Choice Questions (MC), 4 Short Answer Questions (SAQ), 1 Document Based essay Question (DBQ) and 1 Long Essay Question (LEQ). Any student who scores a 3, 4, or 5 on the exam may earn college credits at participating institutions for US history classes.

Please note that there is one section available of this class with 32 seats. Registration is first come, first serve through PowerSchool. 

*By registering for this course, you are committing to taking the AP exam at the end of the school year and paying all fees associated with the test. The test fee for 2025 was $110 and $40 to cancel.

Economics/US Government: (required for 12th grade students- each class is a semester long course)

In the first semester of this course we will explore the American Government system and how it functions. We follow the AP units and there is an option to take the course as an AP course. Units include 1. Foundations of American Democracy  2. American Political Ideologies and Beliefs 3. Political Participation 4. Interactions Among the Branches 5. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. 

Second semester we explore the fundamental questions of economics. How do we manage scarce resources and unlimited wants? What do we produce, how do we produce it and how do we allocate what we produce? We also explore personal finance topics such as Investing, Saving, Insurance, Earning Income, and Financial Planning.

AP US Government: (Semester long course)

Study the key concepts and institutions of the political system and culture of the United States. You'll read, analyze, and discuss the U.S. Constitution and other documents as well as complete a research or applied civics project.

*This course description is provided by College Board. It is subject to change based on the teacher assigned to the course