Below are course descriptions of the classes that I will be teaching this year. Review them to get a better understanding of what to expect from class.

World History is a course that covers history in a chronological order from the earliest civilizations to the present. Students will study how politics, economics, geography, science, and technology, as well as the arts, have played a role in forming and developing civilization as we know it. Students will study topics including ancient Greece and Rome, the French Revolution, and two World Wars. This class is structured so that each topic builds off the next. These interconnecting patterns and topics will result in a better understanding of the world today. Given that this is a history class, reading and writing will be expected of students.

The focus of Geography will be on introductory concepts. The students will be introduced to the basic skills of geography: map interpretation, climate and weather, the relations between people and their surroundings, and the study of conservation. This class will frequently take an unapologetic look at the world as it is today. Upsetting challenges that nations face today will be discussed in this class. Topics such as genocide, the drug trade, gang violence, and government abuse will make appearances every now and then. The primary focus and concentration of the first semester course will be the study of North, Central, and South America. Students will receive an overview of the Western Hemisphere’s landscapes, history and culture, as well as some issues these nations are currently dealing with. The same will be done in the second semester when the class will focus on the geography of Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and selected topics from Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Given that this is a history class, reading and writing will be expected of students.

United States History is required for all juniors. The emphasis is placed upon social, economic, and political aspects of United States history and presents an interpretation of the critical periods in our country’s past. Students will understand the principles and institutions upon which our country has been built. The focus will be from the founding of the nation, to the modern era.

Economics is the study of how people seek to satisfy their needs and wants by making choices. This class is designed to provide students with an understanding of economic theory and design such as scarcity, supply and demand, investments, economic systems, business cycles, GDP, and price setting, upon which our society is based. The course will equip students to use these concepts in dealing with problems of society and to be better informed about the economic world around them. Free market enterprise, competition, income, savings, credit, and installment buying will also be covered. This course may be used to satisfy the Consumer Education graduation requirement.

Sociology is the study of human society and social behavior. Concepts studied include: socialization, social interaction, status, roles, mores/folkways, social control, social deviation, social institutions, and norms. Students will be encouraged to move outside their comfort zones as they study different cultures and schools of thought. Students will also be expected to participate in sociological discussions, as well as, complete class projects that will foster a new understanding of how societies work and the role of the individual.