Social Studies Courses

Graduation Requirements

Geography and Cultures (.5 credit)
US History (1 credit)
Civics (.5 credit)
Economics (.5 credit)

Electives

American Pop Culture
AP European History
AP Economics
AP US History
Big History
History or Hollywood
Social Movements
The Historically Excluded
Sociology
Street Law
War and Peace
World History

The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.

- National Council for the Social Studies, 1992

REQUIRED COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Geography and Cultures

Geography & Cultures of the World is a required full-year course for all incoming freshmen. Students will learn to harness the power of visual tools in order to investigate the effects of human-environment interaction, human migration and settlement, and the effects of global interconnections. A study of culture and conflict will be integrated throughout the course and special emphasis will be placed on developing students’ literacy, research and critical thinking skills. Geography & Cultures of the World is part of the 9th grade freshmen team structure and fulfills the geography graduation requirement.

United States History

US History is a survey course that considers the broad themes of political, economic, social, and diplomatic history from 1898 until the present. Students will continue to develop graphic information skills as well as the ability to use primary and secondary documents to evaluate history. Students will master skills in critically appraising historical data and writing analytical essays. The first semester will focus on 1898 through 1945; the second semester will begin with America’s entry into World War II and continue to the present day. The course fulfills the US history graduation requirement.

Economics

Students will gain command of economic literacy by exploring a balanced approach of micro and macroeconomic theory and practice. Topics include scarcity, types of economic systems, demand and supply analysis, market competition, public finance, economic policy and the global economy as well as personal finance. Students will analyze economic issues and offer solutions to local, national, and global economic problems. This course fulfills the economics graduation requirement.

Civics

In this course, students will be asked to consider what qualities make a good citizen and how they can impact change in our democracy. Students will learn about the ideas behind and content of the US Constitution, and the roles and functioning of government at the local, state, and federal level. Active civic participation in the community and discussion of current events will be expected. This course fulfills the civics requirement for graduation.

ELECTIVE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

AP European History

The AP European History course focuses on developing students’ understanding of European history from approximately 1450 to the present. The course has 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. The course also provides five themes (interaction of Europe and the world; poverty and prosperity; objective knowledge and subjective visions; states and other institutions of power; and individual and society) that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places. This course is both reading and writing intensive and prepares students for the national Advanced Placement European History examination that is offered in the spring. Details about this test may be obtained from the School Counseling Department or the teacher.

American Popular Culture

This course provides students the opportunity to investigate recent American popular culture. Students will identify what popular culture is, analyze the factors that shape popular culture, and evaluate how popular culture shapes themselves. Using an inquiry approach, students will analyze the negative and positive impacts of popular culture on their lives while drawing from many social studies disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, history, cultural studies, and American studies. Students will analyze how factors such as ethnicity, race, gender, and class, among others, are shaped and reshaped by popular culture. Students will engage with sources including but not limited to television, film, advertising, popular music, and social media / cyber-culture while refining their reading, writing, research, and critical thinking skills. At its core, this course presents an opportunity for students to investigate and better understand a part of their everyday lives that will make them more knowledgeable and effective citizens.

AP United States History

Students will understand the heritage of the United States from colonization to the present. Students will demonstrate critical thinking skills as they analyze seven historical themes through the course of nine chronological time periods. With extensive use of college level and primary source materials, students will share ideas through classroom discussion and in formal writing. This course is both reading and writing intensive and will require students to put in a significant amount of time outside of the classroom. This course helps prepare students for the national Advanced Placement United States History exam that is offered in the spring. Details about this test may be obtained through the guidance department or the teacher. In addition, students enrolled in this course may have the option to earn six dual enrollment college credits through Southern New Hampshire University. This course fulfills the US History requirement for graduation.

Big History

In this course, students will investigate the 13.8-billion-year history of the universe. Students will evaluate the role of significant "threshold" moments on humanity including the big bang, the formation of stars and chemical elements, the formation of the solar system and earth, life, early humans, agriculture, the expansion and interconnection of human societies, and the modern revolution. In addition, students will make and support predictions about future threshold moments based on historical and current trends. Investigations will incorporate knowledge, concepts and skills from different academic disciplines such as astronomy, chemistry, and biology, in order for students to piece together a complete "big" history. This course is based on the work of the Big History Project. More information can be found at: https://www.bighistoryproject.com/home.

History or Hollywood

Americans often learn their history from movies. But does Hollywood always get it right? In addition to viewing films, students in this course will complete a variety of reading and writing assignments to demonstrate their critical viewing skills and knowledge. Students will also read historical novels and documents to discover the gap between historical fact and Hollywood’s version. Students will evaluate the impact of information and misinformation and will be expected to complete independent viewing and comparison of films. This course is NOT the same as the English Department’s FILM STUDY course.

The Historically Excluded: American Women

This course will introduce students to the special triumphs and challenges American women of diverse races and backgrounds have experienced from colonial times to the present. Students will analyze the similarities and differences between historical trends and current issues in American women’s history, and how the experiences of American women compare to those of other "historically excluded" groups in our society. Students will focus on the contributions of women in economic, social and political arenas as well as recognize the achievements and setbacks of the women’s rights movement. Emphasis on analysis of primary and secondary sources, research, and discussion will be an integral part of the course.

Social Movements: Power to the People

Through the lenses of power, resistance, and identity, this course introduces American social movements from the 1950s to the present. Drawing from history, sociology, and politics, students will examine a range of social movements, including but not limited to the civil rights and Black Power movements, feminist movements, gay and lesbian liberation and LGBTQ movements, and Black Lives Matter. Through student-centered inquiry and discussion, students will examine the question of how social activism across the political spectrum has changed since the mid-20th century.

Sociology

Sociology is the study of human activity within the social structure of culture. Students will investigate and share ideas within units, including the family, discrimination and social deviance. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to identify major social problems within the United States, describe different facets of those problems and defend positions and opinions they believe are important. Tenth graders may take this course only after receiving departmental and administrative approval.

Street Law

Street Law is an introduction to the legal system with an emphasis on criminal and juvenile law. Students will learn to differentiate criminal and civil law, felonies and misdemeanors, the rights of the accused, search and seizure rights and other constitutional guarantees. Students will conduct at least one mock trial, interact with guest speakers and take a field trip to court.

AP Economics

This Advanced Placement course is designed for students exhibiting special interest in an accelerated study of economics. The equivalent of a freshmen level college course, the class includes the topics in the AP syllabus as outlined by the College Board, administrators of the Advanced Placement Program. Students will gain a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to the functions of individual decision makers (microeconomics), both consumers and producers, within the economic system. Students will study the nature and functions of product markets, factor markets and the role of government in promoting greater efficiency and equity in the economy. Students will gain a thorough understanding of the principles of an economic system as a whole (macroeconomics). They will study national income and price level determination, economic performance measures, the financial sector, stabilization policies, economic growth, and international economics. Running Start credit eligible .

War and Peace: Vietnam

Each year, War and Peace focuses on one specific conflict from United States and/or world history and studies that conflict in depth. For the 2021-22 school year, War and Peace students will be studying the Vietnam War. Themes addressed in the course include: root causes of the conflict, attempts at peace and why they ultimately failed, the impact of war on soldiers and civilians, the roles of technology and media in the conflict, and an investigation of human rights issues during the conflict. War and Peace may be taken multiple times for credit if different conflicts are studied in subsequent courses.

World History: Ancient Civilizations

Students in this course will study history from ancient Mesopotamia to the early Middle Ages. They will examine the significance of river valleys in the birth of civilizations; they will learn about the origins of democracy with the ancient Greeks and the concept of state with ancient Rome. Students will learn the contributions of these ancient civilizations to modern Western civilization. They will also gain knowledge of non-Western cultural origins to appreciate the varied texture of the world today.

World History: Road to the Modern World

World History: Road to the Modern World investigates influential cultures and events around the globe from the early Middle Ages to the Modern Era. This course challenges students to analyze the social, economic, religious, and technological characteristics of historical societies and their impact on the world today. For instance, how have revolutions altered societies and did they ultimately improve economic and social conditions? How has religion both unified and divided people over the course of history? In what ways has technology facilitated the spread of ideas, and is this always beneficial? This course places particular emphasis on projects, writing, group work, discussion, and debating, and is a suitable curricular precursor to AP European History.

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