Social Studies

Grade 9   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code:  702

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  In this course students will study the themes of revolution, nationalism, and imperialism.  Students go on to study World War I, the rise of dictators and World War II.  They may also consider the new challenges the world faces in the twenty-first century.  Students will practice analytical and critical thinking skills and utilize innovative technology in an effort to better understand the world at large.

Grades 10-12   1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 704

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  In this course students will study world and domestic affairs as they happen.  Students will discuss the interaction between nations, events with nations, including the United States, and their significance, both immediate and long term.

Grades 10-12   1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 705-E

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  This course examines the origins and development of the First World War, the rise of the dictators in the 1920’s and 1930’s, as well as the origins and development of the Second World War.  Special attention will be given to the political, economic, and military aspects of this very volatile period of time.  We will study the use of propaganda in times of conflict, as well as the role of new technologies in warfare.

Grades 10-12   1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 707-E

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  This study of humankind, its development, and the societies that it has created provides an understanding of world developments of the past and the present.  The societies that will be studied existed from the early cave dwellers to the end of the Roman Empire and include Egypt, Greece, Rome, and China, with focus centering on the western civilizations. 

Grades 10-12   1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 708-O

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  This course traces the historical development of humanity, with an emphasis on Europe, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the development of a feudal society and the emergence of the revolutionary spirit of which our struggle for independence was a part.  Emphasis is placed on the historical perspective.

Grade 11   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 7122

Prerequisite:  B- or better in Honors Civics / Pre-AP US History (734).

Description:  This course will be an intensive study of our nation’s history.  All students must take Honors Civics / Pre-AP US History (734) and earn at least an 80 or better to enroll in this course.  Students will explore the historical development of the United States from 1800 to the present.  The course surveys political, economic, social, and cultural developments in American history from 1877 to the present. The students will be required to take the final for each course, which is established and written by the History department at UCONN.  The student will be required to receive a grade of C in order to get credit for the course.  

Grades 11-12   1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 714

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  Emphasizing responsibilities as well as rights, this course examines the functional aspects of citizenship, our roles as effective political beings, the nature and functions of our governments, federal, state, and local, the problems and privileges of citizenship and the fundamentals of the Constitution.  Also this course focuses time on current affairs as this relates to civic/government. 

Grades 11-12   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 713

Prerequisites:  B+ or better in all core required Social Studies courses. 

Description:  Advanced Placement World History: Modern is a full year course that is designed to prepare students to succeed on the AP exam held annually in May.  This challenging course is designed to be equivalent to an introductory college survey offering.  The course will cover the time period from 1200 CE to the present day, focusing on the cultural, economic, political and social developments that have shaped the world.  We will analyze primary/secondary sources and other historical evidence, as well as emphasizing the development of writing skills, especially historical arguments.  

Enrollment in AP courses requires that the student take the AP exam. The AP level added weight will be granted to students who successfully complete the required course work and who take the related AP exam. No AP designated weight will be granted to a student who does not take the related AP exam or who violates a College Board Exam Policy (i.e.: use of cell phone, etc). All students taking an AP course must also take the course final or an alternate assignment (subject specific) unless they maintain an 87 average with teacher permission to exempt.

Grade 10   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 7341

Prerequisite:  B or better in World History (702).

Description:  The course is divided into two distinct parts:  Civics and early United States History linked to the Advanced Placement (AP) United States history curriculum.  During the first semester, students will study the foundational principles of the Constitution and the structure of our national, state, and local governments.  They will also examine the citizen’s role in government, including our rights and responsibilities.  In the second semester, students will begin the AP United States curriculum from the pre-Columbian period up to 1800.  This second semester will give students an in-depth study of topics such as early colonialism, the American Revolution, and the Early Republic period.  This course is a prerequisite to the AP/ECE US History Course (712).  Students must take this course and have an average of 80 or higher to advance to AP/ECE US History (7122).

Grades 11-12   1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 716-O

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  This course will introduce students to the basic structure of the science of psychology.  Students will examine human development, from birth to maturity, and human behavior both normal and abnormal.  Topics to be covered include:  sensation, perception, learning, motivation and emotion, sleep and dreams, personality and adjustment, intelligence, and aptitude. 

Grades 10-12 1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 717-O

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  This course seeks to help students develop a conceptual framework and vocabulary for discussing important intellectual and social issues.  Philosophy can assist us in understanding that claims to absolute knowledge are not to be taken at face value, and it can guide us through perplexing issues raised by public policy debates.  Lastly, philosophy can assist in forming thinking when people are misled by specious arguments and faulty reasoning.  Its application applies to all areas of our life therefore developing philosophical thinking is crucial to our own self-development as independent thinkers. 

Grades 11-12 1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Description: 718-O

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  This introductory course guides the study of human behavior in society through the understanding of five key concepts:  social structure, social action, functional integration, power and culture.  Students will use these terms to deconstruct and understand today’s social issues.  Some topics may include comparative cultures, social behavior/interaction, and socialization of gender, race, or ethnicity.

Grades 10-12 1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 719-O

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  This survey of laws covers constitutional, criminal, and civil law.  Basic legal concepts and the principles on which the American legal system is built will be treated in depth.  The topics span from foundational theory of our legal system to contemporary constitutional law. 

Grade 10         1 Semester     .5 Credit

Course Code: 8891

Prerequisite:  Successful completion of World History.

Description:  Students will continue to evaluate the role of government as it changed during the Progressive Era and was challenged by involvement in international affairs of the twentieth century.  Emphasis will be given to the development of critical thinking skills through analysis of primary source, writing argumentative essays and preparing oral arguments.

Grade 10         1 Semester     .5 Credit

Course Code: 8892

Prerequisite:  Successful completion of World History.

Description: Students will study the foundational principles of the Constitution and the structure of our national, state and local governments.  They will also examine the citizen’s role in government, including our rights and responsibilities.

Grade 11     Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 7211

Prerequisite:  Successful completion of U.S. History Civics 1.

Description:  The course explores the historical development of the United States from 1920 to the present.  The students will examine the movements and events, which have shaped the United States as it has developed into a world leader.  This course will demonstrate how politics, economics, and war have shaped the United States after World War 1.

Grades 10-12   1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 728-E

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  This course will be based on the enduring understanding that effective litigation and trial law requires a well-rounded background in a variety of legal disciplines as well as practical and theoretical understandings. This course will provide students with a well-rounded background in a variety of legal disciplines, with opportunities for interdisciplinary study and concentration in particular areas of interest.  In addition to knowing the law, however, an effective litigator must develop skills in the areas of factual analysis, written and oral argument, and effective communication, as well as a sense of drama and artistry.  Each foundational area of instruction will culminate in a mock trial based on the above subject matter. 

Grades 11-12   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 735

Prerequisites:  B+ or better in all required core Social Studies courses.

Description:  This course is designed to prepare students to succeed on the AP Psychology exam as well as in other academic areas.  Psychology is a science that studies human behavior.  This course offers an in-depth study of various disciplines within psychology such as social psychology, research methods and ethics, biological bases of behavior, sensation/perception, personality theories, child and adolescent development, altered states of consciousness and the influence of the brain on behavior and mental disorders.  The ultimate goal of this course is to help students understand the core concepts of Psychology in a challenging manner that reflects college level expectations. 

Enrollment in AP courses requires that the student take the AP exam. The AP level added weight will be granted to students who successfully complete the required course work and who take the related AP exam. No AP designated weight will be granted to a student who does not take the related AP exam or who violates a College Board Exam Policy (i.e.: use of cell phone, etc). All students taking an AP course must also take the course final or an alternate assignment (subject specific) unless they maintain an 87 average with teacher permission to exempt.

Grades 11-12   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 736

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of U.S. History and Modern World History

Description:  The course is an opportunity for students to explore accomplishments, struggles, intersections, perspectives, and collaborations of African American/Black and Puerto Rican/Latino people in the United States.  Students will examine how historical movements, legislation, and wars affected the citizenship rights of these groups and how they, both separately and together, worked to build U.S. cultural and economic wealth and create more just societies in local, national, and international contexts.