This introductory course is designed to teach students how to study in the context of history. Units will be presented on the establishment of the United States Constitution (the miracle in Philadelphia), the United States Government, and the history of the Republic from 1789 – 1898 from the Federalist Period, through nationalism, sectionalism, expansion of the frontier, the War Between the States, Reconstruction, Industrialization and America’s emergence from isolationism to becoming a world power.

This course is a preparatory course for AP® American History. Students are required to complete summer reading assignments and analyze primary documents. Units will be presented on the establishment of the United States Constitution (the miracle in Philadelphia), the United States Government, and the history of the Republic from 1789 – 1898 from the Federalist Period, through nationalism, sectionalism, expansion of the frontier, the War Between the States, Reconstruction, Industrialization and America’s emergence from isolationism to becoming a world power. Assessments will include advanced testing comprised of DBQ’s, short answers, and essays.

This course provides a survey of US history from 1877 to the present day. An emphasis is placed on the major social, political and economic trends that have shaped America’s role in the world.  Some of the topics covered are major wars, the roaring 1920’s, Great Depression, civil rights, and terrorism.

This course covers the same content as the US History II course but in greater depth and complexity.  The skill components of the course are accelerated and students are encouraged to develop critical thought and concentrates on the thinking, reading, writing and oral skills necessary for the college bound student.

This rigorous course is designed for the student with high ability and interest in the advanced study of history.  Students will utilize their analytical skills and factual knowledge to deal critically with problems in the U.S. from the Colonial experience through present day history. Students will assess historical materials and their relevance to a given interpretive problem, reliability, and importance, and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. Students also hone their skills to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay format.  The course prepares students for the Advanced Placement US History Exam, which involves fifty-five multiple choice questions, four short answer questions, one document based essay, and one long essay question.  Students who score a 3 or above may be eligible for college credit. This class will require more homework time for students.

The older you get, the more the government impacts your life. This course explains how the American system of government works, how it impacts your life, and how you can influence it. Topics covered include government institutions, public opinion, political parties, interest groups, elections, and voting.

This is an introduction to the basic concepts of Sociology or the study of human social behavior with an emphasis on hands-on learning. Topics such as globalization, socialization, conflict, research, culture and social structure will be discussed. Students will participate in current events presentations, debates and researching social issues.

Psychology is the scientific study of all aspects of behavior and mental processes. The concepts and methods of science are used in the description, explanation, prediction, and modification of behavior. Psychology is a broad discipline with ties to both the social and natural sciences.  This introductory course will evaluate how to conduct psychological research, the biology of the human mind, sensation and perception, cognition, and mental illnesses.  

Following the tragedies of September 11, 2001, athletic contests from high school to the professional level were canceled en mass. In the larger scope of events, the world of sports did not seem that important, but as our nation worked through the grieving process, athletics showed their true value. Sporting events across the nation became places to honor true heroes and acted as much needed distractions. Sometimes sports are simply a backdrop to a larger historical event like 9/11 while other times they are the event itself. For example, Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League baseball was not just a watershed event in baseball but also a major step forward in United States history. This course will use sports as a frame of reference to study United States history. It will focus on the people, places, events, and times through which athletes and coaches lived.

The world of media in correlation to American popular culture is a part of our daily lives in a variety of different ways. The 20th and 21st centuries have seen a major shift in how media influences current social issues. This course is designed to analyze, discuss, and synthesize media outlets such as movies, music, literature, television, the Internet, and news to determine how the media has influenced history and is influencing current social events. This course will also explore the relationship between popular forms of media and social issues in which they originate. Students will be able to analyze gender, racial, socio-economic stereotypes seen in popular culture through a variety of entertainment outlets, as well as compare and contrast novels that have been changed or altered in order to be adapted into film. Students will be expected to complete intensive reading assignments outside of the classroom. Assessments will be comprised of projects, essays, and differentiated presentations.

Students interested in the American Revolution, the Civil War, World War II, and Vietnam War will enjoy this course. Each unit of study will focus on the soldiers who fought these wars, the commanders who led them, the weapons they used during them, and the strategies they employed to win them.

This will be an action-packed class that explores the concepts of economics in our everyday lives. Students will apply the concepts learned to different scenarios in class including projects, mysteries, and group activities. It will be a basic overview of microeconomic and macroeconomic principles as well as fiscal policy and economic theory. Students will compete using their economics knowledge with other students in the state through the Economics Challenge and the Stock Market Game.

Politics is all about ―who gets, what, when and how? By analyzing the American Political System, students will gain a thorough understanding of how policy decisions are made and who benefits from them. Topics covered in this course will include Congress, the President, the Supreme Court, public opinion, political parties, elections and government spending. Preparing students for the U.S. Government and Politics AP® Exam in May is the primary focus of this course. Therefore, students taking this course should seriously consider taking this exam. Those who score well on this exam may receive college credit. Students taking this course are required to complete a summer reading assignment that will be due on the first day of the school year. AP® U.S. Government & Politics (1 credit) satisfies both the political science requirement and the social studies elective requirement

Psychology is the scientific study of how people think, act (behave) and feel.  It is about the things people do and the thought process (or lack thereof) behind their actions. This in depth course will give students the opportunity to develop strong note taking, studying, time management, and test taking skills.  We will be covering 14 main topics, which are the major topics on the AP Exam. Because this is an Advanced Placement course the achievements of high school students are compared statistically to the achievements of college students in an introductory college psychology course.  Therefore this course will reflect the rigor of a college classroom and test grades will be a large component of the students overall grade.

Genocide is the deliberate and systematic extermination of a targeted group. Though the Holocaust is a well-known example of genocide, this course will focus on other genocidal events with possible topics such as those events which occurred in Armenia, Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. Students will understand the stages of genocide, investigate the causes and impacts of genocide, and examine the actions of groups and individuals who made attempts to intervene on behalf of the victims of genocide.