Do You . . .enjoy keeping up on current events; want to learn more about how people in society work together; have an interest in learning about human behavior; have an interest in learning how government works; need to plan for your personal, financial, and career goals; enjoy learning about historical, political, and social events of the past?
If you have answered “yes” to more than half of these questions, this department may have courses for you! For greater understanding of your interests, see your school counselor to review your interest inventory results.
Career opportunities in the area of Social Studies offer great diversity. Many of these occupations in this area are among some of the fastest growing jobs in the United States. They are also some of the highest paid and are predicted to be in the greatest demand in the next decade These areas of employment include: Lawyers, Educators/Teachers (pre K-post secondary), Psychologists, Social Workers/Counselors, Medical Doctors, Nurses, Human Services, Recreation Therapist, Government Workers, Law Enforcement, Sales People, Economists, Business Professionals, Travel Agents, Geographers, Political Analysts and more.
US HISTORY I
Course: 123181/223181 Credit: 1.0 Length: Year Year Taken: 9
Prerequisite: All Freshmen Fee: None
U.S. History I covers American History through the 19th century. Special attention is given to the origins and developments of our country’s social, political, and economic institutions. This is accomplished through a variety of in and out of class activities including a comprehensive study of primary documents culminating in written and oral assignments. This course is required of all freshmen.
U.S. HISTORY II
Course: 123211/223211 Credit: 1.0 Length: Year Year Taken: 10
Prerequisite: All Sophomores Fee: None
U.S. History II covers the 20th Century to the present. The course of study involves the growth of reform movements from the Progressives to the Great Society, the development of the American Empire, our involvement in two world wars, the Cold War and Government and Societal impacts of the decades of 1950 to the present. Course content is accomplished through a variety of in and out of class activities including a comprehensive study of primary documents culminating in written and oral assignments. This course is required of all sophomores.
WORLD HISTORY
Course: 123241/223241 Credit: 1.0 Length: Year Year Taken: 11
Prerequisite: None Fee: None
World History is a yearlong course for juniors required for graduation. The course is designed to expose students to the history and cultures that have developed among the world’s nations. World History will emphasize the development of civilizations from the ancient River Valley Civilizations to the present. It will examine the forces that have created and destroyed the worlds’ great civilizations including those in Europe, India, China, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. There will be a focus on connecting the past to current events worldwide.
GOVERNMENT
Course: 123351/223351 Credit: .50 Length: Semester 1 or 2 Year Taken: 11-12
Prerequisite: None Fee: None
This course will study current social and political issues, citizenship, student rights and the origins and structures of our government. It will be a student oriented, student directed examination of current political and social issues facing us as a nation, state, community, school and individuals. Students will examine current issues, trends and situations through hands-on activities, discussions, research projects and student presentations.
ECONOMICS
Course: 123041/223041 Credit: .50 Length: Semester 1 or 2 Year Taken: 11-12 ( 10*)
Prerequisite: *sophomores 3.25 GPA or teacher permission Fee: None
Economics is a one semester Social Studies elective open to juniors and seniors as well as sophomores with an accumulative 3.25GPA or better. Economics studies various economic systems throughout the global economy. The course will feature our Capitalistic System, including taxes, spending, budgets, government, labor, and wages. The course offers a solid perspective of Market Capitalism with the opportunity to view how our Economic System moves with other countries which together creates our modern global economy. The course highlight is an extensive financial literacy unit. This unit includes teaching students how to take control of their finances by setting financial goals, creating a budget, investing to achieve their goals, protecting assets with insurance, understanding how to use credit cards properly and comprehend the elements of Social Security and more. This course meets the WSD Financial Literacy Requirement.
*Must declare Social Studies Elective or Financial Literacy credit
PSYCHOLOGY
Course: 123131/223131 Credit: .50 Length: Semester 1 or 2 Year Taken: 11-12
Prerequisite: None No Fee
This elective attempts to understand people as distinct individuals. Major topics covered are social influences on individual behavior, the biology of behavior, perception, altered states of consciousness, conditioning, memory, personality development, and mental illness. As a student in this course you will complete a personality analysis, reconstruct a brain, develop a process for interpreting dreams, create a stress management plan, learn how to increase your memory, and much more.
SOCIOLOGY
Course: 123271/223271 Credit: .50 Length: Semester 1 or 2 Year Taken: 11-12
Prerequisite: None Fee: None
Sociology is the study of human groups or more specifically you as a member of several distinctly different human groups of which you are always in the process of joining, maintaining, altering, or leaving. You will study your role as a global citizen when we study world population from a local perspective. As a student of sociology, you will analyze groups and their conception as well as causes they may align with. Sociology explores the idea of acceptance as we study many groups that have formed from adversity and maintained their existence throughout discrimination and historical challenges. Students will have the opportunity to study and discuss current social issues.
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY IB
Course: 123011/223011 Credit: 1.0 Length: Year Year Taken: 11-12
Prerequisite: Students need to be ready for challenging curriculum and/or consent of the instructor.
Fee: None
This one-year course presents an in-depth, college-level study of anthropological methodology. The focus of this class will be upon the important terminology and concepts used by anthropologists. Cultures such as the Brazilian Yanomami, Kenyan Masai, Australian Aborigines, and Haitian Voodoo will be explored. The student will also learn how to study cultural groups and evaluate cultural literature. There may be college credit for this. This course will help prepare the students for possible advanced university standing or may help earn university credit after taking the exams in May. Please research the following websites for further information on local, national and international university recognition policies: http://www.ibo.org/university-admission/, and http://uwhelp.wisconsin.edu/testing/ib.aspx.
HISTORY IB I
Course: 123091/223091 Credit: 1.0 Length: Year Year Taken: 11
Prerequisite: Students need to be ready for challenging curriculum and/or consent of the instructor.
Fee: None
History IB I is offered on a higher level as part of a two-year course. This course poses a question. When did Europe become “Modern”? In the process of exploring this question, students will study dramatic changes brought by intellectual and artistic movements including the Renaissance and Enlightenment; game-changing revolutions such as the Scientific, French, and Industrial Revolutions; and cataclysmic wars, including the Thirty Years’ War, Napoleonic Wars, and World War I. In addition to offering a deep dive into European history, this course aims to build critical thinking skills through analytical reading/writing activities, Socratic seminars, historical re-enactments, and role-plays.
HISTORY IB II
Course: 123101/223101 Credit: 1.0 Length: Year Year Taken: 12
Prerequisite: World History or History IB I. Students need to be ready for challenging curriculum and/or consent of the instructor.
Fee: None
History IB II is offered as a higher level and is open to all seniors. This course presents an in-depth, study of European history in the 20th Century, including the Russian Revolution, Nazism, World War II, and the Cold War. Key inquiry questions asked will include: How did the Nazis take control of Germany? Was Hitler a strong or weak ruler? How did the Allies win World War II? And who started the Cold War?
Students taking History IB I and II are encouraged to take the end of the Year IB exam. This course will help prepare the student for college and provides students with the opportunity to earn college credit. Please research the following websites: http://www.ibo.org/university-admission/, and http://uwhelp.wisconsin.edu/testing/ib.aspx.
PSYCHOLOGY IB I
Course: 123151/223151 Credit: 1.0 Length: Year Year Taken: 11-12
Prerequisite: Students need to be ready for challenging curriculum and/or consent of the instructor.
Fee: None
This one-year course presents an in-depth college level study of psychological disciplines. The focus of this class will be upon the biological, cognitive, and socio-cultural interactions involved in behaviors. A focus upon abnormal psychology will be employed through the year. Students are encouraged to take Psychology IB II the following year.
PSYCHOLOGY IB II
Course: 123171/223171 Credit: 1.0 Length: Year Year Taken: 12
Prerequisite: Must have passed Psychology IB I. Students need to be ready for challenging curriculum and/or consent of the instructor.
Fee: None
This one-year course presents an in-depth college level study of psychological methodology. The focus of this class will be upon experimentation and abnormal psychology. Information from the previous year (PSYCHOLOGY IB I) will be employed extensively. Students are encouraged to take the end-of-year IB exam. This course will help prepare the students for possible advanced university standing or may help earn university credit after taking the exams in May. Please research the following websites for further information on local, national and international university recognition policies: http://www.ibo.org/university-admission/, and http://uwhelp.wisconsin.edu/testing/ib.aspx.