Social Studies Course Descriptions
Course Descriptions
World Geography
Credit: 1.0 Prerequisite: None
This course provides students with the opportunity to study the interactions of peoples and cultures with their physical environments in the major areas of the world. Students explore various regions of the world, studying their governments, arts, and resources. Areas studied are physical geography, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
World Geography Pre-AP
Credit: 1.0 Prerequisite: Special Requirements
This course will provide students with the opportunity to study at an advanced level the interaction of peoples and cultures with their physical environments. Students will explore various regions of the world, including their physical geography, governments, arts, and resources. Emphasis is centered on higher order thinking and writing skills to introduce students to AP structure and strategy.
World History
Credit: 1.0 Prerequisite: World Geography
This course covers the study of history from the beginning of recorded time, when people lived in total isolation, to modern times, when people live in an era of global interdependence. Students will learn that by studying the past, they gain insights on the present. They will also see parallel cultural developments throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East, and Latin America. Students will realize the important relationship between geography and the course of human events and will appreciate modern times because they have learned to value past experiences.
World History Pre-AP
Credit: 1.0 Prerequisite: World Geography; Special Requirements
Students will study history from the beginning of recorded time to modern times. They will study the time period for a global view of the history of the world. This is an advanced level course that will prepare them for the advanced placement exam in the higher grades.
United States History
Credit: 1.0 Prerequisite: World History
The course concentrates on American History from 1861 to present. The instructional goals will include: economics, business, social cultures, government, geography and religion. Students will gain insight on American influence upon foreign governments and world affairs. Students will be given situations and asked how they would resolve these situations. Students will examine the preservation of natural resources; population movements and patters; past and present contributions of famous Americans that relate to the growth and development of the U.S.
United States History AP
Credit: 1.0 Prerequisite: World History; Special Requirements
AP United States History is a college level survey course, using college texts and supplemental readings that cover historical events and ideas from discovery, colonization, the American Revolution, the founding of a new nation, the Civil War and Reconstruction to modern United States as an industrialized nation and world power. The course emphasizes analysis, primary source documents, independent reading, historical research, and the enhancement of higher-order thinking skills to present evidence in a persuasive essay format. The AP U.S. History exam (fee charged) may be administered to students for college credit. This course may be used for the United States History requirement.
United States Government
Credit: 0.5 Prerequisite: U.S. History
Students will place emphasis upon the application of the national, state, and local government. Current governmental developments are stressed. Students will be better able to understand the functions and applications of our federal government, and our political system.
United States Government, dual credit
Credit: 0.5+College Prerequisite: Special Requirements; see counselor
U.S. Government dual credit is a survey of the United States constitutional systems: executive, judicial, and legislative. Emphasis is on foreign and military policies, economic and financial developments, political parties and ideologies, bureaucracies, and the impact of public opinion, pressure groups, and mass media on elections. World affairs are stressed with respect to their impact on the United States.
Economics and Free Enterprise
Credit: 0.5 Prerequisite: U.S. History
This course teaches the importance of economics, what economics is and is not, and general economic development and growth of the United States, with emphasis on supply-demand and the Free Enterprise System.
Economics and Free Enterprise, dual credit
Credit: 0.5+College Prerequisite: Special Requirements; see counselor
Economics dual is an introduction to the study of general economic principles. Such topics as economic systems, demand and supply, business organizations, gross national product, unemployment, inflation, fiscal policy, monetary policy, interest rates, and business cycles are discussed. Macroeconomics and current economic topics are emphasized.
Psychology, dual credit
Credit: 0.5+College Prerequisite: Special Requirements; see counselor
The study of psychology involves the development of the individual and the personality. It is based on an historical framework and relies on the effective collections and analysis of data. Students study topics such as theories of human development, personality, motivation, and learning.