Social Studies Curriculum
Global Studies
Grade 9
This course is a study of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe from pre-history to 1770. It is a two-year program culminating in the Regents exam in World History at the end of Grade 10. Major areas of study include:
- Understanding the developments of world civilizations, cultural values, beliefs, and traditions
- Learning the physical features and geographic development of each region as well as their economic systems
- Understanding the traditional political systems of these regions and how the political systems developed up to 1770
Grade 10
- Understanding the chronological development of economic, social, and political systems of world civilizations
- Understanding the inter-relationship between the geographic features of a nation and its economic and political success (geopolitics)
- Understanding the major concepts of self-determination, human rights, ethnic conflict and diversity and international relations
United States History and Government
Grade 11
- Intensive studying of the Constitution
- Understanding the political, economic, social, and cultural developments of the United States from 1865 to the present
- Learning the physical features of the United States and its possessions
Economics
Grade 12 ? ? year mandatory course
Economics is a one semester course that concentrates on the basic principles operating within a market economy. These include economic reasoning, resources, scarcity and choice, trade-offs and opportunity cost, economic systems, the dynamics of supply and demand, business organizations, the structure of the workforce, savings and investment strategies and uses, market failures and responses, the creation and execution of fiscal and monetary policies, and international economic behavior.
In addition, the course will cover issues of income, money management, spending and credit, and saving and investing from a young consumer?s point of view.
Participation in Government (PIG)
Grade 12
- Understanding the major social issues that confront our society
- Understanding civil rights and their effect on society
Sociology
Grade 12
This is a 1/2 credit course.
- Understanding the "sociological perspective" and its individual, societal, and global applications
- Understanding the influence and impact of societal institutions: family, education, religion, economy, and government
- Introducing students to basic research methods
- Applying sociological paradigms (SF, SC, SI) to sociological issues and problems
Psychology
Grade 12
This is a 1/2 credit course.
- Understanding concepts such as learning, motivation, personality, intelligence, memory, and mental disorders
- Analyzing and drawing conclusions from research and experiments
- Creating and conducting experiments
- Carrying out research in the most recent areas of psychology and applying the research to personal life
Advanced Placement American History
Grade 11
Pre-requisite: high achievement in the 9th and 10th grade Global Studies. May lead to college credit.
- Studying American history from 1607 to the present
- Emphasizing the political, economic, and social history of the United States
- Using many primary and secondary historical resources
Advanced Placement European History
Grade 12
Covers the time period from 1450 to the present. May lead to college credit.
- Learning to assess historical materials
- Weighing the evidence and interpretations presented in historical literature
- Developing the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment
- Presenting ideas clearly and persuasively in essay format
|
