Social Studies

The Social Studies Department is dedicated to developing educated and concerned citizens who learn historical context, social understanding and civic awareness. The curriculum is designed to help students see the connections between social studies and their lives as contributors to society, and challenges them to learn about the impact of events on the shaping of societies and nations.

World History

World History

Grade: 9

Credit: 1.0

Course Description: This course is a yearlong survey course designed to provide students with an overview of the major events and critical turning points in the development of mankind and civilizations from early man to the 21st century. Students will study the history, geography, religions, culture, and contributions of a wide variety of peoples from around the globe. This knowledge will enable all students in the course to become well-informed global citizens. A primary goal of the course will be to help our students become better readers and writers. We will continually work on these skills and enable each student to confidently and clearly express themself clearly both verbally and in writing. Students will learn how to make an argument and support it with evidence.

United States History

United States History

Grade: 11

Credit: 1.0

Course Description: This course is a one-year survey of United States history from the Colonial Era to the present with an emphasis on the events occurring after the 19th century. In the first semester, the course will cover major events in the early history of the United States leading up to the 1920’s. In the second semester, the last century of American history will be examined from the Roaring 20’s through the War on Terror to the current state of the American Democracy. Students will analyze the past through a study of primary and secondary documentation and engaging classroom activities. They will each develop the critical reading and writing skills necessary to become an active and engaged citizen with well-informed opinions able to positively affect civil discourse in their communities.

AP US History

Advanced Placement United States History

Grade 11

Credit: 1.0

Prerequisite: Previous instructor and Department Chair approval.

Course Description: The AP US History course is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in U.S. History. The program prepares students for college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those made by full-year introductory college courses. Students should learn to assess historical materials—their relevance to a given interpretive problem, reliability, and importance—and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship.

American Government

American Government

Grade: 12

Credit: 0.5

Course Description: This course is a one-semester required course for seniors and consists of a survey of the U. S. political system, focusing on the background, institutions and processes of our governmental system. The course will cover topics such as the background and development of the US Constitution, the roles of the three branches of government, political ideologies and parties, elections and voting, participation in political organizations, and a study of individual and civil rights. During this course each student will take and pass the United States Constitution Exam, which is a graduation requirement. Successful completion of this course will provide each student with the practical skills to be a lifelong active citizen and the knowledge and confidence to promote positive change through engaged citizenship.

Economics

Economics

Grade: 12

Credit: 0.5

Course Description: Economics is a one-semester survey course designed to introduce the student to the key principles and theories of economics. The course will study how the government and the nation use their resources to satisfy the wants and needs of its people. The course will be broken down into two main areas of study – microeconomics and macroeconomics. Microeconomics will focus on how markets and business operate and the role the government plays in the economy. Macroeconomics studies the law of supply and demand and will cover classic economic theories such as Monetarist and Keynesian theory among others.

Chicago History

Chicago History

Grade: 10, 11, 12

Credit: 0.5

Course Description: Students will discover how Chicago grew from a swampy wilderness outpost to today’s giant metropolis. They will be able to analyze the “real” Chicago story and debunk myths such as Mrs. O’ Leary’s cow starting the fire and they will be able to discuss why Chicago’s location was and is such a critical factor in its development. They will be able to identify the unique contributions that Chicago has made to world architecture. Students will be able to research some aspect of the city’s history by using primary sources.

Global Issues and Solutions

Global Issues and Solutions

Grade: 10, 11, 12

Credit: 0.5

Course Description: The course examines the cause and effect of major issues facing the world today. We will look at how the United States and the rest of the world are working to solve these problems. Topics included, but are not limited to: global warming, renewable energy, the fight for natural resources, regional military conflicts, terrorism, and world hunger.

AP Human Geography

Advanced Placement Human Geography

Grade: 10
Credit: 1.0

Prerequisite: Previous instructor and Department Chair approval.

Course Description: This course introduces students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface. Students employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine socio economic organization and its environmental consequences. They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their research and applications. The curriculum reflects the goals of the National Geography Standards (2012).

AP European History

Advanced Placement European History, 1450 – Present

Grade: 10, 12

Credit: 1.0

Prerequisite: Previous instructor and Department Chair approval.

Course Description: This course prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses in Western Civilization by making demands upon them equivalent to those made by full-year introductory college courses. Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the intellectual and cultural history, the political and diplomatic history, and the social and economic history of Europe from 1450 (the High Renaissance) to the present. Students will be able to formulate and support conclusions from documentary evidence. Students will be able to express historical understanding and analysis in writing.

IB History

IB History (Year 1)

Grade: 11

Credit: 1.0

Prerequisite: Recommendation and Acceptance into the IB Diploma Programme or the Individual Course Candidate Programme.

Course Description: *Two year course*
The history course is a world history course based on a comparative and multi-perspective approach to history. It involves the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social and cultural, and provides a balance of structure and flexibility. The course emphasizes the importance of encouraging students to think historically and to develop historical skills as well as gaining factual knowledge. It puts a premium on developing the skills of critical thinking, and on developing an understanding of multiple interpretations of history. In this way, the course involves a challenging and demanding critical exploration of the past.

IB History (Year 2)

Grade: 12
Credit: 1.0

Course Description: *Two year course* See description from Year 1 for details.

Psychology

Psychology
AP Psychology

Psychology

Psychology

Grade: 11, 12

Credit: 0.5

Course Description: Students will take an eclectic approach to psychology by studying human development, the brain, the nervous system, statistics, testing, learning, emotions, and communication. Students will be introduced to current theories that apply to major social problems that dominate the modern world. These insights will also help the student guide the growth of his/her own personality in desired directions. Supervised experiments and written reports will be required for all students.

AP Psychology

Advanced Placement Psychology

Grade: 12
Credit: 1.0

Prerequisite: Previous instructor and Department Chair approval.

Course Description: The AP Psychology course introduces students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. While considering the psychologists and studies that have shaped the field, students explore and apply psychological theories, key concepts, and phenomena associated with such topics as the biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning and cognition, motivation, developmental psychology, testing and individual differences, treatments of psychological disorders, and social psychology. Throughout the course, students employ psychological research methods, including ethical considerations, as they use the scientific method, evaluate claims and evidence, and effectively communicate ideas.

Business Law

Business Law

Grade Level: 10, 11, 12

Credit: 0.5

Course Description: The Business Law course is designed to provide students with an overview of our legal system, including statutes and regulations that affect businesses, families, and individuals in a variety of ways. Knowledge of business law is particularly useful because all students eventually assume the role of citizen, worker, and consumer in society. The curriculum of the course parallels that of an introduction to marketing class at a college level. The course is also beneficial for students considering any business major in college.

Marketing

Marketing

Grade Level: 10, 11, 12

Credit: 0.5

Course Description: The course focuses on the goals and uses of advertising, sales promotion, public relations, distribution, direct marketing, and personal selling in achieving the objectives of marketing. Students will learn all aspects of creating a formal marketing plan. The curriculum of the course parallels that of an introduction to marketing class at a college level. The course is also beneficial for students considering any business major in college.

Accounting

Accounting

Grades: 10, 11, 12

Credit: 0.5

Course Description: This entry-level course emphasizes the accounting cycle as it applies to a sole proprietorship by teaching the basic principles of accounting and the financial operations of a business. Students engage in the process of recording, classifying, summarizing, analyzing, and communicating financial information.