World History
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 9
World History is a full-year survey course designed for ninth grade
students. Its focus is the diverse social, economic, and political
concepts resulting from the interaction of cultural groups. Specific
historical periods will be studied, beginning with the key events and
effects of the Renaissance. The themes of the course will include
continuity and change, geography and history, religions and value
systems, technology, art, and literature. The goal of the course is to
help students understand how the complex world came to be and the course
of events that led to current concerns and issues affecting the world
today.
Advanced World History
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 9
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement.
The content and time periods examined are the same as described in
World History, but the instructional pace is more rigorous and is
designed to prepare students for Advanced United States History I and
II.
Honors World History
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 9
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement.
The content and time periods examined are the same as described in
World History and Advanced World History, but the instructional pace is
more rigorous and is designed to prepare students for Honors United
States History I, II and Advanced Placement United States History as a
junior or senior year elective.
United States History I
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 10
This course is a survey of United States history from the Post
Revolutionary War to World War I. Special emphasis will be placed on
the growth of the United States, the various cultural groups, and their
impact on the development of the United States. This course, the
Advanced course or the Honors course is required of all students.
Advanced United States History I
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 10
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement.
The content and time periods examined are the same as described in
United States History I, but the instructional pace is more rigorous and
is designed to prepare students for Advanced United States History II.
This course is for students of high academic ability, emphasizing
concepts and trends, as well as facts. Challenging assignments are
designed to develop writing and reading skills in preparation for
college.
Honors United States History I
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 10
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement.
The content and time periods examined are the same as described in
United States History I, but the instructional pace is more rigorous and
is designed to prepare students for Honors United State History II.
This course is for students of high academic ability, emphasizing
concepts and trends, as well as facts. Challenging assignments are
designed to develop writing and reading skills in preparation for
college.
United States History II
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 11
Prerequisite: US History I
This course is a survey of United States History in the twentieth and
twenty-first century beginning with the post World War I era to the
present day. The development of the United States as a world power and
the rapid changes in American society will be emphasized.
Advanced United States History II
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 11
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement.
The content and time periods examined are the same as described in
United States History II, but the instructional pace is more rigorous
and is designed to better prepare students for college. This course is
for students of high academic ability, emphasizing concepts and trends,
as well as facts. Challenging assignments are designed to develop
writing and reading skills.
Honors United States History II
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 11
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement.
The content and time periods examined are the same as described in
Advanced United States History II, but the instructional pace is more
rigorous and is designed to better prepare students for college. This
course is for students of high academic ability, emphasizing concepts
and trends, as well as facts. Challenging assignments are designed to
develop writing and reading skills.
* Advanced Placement United States History
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 11, 12
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement.
United States History, Advanced Placement is an elective course
offered to juniors and seniors with superior academic ability and a
genuine interest in history. This course will include independent study,
extensive outside reading, research, writing, and seminar discussions
as course requirements. Additionally, this course will offer students
the opportunity to earn college credit and replace the US II requirement
for juniors. Enrollment in 11th or 12th grade English Honors or
Advanced Placement is also strongly advised because of the rigorous
nature of the course and the need for superior reading comprehension.
All students will be encouraged to take the Advanced Placement exam in
May and summer reading assignments may be required.
*Students in Grade 11 may select AP US History to replace their
Honors US History II requirement for graduation. This course may also
be taken as an elective in grade 12.
Prejudice & Genocide
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 10, 11, 12
During the first semester, students will explore the concept of
prejudice – why it has always existed, how it can be identified, when it
occurs and how to respond to it. Students will develop social skills
to defuse prejudicial feelings and become more tolerant of cultural
differences. The second semester deals with genocide. Special emphasis
is placed on the causes and origins of bigotry, and the roles played by
individual persons as victims, perpetrators, and spectators. Specific
historical study of major genocides of the 20th century will also be
included. Frequent opportunities will be provided for students to
discuss, debate, research, and participate in activities that will
encourage broader tolerance and understanding.
Economics
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 11, 12
Prerequisite: A strong background in mathematics is recommended for this course.
This course will provide the college bound student with an
introduction to the principles of economic analysis, economic
institutions, and issues of economic policy. It provides the student
with a body of concepts and economic theory so that he or she can make
independent, well-considered judgments on important problems and public
policy issues. Economic concepts will be applied in a practical fashion
to realistic situations. Topics of study will include: the basic
economic problem, supply and demand, theoretical and practical
foundations of the business firm including: cost/profit analysis and
competitive markets, role of labor, business and government in our
economy as well as the study fiscal and monetary policies. Students
will also apply economic concepts and their impact on financial
markets.
Sociology
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 11, 12
This course will provide the college bound student with an
introduction to the content, methods, and theory of the social science
of sociology. It will provide students with broad knowledge, skills,
and background desirable for future careers in law, social work, social
research, advertising, journalism, industrial management, education,
psychology, and political science. Students will learn the structure
and evolution of culture along with analysis of culture’s effects on
individual personality development, the socialization process, their
formation and how they interact. It will address an analysis of current
social problems, including alienation, drug abuse, child abuse, public
welfare, crime, and others current issues facing today’s citizens
Western Civilization
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 11, 12
This course is an elective intended to introduce junior and senior
students who are planning to focus on humanities in college to the most
important political, social and economic developments in classical,
medieval and modern European history and culture. Challenging
assignments and research are designed to develop writing and reading
skills as preparation for college. There may be a summer reading
assignment.
Advanced Placement US Government & Politics
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 11, 12
Prerequisite: Honors United States History I and teacher recommendation
This course will give students an analytical perspective on
government and politics in the United States. It includes both the
study of general concepts used to interpret United States politics and
the analysis of specific examples. It also requires familiarity with
the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute
United States politics. Topics include constitutional underpinnings,
political parties, interest groups, and mass media; institutions of
national government; public policy; civil rights and civil liberties.
This course will offer students the opportunity to earn college credit.
Owing to the fast paced nature of the course, a superior reading
comprehension level is needed. Enrollment in 11th or 12th grade Honors
English or Advanced Placement is also strongly advised. All students
will be encouraged to take the Advanced Placement exam in May. Summer
reading assignments will be required.
Introduction to Psychology
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grade Level: 12
This course is an introduction to the study of social psychology.
Diverse personality theories such as behav-iorism, psychoanalysis,
humanism, etc. will be analyzed and evaluated in order to better
understand social interaction and behavior. An investigation of
individuals with physical and psychological disabilities, with the hope
of improving understanding and acceptance, will be conducted.
Self-esteem activities and social skills de-velopment will be the
emphasis of this course.
Advanced Placement Psychology
Length: Year Credits: 5
Grades Level: 12
AP Psychology is an elective course offered to seniors who wish to
complete a high school course that is equivalent to an introductory
college course in Psychology. This course is designed to introduce
students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and
mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students will be
exposed to psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated
with each of the major sub fields within psych-ology. Students also
will learn about the ethics and methods that psychologists use in their
science and practice. Students will be provided with numerous
oppor-tunities to apply psychological concepts, theories, and methods to
real-life situation, as well as in student-created and designed
experiments. Students interested in this course should have a strong
academic background in English and/or History. Students will be
expected to accept the rigorous academic challenges of an advanced
placement course by being highly motivated and dedicated to work well
independently outside of the classroom. Students will be encouraged to
take the AP exam in the spring.