Social Studies

There are also Advanced Placement level courses offered for World History, United States History and Government.

9th Grade: Ninth grade students take Global History and Geography as well as African American History. Global History and Geography students will have a clear understanding of human and physical geography.  Students will be able to apply critical thinking skills in making well-reasoned observations regarding the political, social, and economic aspects of the nations in both the developed and developing world.  Students will analyze the interdependence of the global economy both past and present. Students in Global Studies learn about the Ancient World through the Renaissance and Reformation. This course is intended to be built upon in the World History course.

African American History explores the experience of African Americans throughout United States history. This course will introduce students to the complex, distinguished and important history of African Americans in the United States. This course utilizes an ever growing mountain of scholarship on the African American experience with an increased role on the importance of art and culture as a reflection of the events and the ideas of their time periods. This course is intended to be built upon in the 11th grade United States History course.

10th Grade: Tenth grade students will study World History and gain a clear understanding of human and physical geography and how it relates to the political, social, and economic aspects of countries/regions.  They will apply critical thinking skills in analyzing the interdependence of countries/regions in the past and present. Students in World History will learn about multiple cultures and civilizations and their development in the modern world. This course builds upon the Global History and Geography course. Students have the opportunity to take an AP College Board version of this course.

Native American Histories will explore the experience of diverse Native communities throughout United States history. Students will learn what the cultural practices, environmental adaptations, and historical events that differentiate Native communities from different regions. The learning goals for the course are anchored in the Teaching Tolerance Social Justice Standards and Native Knowledge 360 Essential Understandings. This course is intended to be built upon in the United States and Government course.

11th Grade: Eleventh grade students will take United States History and Government course. American History and Government is a course that helps students to have a clear understanding of the political, social, and economic aspects of the nation’s story.  Students will apply critical thinking skills in making well-reasoned arguments from Settlement to the Present Day. This course will build upon the African American History and Native American Histories courses. Students have the opportunity to take an AP College Board version of this course.

12th Grade: Seniors will take American Government and Economics. The Government course will discuss concepts of power, how power is controlled by the mechanisms of the U.S. Constitution, how institutions of American government (Congress, the President, the Courts, the Bureaucracy) exercise their authority, and how individual citizens participate in American democracy.  Students will be asked not only to know and understand the mechanisms of government in action, but also to consider their own political socializations, and ways that they might contribute to American democracy through a life of active citizenship. The Economics course will explore both macroeconomics and microeconomics. Students will learn about the foundational concepts of economic systems and also learn how economic decisions apply to their daily life.  Students will have the opportunity to the AP College Board version of Government and an Honors version of Economics.