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The following sequence of courses will be the Social Studies Department’s offering for 2006-2007.

Grade 9	Physical and Cultural Geography	Honors Social Studies
Grade 10	World History	A.P. World History
Grade 11	U.S. History	A.P. U.S. History
Grade 12	Government/Economics	A.P. Government/Economics
Elective	A.P. Psychology

DESCRIPTION This course will develop the basic themes of physical, cultural and political geography. World geographic issues, world cultures and place identification will be emphasized. This course meets the requirements of the State’s social science framework.

DESCRIPTION This course includes a selective study of history’s major political, social and religious developments and cultural and scientific achievements, and of the individuals who played significant roles in them. The emphasis of the course begins with the Renaissance. General topics of study include: Origin of Civilizations and Major Religions, Reformation, Age of Discovery, Rise of National States, Age of Enlightenment, Revolutions in the Americas and in Europe, Industrial Revolution, Nationalism in Europe and Asia, 19^th and 20^th Century Imperialism, Totalitarianism and Democracy in the 20^th Century and the Rise of Third World Countries. A History Day project is required of all students.

DESCRIPTION American Civilization, a feeder program for AP World History, is designed for advanced, college-bound freshmen. Areas that will be covered will include history, literature, philosophy, art and sociology. This course will be aligned with the freshman Honors English course and emphasis will be placed on critical thinking and writing skills. Student must also be enrolled in Honors English 1.

DESCRIPTION Advanced Placement World History is a new college-level offering, which will focus on greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts, in interaction with different types of human societies. The course highlights the nature of changes in international frameworks and their causes and consequences, as well as comparisons among major societies. Students will be required to do a major research paper with the history day theme and within the class framework of study. Students in AP World History should expect heavy reading assignments, and should be prepared to demonstrate and develop skills in analyzing the themes of social, cultural and political interaction from 1000 AD to the present. Students will prepare for the AP World History examination, administered nationally in May. High scores on this exam may result in college and university credit, and may allow the student to fulfill the World History requirement at participating institutions. To facilitate the complete coverage of the course content, summer assignments will be given. These will be due at the first class meeting in late August.

DESCRIPTION In this course students examine major turning points in American history in the twentieth century. The year begins with a selective review of United States history, with an emphasis on two major themes – the nation’s beginnings, linked to the Enlightenment and the rise of democratic ideas; and the industrial transformation of the new nations, linked to the global spread of industrialism during the nineteenth century. After these review units, we will begin our study of the twentieth century with an analysis of the Progressive Era and World War I. Critical responses to the Jazz Age and the Great Depression will also be emphasized during the first semester. In the second semester we will cover the following: World War II, The Cold War, The Civil Rights Movement in the Postwar Era, Vietnam/Late 1960’s and the United States in Recent Times.

DESCRIPTION The Advanced Placement U.S. History course is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to address critically the themes, issues, events, and materials of American history. Students will learn to evaluate historical materials in order to weigh evidence presented in historical scholarship. Students will be required to analyze and interpret primary sources, including documentary materials, maps, statistical tables, and pictorial and graphic evidence of historical events. The scope of the course is "the age of discovery" to the present. The A.P. U.S. History curriculum is intended to prepare the student for the Advanced Placement Test administered nationally in May. High scores may result in college and university credit at participating institutions. The course simultaneously satisfies the U.S. History requirement for high school graduation.

DESCRIPTION Economics, a semester-length course, is required for graduation. The goal of this course is to increase understanding of the American economic system, including the nature of supply and demand, market structures, fiscal policy, monetary policy, comparative economic systems and world trade. Emphasis is also placed on such personal finance skills as maintaining good credit, checking accounts, budgeting and other adult consumer needs.

DESCRIPTION Civics/Government, a semester-length course, is required for graduation. This course is about the American system of government, including functions of government, governmental programs, roles of the citizen, civil rights and liberties, public opinion, comparative political systems and current events. A required project MUST be completed by due date to pass this course.

DESCRIPTION The goal of this course is to increase understanding of the American political system, its framework, traditions and values, and have each student pass the Advanced Placement American Government exam. This course is concerned with the nature of the American political system, its development over the past two hundred years, and how it works today in the last years of the twentieth century. We will examine in detail the principle processes and institutions through which the political system functions, as well as some of the public policies which these institutions establish and how these policies are implemented. A summer project is required. The second semester of Economics is not an A.P. program. To remain in this program for semester 2, students must have at least a B- for the first semester or teacher approval.

DESCRIPTION The A.P. Psychology 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 are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with of the major subfields within psychology. All students who are willing to accept the challenge of a rigorous academic curriculum should consider signing up for this class.