The Social Studies Department believes that Social Studies is the study of human social relationships - local, national and international - both past and present, with preparation for the future. The program rests on the assumption that American society depends upon citizens whose decisions and actions reflect basic Christian and democratic values. Realizing that our society is characterized by cultural pluralism, the department exposes the student to knowledge and skills that will aid in forming Christian moral and social attitudes and foster respect for humankind within and outside the American culture.
| Global Studies 1 | Economics AP | Criminal Justice |
| Global Studies 2 R | European History AP | Economics |
| U.S. History & Government R | U.S. History AP | Participation in Government |
| World History AP | Psychology |
Full year course, Grade 9
Prerequisites: Completion of eighth grade Social Studies.
Credit: 1 unit
This is the first year of a two-year Regents course in which all parts of the world will be studied except the United States and Canada. Global History and Geography 1 covers the history of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America from the earliest hunter-gatherer societies through the end of the seventeenth century. This course will be chronological in nature. The modern world will be covered in the second year of the course.
Objectives:
At the conclusion of the course, the student should:
Full year course, Grade 10
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Global 1.
Credit: 1 unit
This is the second year of a two-year Regents course. It picks up where Global History and Geography 1 stops, at the end of the seventeenth century. The course is chronological in nature. It examines the history of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America from 1700 to the present. All students are required to take the New York State Regents Examination. Successful completion of the two-year course and the Regents exam will meet a graduation requirement.
Objectives:
At the conclusion of the course, the student should:
Full year course, Grade 11
Prerequisites: Successful completion of previous Social Studies
courses.
Credit: 1 unit
United States history is the history of a great experiment in representative democracy. The basic principles and core values expressed in the Declaration of Independence became the guiding ideas for our nation's civic culture. U.S. history since the Declaration of Independence has witnessed continued efforts to apply these principles and values to all people. Adoption of the U.S. Constitution codified these principles but, as the history of our nation shows, that document and its amendments represented on a first step in achieving "liberty and justice for all".
A major part of the state social studies curriculum calls for the student to learn about the structure and function of governments and to learn how to take on the role of a citizen. The student should understand these basic principles and the cultural heritage that support our democracy so that he/she can become an informed, committed participant in our democracy. The core curriculum lists examples that describe how individuals and groups throughout history have challenged and influenced public policy and constitutional change. These examples and this course of study should help the student understand how ordinary citizens and groups of people have interacted with law makers and policy makers and made a difference.
The core curriculum is organized into seven historical units. Each unit lists content, concepts, and themes, and connections that teachers should use to organize classroom and plan for assessment. The Regents exam for U.S. History and Government will be based on the content column in this core curriculum.
Half year course, Grade 12
Prerequisites: Three years of Social Studies, senior standing,
or department recommendation.
Credit: 1/2 unit
One semester of the mandated grade 12 social studies program is this course in Participation in Government. This course will emphasize the interaction between citizens and government at all levels -- local, state, and federal. The development of student participation in the process of government is encouraged.
Objectives:
At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
Half year course, Grades 11-12
Prerequisites: Three years of Social Studies, senior standing,
or department recommendation.
Credit: 1/2 unit
This course focuses on criminal law and criminal justice. Criminal justice also involves people, institutions, and important societal issues. Questions will be raised about fairness, security, and rights in a free society. We will attempt to study aspects of criminal investigation and enforcement, the struggle of judges and courts to protect individual rights while determining the question of guilt. We will also explore how society deals with people after they have been found guilty by exploring prisons and prisoners, and the role of guards.
Objectives:
At the end of the course, the student should:
Half year course, Grade 12
Prerequisites: Three years of Social Studies, senior standing,
or department recommendation.
Credit: 1/2 unit
This elective course is an introduction to the field of psychology, including schools, branches, and methods of study. Some of the topics studied include: self-image, personality development, abnormal behavior and its treatment, and the motivation behind individual behavior.
Objectives:
The student will have:
Half year course, Grade 12
Prerequisites: Three years of Social Studies, senior standing,
or department recommendation.
Credit: 1/2 unit
This course is one part of the mandated fourth credit in social studies. It is designed to give the student a better understanding of the role and importance of economics and economic systems in our national and international society.
Objectives:
At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
Full year course, Grade 12
Prerequisites: At least 85% GPA
Credit: 1 unit
Students will understand the principles of economics that apply to individual decision-makers - both consumers and producers - within the economic system. They will learn opportunity costs, comparative advantages, supply and demand models, utility and consumer choice, production and cost analysis and the law of diminishing marginal returns, and profit-maximizing. Student will learn the behavior of monopolies as well as perfect competition and oligopolies. Factor markers including labor markets and income distribution will be considered and the role and appropriateness of government intervention in market failures will be explored.
Full year course, Grade 12
Prerequisites: 90% average in Social Studies or recommendation
of the teacher.
Credit: 1 unit
The Advanced Placement European History AP course is a study of European civilization from 1450 to the present. Topics include the political, social, intellectual, and technological evolution of the European states within the time period. The curriculum requires extensive reading and the in-depth analysis of historical sources as well as the writing of a major term paper. As part of the process of writing a term paper, the student will learn how to access the major online collections of documentary and visual sources. Every student will take the AP European History examination in May for possible college credit. This course may be taken in place of or in addition to Economics and Participation in Government.
Objectives:
Full year course, Grade 11
Prerequisites: Completion of Global 1 and Global
2; 90%+ average or Regents grade.
Credit: 1 unit
The United States History AP course is the standard U.S. History survey course, usually given in the second year of college. The course covers the period from colonization to the present time. The emphasis is on the presentation of factual knowledge and critical analysis. The latter should be of a degree expected of a college sophomore. Mature reading comprehension and writing skills are essential. There is a summer reading assignment and this assignment will be the basis of an AP test in September. The student will be prepared to take the United States History AP examination in May. The student will also be prepared for the United States History and Government Regents Examination in June.
Full year course, Grade 10
Prerequisites: An average of 92 or above in both Global 1 and English, and teacher recommendation.
Credit: 1 unit
The AP World History course is offered to qualified students who seek the challenge of learning about world cultures beyond the NYS Regents level. The purpose of the course is to have students develop a greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts. It will study, in depth, the nature of changes in cross-cultural settings and focus on the comparisons of major societies throughout world history. The course intends to have the students learn how to "think" like a historian; they will be taught the analytical processes needed to use primary sources and documents effectively. Essay development and writing skills will be stressed.
This course will include primary source material, college-level textbooks, and outside readings. A reading list is also provided and students will be expected to complete internet activities to be graded; this is to be done during the summer months. Students will be required to participate in class discussions and become involved in both group and individual projects. Students will be required to take the AP World History exam in early May and the NYS Regents exam in Global History and Geography in June.
page last modified: October 5, 2006