Ten Credits

Open to Grade 10

DESCRIPTION: Early World History is a semester long survey course that examines the history of human societies from pre-history to the late 17th century. Emphasis is placed on the interaction between geography and historical developments and the change from isolated civilizations to interconnected regions. Students will use social, political, economic, cultural and economic themes to further their knowledge of the various human societies examined. The course will also stress the development of the following skills: reading primary sources, analyzing art and literature, research, writing formal and informal compositions and making formal presentations.

Ten Credits

Open to Grade 10

PREREQUISITES: Honors grades in Freshman English classes; teacher and department chairperson recommendation

DESCRIPTION: This course follows the curriculum recommended by the College Board in preparing students to pass the Advanced Placement European History exam offered in May. The course begins with an examination of the Renaissance and the Reformation and covers the emergence of Europe as the dominant political and cultural force in the last 500 years. Topics such as social and cultural developments, science and art, politics and government, exploration and expansion, trade and commerce will be investigated and discussed in depth. Emphasis will be placed on writing skills, critical thinking, class discussions and presentations, and the use of primary source documents.

Ten Credits

Open to Grade 11

PREREQUISITES: None

DESCRIPTION: World History II presents a chronological narrative of world history from 1550 A.D. to the present. Cultural, religious, economic, political, and social development of various world civilizations are examined, as are the causes and consequences of their interaction. Students will study the political, social, economic, cultural, and religious histories of the world since 1500.

Ten Credits

Open to Grades 11

PREREQUISITES: Honors grades AP European History or Early World History and World Lit; teacher and department chairperson recommendation

DESCRIPTION: AP World History is a college level course that explores the vast expanse of the human past. Students will explore various human communities in an attempt to develop a deeper understanding of not only the past, but also the present.

The course is divided into six major time periods: 8000 B.C.E.-600 C.E., 600-1450, 1450- 1750, 1750-1914 and 1914 to the present. This is obviously a huge undertaking. Therefore, the course is organized around a five themes pertinent to world history: 1) interaction between humans and the environment, 2) development and interaction of cultures, 3) state-building, expansion and conflict, 4) creation, expansion and interaction of economic systems and 5) development and transformation of social structures.

The course will also stress the historical thinking skills of causality, compare and contrast (CC), continuity and change over time (CCOT) and primary source documents (DBQ). Students will also work with primary sources and do the work of historians. This course is truly global in its approach and will devote the majority of the time to exploring the history of the non-European worlds. All students who enroll in the course are expected to take the AP exam in May.

Ten Credits

Open to Grade 12

PREREQUISITES: None

DESCRIPTION: This course is a survey of the history of the United States, beginning with Pre-Columbian America and concluding with an examination of the United States as the twenty-first century dawns. Students will examine the American experience from political, diplomatic, cultural, and economic perspectives, acquiring analytical skills in the course of identifying the experiences and ideals that bring Americans together as well as the tensions that fragment them. Emphasizing critical thinking, extensive reading, and formal analytical writing, this course aims to create amateur historians, not merely students reading history.

Ten Credits

Open to Grade 12

PREREQUISITES: Honors grades in AP European History or World History I and II and American Literature; teacher and department chairperson approval.

DESCRIPTION: This is a rigorous course analyzing events, places, people and themes in American History from colonization and settlement to the present. This is a collegelevel course that stresses critical thinking and analytical writing. Various teaching methods are utilized: simulation games, speeches, panel presentations, discussion, and lecture, Reading and writing are integral parts of the course. Students must be willing to devote extra time to the coursework. In May, the AP examination is given; successful completion of the examination earns a student college credit.

Ten Credits

Open to Grades 11 and 12

PREREQUISITES: None

DESCRIPTION: This course will provide a thorough study of both microeconomics and macroeconomics by examining the principles of production, distribution, and consumption of wealth in both the American and world economic systems. Marketplace competition, government regulation, consumer demand, stock and bond market investment, and wages and prices will be examined. The law of supply and demand will be the basis of the course, and the factors determining economic policy, including inflation, productivity, deficit spending, unemployment, taxation, international interdependence, will be analyzed. Four major economic systems governments employ will be analyzed: monetarism, Keynesianism, economic planning, and supply-side economics. Role-playing, critical thinking and writing, individual and group projects will be among the methods employed. Current world and national events will be examined through an economic lens.