Social Studies Department
We believe that instruction in social studies must prepare students to address ever-changing, global issues of the 21st century. The curriculum is designed to create a dynamic, student-centered experience with a framework that forges a link between the classroom and the future in a way that:
- challenges students to actively participate in the democratic process,
- promotes an understanding of the key concepts, content, standards, and methodology through research, communications, and practice,
- honors cultural diversity and meets the needs of all students,
- utilizes literature, technology, and community resources,
- fosters teaching practices rooted in democratic principles,
- develops decision making, conflict resolution, and evaluation skills,
- incorporates strategies for reading and interpreting data,
- integrates the social sciences with the other academic disciplines,
- examines geographic, historical, cultural, and economic situations through a variety of experiences and activities.
Our faculty focuses on providing the students with the content knowledge, intellectual skills, and civic values necessary for fulfilling the duties of citizenship in a participatory democracy. We have aligned our curriculum for a systematic study of the social sciences, covering such disciplines as economics, geography, history, law, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology. Congruent focus within our department is creating multidisciplinary bridges spanning the humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences.
Courses: |
| Social Studies Requirements: required courses are offered at multiple levels structured to challenge all individuals equally allowing for maximized intellectual growth |
- Geography and History of the World*
- World History*
- US History
- Economics**
- Government**
|
| *students are required to take one of the two courses in their 9th or 10th year |
| **these are one semester classes usually offered to seniors consecutively |
| Social Studies Electives: many the IB and AP electives may be taken in place of the complimentary course listed above. |
- AP World History
- AP Human Geography*
- AP US History*
- AP Psychology*
- AP Economics
- AP Government
- IB History of the Americas*
- IB Geography*
- IB Psychology*
- International Events
- Sociology
- Understanding the Law
|
| *these IB and AP courses are taught congruently |
