Social Studies Course Descriptions

420 WORLD HISTORY       Grade 11   5.0 CR 
422 CP WORLD HISTORY  Grade 11   5.0 CR 
424 H WORLD HISTORY   Grade 11   5.0 CR
In this class, students will be studying the diversity and the histories of the world including, but not limited to, the earliest cultures, the rise and fall of the great empires of the world, and the many revolutions that brought us into modern times. The course will begin with a brief review of the birth of civilizations and will end with the study of the modern world. Students will be challenged through lessons and activities that require higher-order thinking and will reinforce Geography and Social Studies skills.

426 AP WORLD HISTORY: MODERN   Grade 11-12   5.0 CR 
Prerequisite: CP US History 2 or higher
Dual Enrollment Option through WCCC: 3 Credits
The purpose of this course is to develop a greater understanding of different types of human societies, their interactions with one another, and the nature of change in a global context. It covers events in Africa, the Americas,  Asia, Europe, and Oceania from approximately 8000 B.C.E. to the present. Students will be taught to analyze the processes and causes involved with continuities and changes. The course allows students to act as historians in analyzing historical events and evidence worldwide. In addition, students will have ample practice in writing analytical and interpretive essays that will prepare them to take the Advanced Placement exam in May. This course counts as World History credit.

428 AP EUROPEAN HISTORY   Grades 11-12   5.0 CR 
Prerequisite: CP US History 2 or higher
Dual Enrollment Option through WCCC: 3 Credits
Students are provided an opportunity to explore topics in European History. Following a chronological outline, the course introduces a variety of sources and viewpoints in European History from the Renaissance to the present. The traditional narrative, political, and economic history are viewed against newer concepts in historiography. Students are expected to demonstrate historical analysis in their writing and participation in class discussions. Course content follows The College Board’s Advanced Placement curriculum in European History.

429 AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY   Grades 10-12   5.0 CR
Prerequisite: Any Honors History Class or higher
The AP Human Geography course is the study of geographic patterns and processes, both historic and contemporary, that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of the earth’s surface. It requires interdisciplinary thinking as it incorporates the concepts and methods of other social science disciplines, such as economics, geography, history, sociology, and anthropology. Content is taught thematically and utilizes contemporary global issues and current events as examples to illustrate key concepts. Topics include demography, cultural geography (language, religion, identity, and ethnicity), economic and political geography, the history of agriculture, and the role of agriculture in the global economic system and urban geography. Through these topics, students will explore and analyze the intricate and complicated interactions between human beings and their environment.

430 US HISTORY 1        Grade 9  5.0 CR 
432 CP US HISTORY 1  Grade 9  5.0 CR 
434 H US HISTORY 1     Grade 9  5.0 CR 
Prerequisite: Placement by 8th Grade English Matrix Score
This course begins with the American Revolution (1763 to 1783) and ends with World War I. Students will examine political, economic, and social changes of the United States throughout the nineteenth century. A portion of the course is also devoted to the study of Geography, Government, Economics, and Social Studies Skills.

436 PRE-AP US HISTORY   Grade 9   5.0 CR 
This course includes the study of political institutions, social and cultural developments, diplomacy, and economic trends in US History. The course uses themes and/or topics beginning with the Age of Discovery and concluding with the Second Industrial Revolution and the Progressive Movement.  The themes are designed to encourage students to think conceptually about the American past and to focus on historical change over time. The course teaches students to analyze evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. The course includes extension instruction in analysis and interpretation of a wide variety of primary sources, such as documentary materials, maps, statistical tables, works of art, and pictorial and graphic materials. The course provides students with practice in writing analytical and interpretive essays. This course will prepare the students to take the Advanced Placement exam. This course counts as United States History I credit. 

440 US HISTORY 2       Grade 10   5.0 CR 
442 CP US HISTORY 2 Grade 10   5.0 CR 
444 H US HISTORY 2   Grade 10   5.0 CR 
This course uses themes and topics beginning with America in the 1920s and concludes with Contemporary America. The course includes how the United States became a world power in the years after World War I. It continues with the domestic policy of the United States and foreign policy issues, such as American involvement in World War II, the Cold War, and its current focus on the War on Terror. This course will cover the social, cultural, intellectual, economic, political, and diplomatic history of our country.

446 AP US HISTORY   Grades 10-12   5.0 CR 
Prerequisite: Pre-AP US History or H US History I
Dual Enrollment Option through WCCC: 3 Credits
This course includes the study of political institutions, social and cultural developments, diplomacy, and economic trends in US History. The course uses themes and/or topics beginning with Imperialism in the late 1800s  and concluding with Contemporary American Society. The themes are designed to encourage students to think conceptually about the American past and to focus on historical change over time. The course teaches students to analyze evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. The course includes extensive instruction in analysis and interpretation of a wide variety of primary sources, such as documentary materials, maps, statistical tables, works of art, and pictorial and graphic materials. The course provides students with frequent practice in writing analytical and interpretive essays such as document-based questions (DBQ) and thematic essays. This course will prepare the students to take the Advanced Placement exam. This course counts as United States History II credit.

448 AP GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS: UNITED STATES and COMPARATIVE   Grades 11-12   5.0 CR 
Prerequisite: Any Honors History Class
Dual Enrollment Option through WCCC: 3 Credits
The purpose of the first part of this course is to give students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. Students will become familiar with various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. politics. They will also become acquainted with a variety of theoretical perspectives and explanations for various behaviors and outcomes. The major goal is to ascertain the factors and influences, which impact the processes that drive the operations of the US government. The purpose of the second part of this course is to introduce students to the rich diversity of political life outside the United States by using a comparative approach to examine the political structures; policies; and the political, economic, and social challenges among six selected countries (Great Britain, Mexico, Russia, Iran, China, and Nigeria). Additionally, students examine how different governments solve similar problems by comparing the effectiveness of approaches to many global issues. 

450 CP ECONOMICS AND FINANCIAL LITERACY   Grades 11-12   2.5 CR 
This course will be an introduction to the principles of economics and focus on contemporary economic issues. Examples of topics studied are banking, taxation, the stock market, supply and demand, labor unions, and comparative economic systems. There will also be time spect on personal financial management which will include: budgeting, checking, savings and investment, consumer smarts, and after high school topics (college and job application processes).

451 H MICROECONOMICS AND FINANCIAL LITERACY   Grades 11-12   2.5 CR
Prerequisite: H Mathematics class or higher
This course will challenge students in the study of advanced microeconomic principles and focus on contemporary economic issues. Students will study the operation of product and factor markets, production decisions, market failure, and the role of government in promoting greater efficiency and equity in the economy. There will also be time spent on personal financial management which will include: budgeting, checking, savings and investment, consumer smarts and after high school topics (college applications, interviewing, resume, etc.). This course will place rigorous demands upon student’s study skills and work ethic in completing homework/projects.

452 AP MICROECONOMICS AND FINANCIAL LITERACY   Grades 11-12   5.0 CR 
Prerequisite: H Mathematics class or higher
Dual Enrollment Option through WCCC: 3 Credits
AP Microeconomics is an introductory college-level course that focuses on the principles of economics that apply to the functions of individual economic decision-makers. The course also develops students’ familiarity with the operation of product and factor markets, distributions of income, market failure, and the role of government in promoting greater efficiency and equity in the economy. Students learn to use graphs, charts, and data to analyze, describe, and explain economic concepts. The course will also spend time on personal finance which will include: budgeting, investing, credit, preparing for after college, and consumer smarts. This portion of the course will fulfill the mandatory personal finance credits needed in order to graduate.

454 CP MYTHOLOGY   Grades 10-12   5.0 CR 
This course offers the student a study of classical myths and those of other cultures for personal enrichment and for a better understanding of the development of language and literature. Classic myths such as Perseus, Theseus, Jason and the Argonauts, the Iliad, and the Odyssey will be read and analyzed. Students will realize how the myths explain ancient cultures, but also teach us about our modern world.

456 CP SOCIOLOGY   Grades 11-12   2.5 CR 
Prerequisite: CP US History 2 or higher
Dual Enrollment Option through WCCC: 3 Credits
The course is open to juniors and seniors who are interested in the study of human society and social behavior. It includes further analysis of culture and social structure, the individual in society and socialization, adolescence as a distinct life stage, and various social issues.

458 H CHILD PSYCHOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT   Grades 11-12   2.5 CR
Prerequisite: 75% or higher in CP History course
Dual Enrollment Option through Centenary: 3 Credits
This course is designed to focus on the developmental processes of children from Pre-K through high school. Emphasis is placed on current issues in children and adolescent development and how they learn in a variety of school, family, and community contexts. The course will examine opportunities that support the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of students.

460 AP PSYCHOLOGY   Grades 11-12   5.0 CR 
Prerequisite: 75% or higher in Honors History course
The AP 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 phenome associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice.

462 CP FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION   Grades 10-12   2.5 CR
Dual Enrollment Option through Centenary: 3 Credits
This course provides the foundation for the study of the social, philosophical, and historical structures of public education in the United States.

464 H INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION   Grades 11-12   2.5 CR 
Dual Enrollment Option through Centenary: 3 Credits
This is an introductory course in Special Education. The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the history of special education, the laws that affect the educational process, and the disabilities identified by IDEIA. The characteristics and etiology of the above disabilities will be discussed utilizing the IDEIA classifications, the DSM-V Manual, and the definitions of various professional organizations.

470 H AMERICAN LAW STUDIES   Grades 10-12   5.0 CR 
Prerequisite: Any Honors History class
Dual Enrollment Option through WCCC: 3 Credits
This course will examine the Constitution of the United States and its application to the social, economic, and political issues that have confronted the country over the past two centuries. This course will be divided into three components. First, the course will review the philosophical underpinnings of the American legal system and the historical development of the court system. The second component examines the powers and relationships among government institutions and the interaction between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. The final components, civil rights and civil liberties, examine the relationship between the individual and the government.