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Social Studies Department
Course Name: United States and New York State History 7, 1 year Grade Level: 7th
Students will explore American history and cultures from pre-Columbian times to the Civil War giving students an understanding of this historical time-period. Study topics include geography, pre-Columbian times, exploration, colonization, revolution, nationhood, the presidency, and a divided nation. Students will also study the political, economic, and social issues facing America during its early years. Students will be required to analyze and interpret maps, graphs, primary and secondary historical documents, and charts, as well as further develop critical thinking skills, research skills, and writing skills. (Honors Credit is available for students who excel in history and complete the teacher designed projects.)
Prerequisite: None Regents Exam: None
Course Name: United States and New York State History 8, 1 year Grade Level: 8th
Students will study the many forces - political, religious, economical, social, scientific, and technological - that have impacted America from the Civil War to the present. Students will exam such topics as the Civil War Period, the Reconstruction Era, the Age of Industrialization, the Progressive Era, Conflicts of the 20th Century (World War I, World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War), the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, and post-World War II administrations. In addition, students will actively examine current issues. Students will be required to analyze and interpret maps, graphs, primary and secondary historical documents, and charts, as well as further develop critical thinking skills, research skills, and writing skills. (Honors Credit is available for students who excel in history and complete the teacher designed projects.)
Prerequisite: None Regents Exam: None
Course Name: Global History and Geography 1, 1 year, 1 credit Grade Level: 9th
Students will develop a perspective on the Ancient World, classic civilizations, Japan, Renaissance, Reformation, Mesoamerica, Africa, and early empires. Students will explore the interaction and links among nations and peoples within specific time periods to ascertain how the past influences the present. Areas of study for each cultural region include: geography, history, economics, politics, culture, and contemporary life. Students will be given the opportunity to be involved in the learning process through interaction and group activities. (Honors Credit is available for students who excel in history and complete the teacher designed projects.)
Prerequisite: None Regents Exam: None
Course Name: Global History and Geography 2, 1 year, 1 credit Grade Level: 10th
Students will identify and interpret the historical and social concepts of Europe and the World from the Scientific Revolution to modern times. Emphasis will be placed on the political, economic, social, religious, and intellectual movements of the times. Students will have general knowledge of similarities and differences across time and place. Students will be able to compare and contrast different ideas and people. They will acquire a greater knowledge of the world around them and understand cultural diffusion and its effects on culture. This course is the second year of a two-year course. Students are required to pass the Regents Examination in Global History. (Honors Credit is available for students who excel in history and complete the teacher designed projects.)
Prerequisite: Successful Completion of Global History and Geography 1 Regents Exam: Global History and Geography Frameworks Regents Exam
Course Name: Advanced Placement (AP®) World History: Modern, 1 year, 1 credit Grade Level: 10th
AP® World History is an introductory college-level course available to sophomore-level students seeking to participate in an advanced study of modern history. To be most successful, students must have a strong interest in history and be self-motivated. Students will investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes from 1200 to the present. Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical connections; and utilizing reasoning about comparison, causation, and continuity and change over time. The course provides six themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: humans and the environment, cultural developments and interactions, governance, economic systems, social interactions and organization, and technology and innovation. In May, students are required to take the AP® Exam associated with this course. Students will also be required to take the NYS Global History and Geography Frameworks Regents Exam. Students who successfully pass this course will receive high school credit. Students may also be eligible for potential college credit based on their AP® exam score and the specific requirements of the college(s) to which they are applying.
Fees: Please note that this AP® course may require the purchase of a college-level textbook and/or review book, which is the responsibility of the student. In addition, the College Board requires an AP® Exam fee for this course. Summer Assignment: This AP® course has a required summer assignment that must be completed. Details are provided upon enrollment in the course by the teacher. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Global 1, the ability to meet the Honors-level course requirements (see page 5), and strong reading and writing skills. Regents Exam: NYS Global History and Geography Frameworks Regents Other Exam: AP® World History (Modern) – Mandatory
Course Name: United States History and Government, 1 year, 1 credit Grade Level: 11th
Students will study and gain an appreciation of democracy in the United States and how democracy has grown since our country was first established and how much more democracy needs to grow to include all people. The students will have a working knowledge of the values that are consistent with life in a democratic system. These values include justice, the dignity of the individual, rule by the will of the majority with respect for the rights of the minority, appreciation of the achievements of diverse cultures and individuals, and the responsibility of the individual to others and to the community. (Honors Credit is available for students who excel in history and complete the teacher designed projects.)
Prerequisite: Global History and Geography 2 Course and NYS Regents Exam Regents Exam: NYS United States History and Government Frameworks Regents Exam
Course Name: Advanced Placement (AP®) United States History, 1 year, 1 credit Grade Level: 11th
This course is analogous to an introductory U.S. History course for first year college students. Due to the scope and nature of this course, the workload is demanding. Students are required to use and improve upon their analytical writing and reading skills to prepare for college and life beyond. AP® U.S. History is a course that covers the political, social, economic, cultural, diplomatic, and intellectual history of the American experience. Throughout the year students learn about early colonization to the present day. Students need to be able to connect the events of the past to what is presently happening in the United States. In addition to a college level textbook, students work with numerous documents. In May, students are required to take the AP® Exam associated with this course. Students will also be required to take the NYS U.S. History and Government Frameworks Regents Exam in June. Students who successfully pass this course will receive high school credit. Students may also be eligible for potential college credit based on their AP® exam score and the specific requirements of the college(s) to which they are applying.
Fees: Please note that this AP® course may require the purchase of a college-level textbook and/or review book, which is the responsibility of the student. In addition, the College Board requires an AP® Exam fee for this course. Summer Assignment: This AP® course has a required summer assignment that must be completed. Details are provided upon enrollment in the course by the teacher. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Global 2, the ability to meet the Honors-level course requirements (see page 5), and strong reading and writing skills. Regents Exam: NYS United States History and Government Frameworks Regents Exam Other Exam: AP® United States History Exam – Mandatory
Course Name: Participation in Government and Civics, 1 semester, 0.5 credit Grade Level: 12th
Students will obtain the necessary knowledge and skills needed to participate actively in the democratic process. They will learn how to make informed judgments relative to public policy issues. Students will also be able to present and justify their opinions. Topics include: the nature of power, forms of government, the U.S. Constitution, federalism, citizen participation, public opinion, and interest groups.
Prerequisite: None Note: This course, which is required for graduation, is paired with Economics to earn a full credit. Regents Exam: None
Course Name: Economics, the Enterprise System, and Finance, 1 semester, 0.5 credit Grade Level: 12th
Students will be able to analyze and evaluate the United States economy as well as the "mystery" of the stock market. They will be taught economic skills that will enable them to function as informed and economically literate citizens in our society and the global community. Students will be given opportunities to develop their academic and leadership skills through interpretation of tables and graphs, research and data analysis, problem solving and critical thinking, as well as small-group participation and leadership projects. Preparation for college and the world of work is emphasized throughout the course.
Prerequisite: None Note: This course, which is required for graduation, is paired with Participation in Government and Civics to earn a full credit. Regents Exam: None
Course Name: Remembering the Holocaust, 1 year, 1 credit Grade Level: 11th and 12th
Through the course of this year-long elective class students will go in-depth on the study of the Holocaust. Students will investigate what life was like in Europe before the rise of Hitler, how life changed when Hitler took power, and how life was impacted as a result of Hitler and his policies of genocide. Students will study primary sources from the time of the Holocaust. Students will be able to hear testimonies from Jewish survivors. Students are required to actively participate in class discussion as the course is discussion and project based. Students will complete projects throughout the course of the year and make presentations to their classmates. During the last marking period students will investigate the Rwandan genocide and other genocides that have occured in history. In addition, students will view many films based on the Holocaust and complete assignments based on those films.
Prerequisite: None Regents Exam: None
Course Name: Advanced Placement (AP®) Psychology, 1 year, 1 credit Grade Level: 11th and 12th
This course introduces students to the study of the behavior and mental processes of humans and other animals. While considering the psychologists and studies that have shaped the field, students explore and apply psychological theories, key concepts, and phenomena associated with such topics as the biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning and cognition, motivation, developmental psychology, testing and individual differences, treatments of psychological disorders, and social psychology. Students will analyze the different important figures to the psychological world. Throughout the course, students employ psychological research methods, including ethical considerations, as they use the scientific method, evaluate claims and evidence, and effectively communicate ideas. They will also research how psychology is used in the modern world. In May, students are required to take the AP® Exam associated with this course. Students who successfully pass this course will receive high school credit. Students may also be eligible for potential college credit based on their AP® exam score and the specific requirements of the college(s) to which they are applying.
