Social Studies

MISSION

The Social Science department incorporates a wide array of disciplines such as history, geography, law, economics and government as a means of understanding and focusing on the social problems, issues and controversies that exist in our society today. Students will use critical reading, writing and thinking skills to develop a sense of their place in and impact on their community, state, country and world.

PROGRAM GOALS

Provide students with an understanding of past interactions and events in order to give them the knowledge and skills to grapple with economic, political and social factors that impact their lives; Develop students’ worldview and give students an appreciation of the impact that world events, both past and present, have had on shaping our global society; Develop students’ appreciation for uniquely American values and ideals that have been shaped by our common American history and continue to shape the American story; Instill a sense of empowerment and responsibility in students to become capable, active, participatory citizens in our pluralistic society; And provide students with the knowledge of local, national and global economic factors that impact their lives and help them develop the skills to participate successfully in an increasingly interdependent global economic system.

COURSES

Human Geography College Prep
The purpose of Human Geography is to introduce students to the study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding and interaction with our planet. Through a variety of classroom activities, students will gain an appreciation and understanding of the interdependent world in which they live. Students will use geographic concepts and skills to understand the complex interaction between humans and the geography surrounding them. Finally, the course will create a practical understanding of geography and foster students to develop a worldview that transcends their immediate surroundings.

Human Geography Honors
The purpose of Human Geography is to introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface. Students employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human social organization and its consequences. Through examining historical and contemporary issues, students will use geographic concepts and skills to understand the complex interaction between humans and the environment. Finally the course will create an in-depth understanding of geography and foster a worldview that transcends immediate their surroundings.

World History College Prep
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the events of within the ancient and modern world. Students will learn the importance and value of history in a format that stresses critical thinking and individual interpretation in order to build a knowledge base and a well-constructed perspective of global themes and events. Students will use methods of social science investigation to develop their reading, writing and critical thinking skills in order to answer questions about current world events using their acquired knowledge of the past. The course will focus on three major themes that can be linked throughout history: Revolutions, Nationalism, and Imperialism.

World History Honors
The purpose of World Studies Honors course is to develop a worldview of the diversity of the many cultures and communities that compose our world today. Students will expand their awareness of the historical, economic, geographic, cultural and political trends and events that have shaped our modern society. Students will compare and contrasts cultures and societies in order to gain an understanding of the diversity in our world. Students will demonstrate their understandings by digger deeper into the vast array of World History through in depth analysis and evaluation of extensive historical texts as well as completing comprehensive research and writing projects.

U.S. History College Prep
Students will continue their study of human history with an examination of how events of the past 400 years have shaped the fabric of our multicultural American society. Students will gain an understanding of the scope and sequence of the historical, economic, geographic, cultural and political events and trends that have led to the creation of the modern United States. Students will examine United States history through the multiple lenses of the American founding ideals of equality, liberty, democracy, opportunity and justice. The course will be structured around five compelling themes in US history, entitled Our America, Whose America?, American Progress and Power, Tumult and Triumph, and Pursuing & Protecting the Dream. Students will develop their reading and writing skills through an analysis of historical documents and examination of multiple perspectives on United States history in order to make connections to the present and synthesize an understanding of our uniquely American story.

U.S. History Honors
Students will continue their study of human history with an examination of how events of the past 400 years have shaped the fabric of our multicultural American society. Students will gain an understanding of the scope and sequence of the historical, economic, geographic, cultural and political events and trends that have led to the creation of the modern United States. Students will examine United States history through the multiple lenses of the American founding ideals of equality, liberty, democracy, opportunity and justice. The course will be structured around five compelling themes in US history, entitled Our America, Whose America?, American Progress and Power, Tumult and Triumph, and Pursuing & Protecting the Dream. Students will demonstrate their understanding of our uniquely American story by digging deeper into the history of the United States through in-depth analysis and evaluation of extensive historical texts and comprehensive reading, research and writing projects.

Economics College Prep
The purpose of this full year course will be to examine human behavior through an economic lens. Students will develop the knowledge of local, national and global economic factors that impact their lives and help them develop the skills to participate successfully in an increasingly interdependent global economic system. The course will serve as a capstone in the social science sequence that will ask students to learn concepts related to financial literacy, microeconomics and macroeconomics while exploring the connection of those concepts to their communities and applying the critical reading, writing and thinking skills through an analysis and evaluation of a variety of economic ideas and texts.

Economics Honors
The purpose of this full year course will be to examine human behavior through an economic lens. Students will examine economic issues and challenges on a personal, local, national and international level and work to design solutions for those economic problems that we face today. The course will serve as a “capstone” in the social science sequence that will ask students apply their reading, writing and thinking skills to comprehend the concepts of financial literacy, microeconomics and macroeconomics. Students will understand the basic economic problems related to scarcity, supply and demand, government regulation and monetary policy, globalization fluctuations in an economy and the influence fiscal and monetary policies have on their daily lives and the larger economy.

AP U.S. History
AP U.S. History is a demanding introduction to American history and culture. The course will integrate the social, political, and economic history of the United States in order to provide a rich context by which to view the American past. This historical context will allow students to engage in a critical analysis of the American experience for different groups of people, make connections between historical and contemporary events and issues, and develop an informed understanding of the role of the U.S. in global affairs. AP U.S. History is designed to be equivalent to a college level survey course in United States History. Therefore, students should expect a substantially more challenging workload than most other social studies courses. In order to succeed, students must be organized, self-motivated, and possess the time management skills to keep up with the demands of the course. The analytical thinking, writing, and reading skills that students develop in AP U.S. History will equip them for college and lifelong learning.

AP U.S. Government & Politics
This yearlong course explores the political theory and everyday practice that direct the daily operation of our government and shape our public policies. One express purpose of this course is to prepare students to take the AP Exam for U.S. Government and Politics in May. The course covers topics that include democratic political theory, the foundations of American government, the U.S. Constitution, rights and responsibilities of citizens, federalism, the purposes and history of political parties & interest groups, campaigns and elections and an examination of current topics in politics and government. This course is, for all intents and purposes, taught on a college level and requires a substantial amount of reading and preparation for every class. In order to successfully complete the course each student must pass both the Federal and Illinois Constitution exams required by state law.