Honors Social Studies Courses

Geography and World Cultures
Geography and World Cultures is a robust, one-semester course that explores how geographic features, human relationships, political and social structures, economics, science and technology, and the arts have developed and influenced life in countries around the world. Along the way, students are given rigorous instruction on how to read maps, charts, and graphs, and how to create them.

At the intersection of culture and geography, students learn about art, science, individuals and communities, and history and current events. Students discover how a mountain in the distance can inspire a Sufi poet, how a river blocking a passage occupies a civil engineer and a ship builder alike, and how the sound of a busy Cairo street inspires a musician. Human history is all about cultures meeting — how they influence and inspire each other; what sets one apart from the next; and how they battle each other for land, natural resources, religious dominance, and more.

Geography and World Cultures is designed as the first course in the social studies sequence. It develops note-taking skills, teaches analytic writing, and introduces students to the close examination of primary documents. (back)

World History
World History is a robust, writing-intensive course that uses multiple perspectives to trace the development of civilizations around the world from prehistory to the present. Students are encouraged to use their knowledge of critical points in history to develop their points of view and apply what they have learned to the promotion of civic action in a rapidly globalizing world. The course explores how human-geographic relationships, political and social structures, economics, science and technology, and the arts have developed and influenced life in these civilizations. Students investigate the major religions and belief systems throughout history and learn about the importance of trade and cultural exchange. Other topics include the development of agriculture, the spread of democracy, the rise of nation-states, the industrial era, the spread of imperialism, and the issues and conflicts of the 20th century.

World History is designed as the second course in the social studies sequence. Students continue to improve their analytic writing and develop confidence by writing multiple short analytic pieces and longer essays, including document-based questions. Primary documents are embedded in the instruction to encourage students to make frequent connections to evidence from the past. (back)

World History to the Renaissance
World History to the Renaissance traces the development of civilizations around the world from prehistory to the Renaissance.

The course covers major themes in world history, including the development and influence of human-geographic relationships, political and social structures, economic systems, major religions and belief systems, science and technology, and the arts.

Topics covered in this course include the birth of civilizations; the classical civilizations of India, China, Greece, and Rome; the rise of new empires such as the Byzantine; and an examination of civilizations in Africa and North and South America. From there, students journey to the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. Primary source documents, which appear frequently, encourage students to make connections to evidence from the past.

Students master historical research and writing techniques and develop confidence in their analytic writing through a sequence of five-paragraph essays and analytic pieces, including document-based questions. Additionally, in a series of web explorations, students use carefully selected Internet resources to gather information for creative writing assignments. (back)

World History since the Renaissance
World History since the Renaissance covers the development of civilizations around the world from the Renaissance to the present.

Topics covered in this course include the Reformation and its legacy, the Scientific Revolution, European exploration, the Enlightenment, political revolutions, the rise of nation-states, the industrial era, the spread of imperialism, and the issues and conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries. Primary source documents, which appear frequently, encourage students to make connections to evidence from the past

A significant focus of this course is student writing. Students develop confidence in their analytic writing through a sequence of five-paragraph essays and analytic pieces, including document-based questions. Additionally, in a series of web explorations, students use the Internet to gather information for creative writing assignments. (back)

U.S. History
U.S. History traces the nation’s history from the pre-colonial period to the present. Students learn about the Native American, European, and African people who lived in America before it became the United States. They examine the beliefs and philosophies that informed the American Revolution and the subsequent formation of the government and political system. Students investigate the economic, cultural, and social motives for the nation’s expansion, as well as the conflicting notions of liberty that eventually resulted in civil war. The course describes the emergence of the United States as an industrial nation and then focuses on its role in modern world affairs.

Moving into the 20th and 21st centuries, students probe the economic and diplomatic interactions between the United States and other world players while investigating how the world wars, the Cold War, and the “information revolution” affected the lives of ordinary Americans. Woven through this chronological sequence is a strong focus on the changing conditions of women, African Americans, and other minority groups.

The course emphasizes the development of historical analysis skills such as comparing and contrasting, differentiating between facts and interpretations, considering multiple perspectives, and analyzing cause-and-effect relationships. These skills are applied to text interpretation and in written assignments that guide learners step-by-step through problem-solving activities.

Students perfect their ability to use logic and evidence to create persuasive written arguments in five-paragraph essays and in shorter exercises such as document-based questions and analytic discussions. (back)

U.S. History to the Civil War
This course traces the nation's history from the pre-colonial period to the end of the American Civil War. It emphasizes the colonial period and the creation of a new nation and examines the beliefs and philosophies that informed the American Revolution and the subsequent formation of the government and political system.

Students first explore the earliest points of contact between individuals from Europe, Africa, and North America. They then probe the economic, cultural, and social motives for the nation's expansion, as well as the conflicting notions of liberty that eventually resulted in the Civil War. Woven throughout this narrative history is a strong focus on the changing conditions of women, African Americans, and other minority groups. The ways in which Americans lived, ate, dressed, and interacted are also highlighted.

U.S. History since the Civil War
This course traces the nation's history from the end of the Civil War to the present. It describes the emergence of the United States as an industrial nation, highlighting social policy as well as its role in modern world affairs.

Students evaluate the attempts to bind the nation together during Reconstruction while also exploring the growth of an industrial economy. Moving into the 20th and 21st centuries, students probe the economic and diplomatic interactions between the United States and other world players while investigating how the world wars, the Cold War, and the "information revolution" affected the lives of ordinary Americans. Woven through this chronological sequence is a strong focus on the changing conditions of women, African Americans, and other minority groups.

U.S. Government and Politics
U.S. Government and Politics is a vigorous, writing-intensive course that uses the perspective of political institutions to explore the history, organization, and functions of the U.S. government. Students are encouraged to use their knowledge of the structures and processes of governing to develop their own views on current political issues and apply what they have learned to the promotion of civic action. Beginning with basic theories of government, moving to the Declaration of Independence, and continuing to the present day, the course explores the relationship between individual Americans and the governing bodies. It looks closely at the political culture of the country and gains insight into the challenges faced by presidents, congressional representatives, and other political activists. It also covers the roles of political parties, interest groups, the media, and the Supreme Court.

U.S. Government and Politics is designed to fall in the fourth year of social studies instruction. Students perfect their analytic writing through a series of analytic assignments and written lesson tests. Students perform frequent close readings of primary documents and apply those documents to the course content. (back)

U.S. and Global Economics
U.S. and Global Economics is a wide-ranging course that provides an introduction to key economic principles. Students gain an understanding of choices they must make as producers, consumers, investors, and taxpayers. They have ample opportunity to develop their points of view and apply what they learn to the promotion of civic action. Topics include an examination of markets from both historical and current perspectives; the basics of supply and demand; the theories of early economic philosophers such as Adam Smith and David Ricardo; theories of value; the concept of money and how it evolved; the role of banks, investment houses, and the Federal Reserve; Keynesian economics; the productivity, wages, investment, and growth involved in capitalism; unemployment, inflations, and the national debt; and a survey of markets in areas such as China, Europe, and the Middle East.

U.S. and Global Economics is designed to fall in the fourth year of social studies instruction. Students perfect their analytic writing through a series of analytic assignments and written lesson tests. They also apply basic mathematics to economic concepts. Students read extensive selections from crucial primary documents and apply those readings to the course content.

The content is based on standards from the National Council for History Education (1997), the National Center for History in the Schools (1996), and the National Council for Social Studies (1994) and is aligned to state standards. (back)