BHSN: Departments: Social Studies: Course Descriptions

Social Studies Courses

2000-2001

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World History
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HONORS WORLD HISTORY - N401 (Full year) ( 2 credits) Grade level: 10

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL,

World History deals with the history of the world from the Greek Civilization to the present. The course will focus mainly on the modern period (1500-2000). Skills, which will be needed to succeed in college, will be emphasized. This will include lecture-note taking, listening-speaking, discussion, and memorization skills. Information accessing, problem solving, paper writing, and the higher cognitive skills of analysis synthesis and evaluation will be emphasized. In addition group/individual projects will be used. Participation in seminars will be emphasized. The course is designed to be rigorous and move at an accelerated pace.

CP WORLD HISTORY - N413 (Full year) [2credits) Grade levels: 10-12

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

World History is a one year course, designed for college preparation students. Economic, political, and social forces which have shaped our modern world will be emphasized. Skills needed to succeed in college will be emphasized including theory and conceptualization of history, lecture-note taking, discussion, and memorization. Students will be expected to access information in order to solve problems, write papers, and make class presentations.

United States History
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HONORS UNITED STATES HISTORY (AMERICAN STUDIES) - N128 (Full year) ( 2 credits)
Grade level: 11

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT; HEALTH SERVICES; SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SERVICES; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

American Studies for juniors only is a one year course that integrates English and social studies. As a result of participation and performance, students should be able to demonstrate the ways in which American Literature is both a reflection of and a response to the historical period in which it was created. The teachers involved share a commitment to establishing clear connections between assessment and curricular goals providing experiences for students, which promote sustained inquiry and in-depth investigation of issues and ideas. The primary emphasis is theoretical and it is an extremely rigorous course.

CP UNITED STATES HISTORY - N410 (Full year) [2 credits] Grade level: 11

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

United States History is a required two semester course. In this course students will identify and review significant events and movements in the development of our nation. Students will trace and analyze major relationships, themes, and concepts from a historical perspective. Students will sequence historical events, examine cause and effect, identify different viewpoints, and be able to relate historical situations to current issues. Opportunities will be given to develop inquiry skills by gathering, and organizing information from primary and secondary source material, and through the use of a variety of sources, documents, and accounts of history. The focus of this course will be primarily theoretical with the emphasis on the development of social studies skills, and concepts.

UNITED STATES HISTORY - N407 (Full year) [2credits] Grade level: 11

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

U.S. History is a one year course usually completed in the junior year. Students who want to enroll in vocational, two year colleges, noncompetitive four-year college, military service, or enter the workforce should enroll in this course. The course will include Core 40 competencies and the instruction will be applications based.

The age of exploration will be reviewed first, followed by a survey of the colonial period and the formation of our representative form of government. Next, the course will offer the opportunity to study industrial growth, reform, foreign relations, early twentieth century events and progress through major world conflicts and other social issues. Hands on map work will be included.

World Geography
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CP WORLD GEOGRAPHY - N422 (Full year) [2credits] Grade levels: 9-12 (This is an excellent course for freshmen)

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

World Geography is the study of the interaction between humans and their environment in both place and time. The course will include both physical and human geography as we study regions of the world. A global perspective will be used in viewing the world linkages among areas. The focus will be theoretical and will include the five themes of geography, geographical concepts, global patterns and interactions.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY - N419 (Full year) (2 credits) Grade levels: 9-11 (This is a wonderful course for freshmen who have found school a bit challenging.)

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

World Geography is the study of the interaction between humans and their environment in both space and time. The course will include both physical and human geography as we study regions of the world. The course will use an applications based format with an emphasis on the development of projects and other instructional activities.

Psychology & Sociology
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CP PSYCHOLOGY - N438 (1 Semester) [1credit] Grade levels: 10-12

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT; HEALTH SERVICES; SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SERVICE; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; MANUFACTURING CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

This social studies elective gives an overview of the scientific study of human behavior. Topics included in the course are the brain and behavior, learning, memory, motivation, human development, personality, behavioral disorders, and research methods. Psychology is a college-preparation course requiring regular textbook and supplemental reading, and active student participation in class discussions, group work, and library research. Upon completion of the course it is hoped that students will better understand why people learn, think, and behave in the ways they do. The course is not designed to deal with personal problems.

SOCIOLOGY - N439 (1 Semester) [1 credit] Grade levels: 10-12

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT; HEALTH SERVICES; SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SERVICES; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

Sociology is the study of human relationships. This course will impart the sociological skills, methods, theories and concepts necessary for the study of our basic culture, societal structures, functions and social institutions. The sociological perspective will be the tool used to examine social issues, topics and problems. Our focus will range from a global viewpoint to the individual. Class activities include lecture, readings, discussions, simulations, small group activities, application research and research papers.

Government & Economics
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CP GOVERNMENT - N428 (1 Semester) [1 credit] Grade level: 12

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

College Prep Government is intended to prepare students for admissions to competitive four year colleges. Emphasis in the course will include the origins of democratic theory, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, federalism, the concepts of equality and individual liberty, structure and process of the legislative, executive and judicial branches, the role of state and local governments and the political process. The primary emphasis will be theoretical.

GOVERNMENT - N427 (1 Semester) [1 credit] Grade level: 12

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

Government is a required one semester course. This government course will use an application based format with an emphasis on the development of projects and other instructional activities. The goal of this course will be focused upon the development of making students active decision makers in the political arena. To achieve these goals, emphasis will be placed upon thinking and decision making skills in order for students to gain knowledge, process information, consider the importance of values and beliefs, so that they will participate in our democratic society. Students will demonstrate a knowledge of the structure of the branches and levels of government, and be able to characterize different political systems, and recognize the role government plays in the economy. Students will analyze current political issues, be able to hypothesize, draw conclusions, and make decisions on relevant data, about how societal issues impact their lives now, and in the future.

HONORS GOVERNMENT/ECONOMICS - N429 (Full year) [2 credits] Grade level: 12

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

This course offers a rigorous examination of the historical and theoretical foundations of American democracy as they relate to political and economic practice and policy in the 20th century. Topics covered will include the constitution and federalism; the structure and function of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, civil rights and liberties, political parties and campaigns; macro and micro economic theory and problems of production, distribution, and consumption in various economies. Students will be required to do substantial reading from college-level texts and supplemental contemporary essays, and to participate actively in discussions and analysis of landmark political economic precedents and current political and economic issues. The teachers involved share a commitment to establishing clear connections between assessment and curricular goals providing experiences for students, which promote sustained inquiry and in-depth investigation of issues and ideas. This is a rigorous academic course designed to challenge the college bound.

ECONOMICS - N425 (1 Semester) [1 credit] Grade level: 12

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

This course provides the student with the necessary theoretical and practical background to function as a decision-maker in a democratic society. Economics is the study of how we use our scarce productive resources to satisfy human wants. The course will focus on how the goods and services we want get produced and how they are distributed among us. This is known as economic analysis. We will also study how we can make the system of production and distribution work better. This is known as the study of economic policy. The course will provide opportunities for students to actively participate in the investigation of both analysis and policy. We will be involved in the study of both micro and macro topics. Primarily, the market economy is the object of our study with some discussion of alternative systems both past and present. There will be a primary emphasis on applications-based instruction.

ECONOMICS: APPLIED - N426 (1 Semester) [1 credit] Grade level: 12

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

"Economics At Work" is designed to provide students with opportunities to examine how economic issues impact the workplace, public policies, and the student's own lives. Developing their critical-thinking, decision-making, and collaborative skills through the use of real world examples the students will study causes and consequences of economic events. Students will develop an understanding of how the market system works in today's global economy, and examine the interrelated activities of individuals, companies, labor, and government. This one semester course will utilize videodisc and other videos, prints, and computer software to study five major activities: Producing, Exchange, Consuming, Saving, and Investing.

Other
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COMMUNITY SERVICE - N432 (Full year) [2 credits] Grade levels: 11-12

CAREER CLUSTERS: ARTS, DESIGN, COMMUNICATION; BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT; HEALTH SERVICES; SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SERVICE; NATURAL SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY; EDUCATION; GOVERNMENT, LEGAL

This full year course is designed for students who want an opportunity to serve their community and in some cases participate with a service group or institution that embraces a possible career choice. Students will need to have junior or senior class status and provide their own transportation to their service site. All candidates who want to be considered for placement in this course will go through an interview process. The results of the written and oral interview process will help determine eligibility for possible placement in the course. Please see Mr. Reeves if you have questions.

ETHNIC STUDIES - N440 (One Semester) [One credit] Grade level: 10-12

CAREER CLUSTERS: EDUCATION, SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SERVICES, LEGAL, GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNICATION

This course will consist of a number of units each covering a different area of the cultural heritage of citizens of the United States. It is a one semester social studies class. Tentative units to be offered in the course include Native-Americans, African-Americans, Euro-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanics, Women, and the Culture of Poverty. Each unit will include a history of the group, and an examination of their current standing in American society. The teacher for the class is Steve Philbeck.

CADET TEACHING - N433 (full year) (could be taken for 1 semester only) (2 credits for full year; elective) Grade level: 12

This course is open to seniors only. You will need to arrange an interview with Mr. Reeves and fill out anapplication. Upon successful completion of the application process you will be placed in an elementary school in the MCCSC. Students will need to provide their own transportation.