Students are required to successfully complete one Social Studies course per year.  The following courses are required for graduation: Modern World History, Modern United States History, and Civics and Government. Additionally, students are required to select one elective course. Each of the required courses is taught at three levels.  All required courses include Shared Inquiry experiences and the development of research projects.  Students taking Academic or Honors courses are required to read a novel and engage in seminar discussions about the novel.

Core

Planned Instruction includes one (or more) Shared Inquiry experience per marking period.  Each results in an essay or journal entry.  Additionally, there are at least two research projects (one per marking period) that result in a five-paragraph essay citing a minimum of two sources. 

Academic

Planned Instruction includes all elements of core level and reading a book (non-fiction or historic fiction) that relates to the content.  Students participate in literature circle discussions based on assigned sections of text. 

Honors

Planned Instruction includes all elements of academic and an additional component related to literacy.  Examples of the additional element include: comparison of film or dramatic presentation to the assigned reading; reading and discussion of an additional selected text; research project that explores a topic in depth; reading a selection of primary documents; in-depth analysis of current events gathered from a variety of sources. 

Choosing a level:

Students should follow the guidelines below when choosing among the three levels of the course:

●      To enter an academic level course, students should have obtained a minimum of a B in a previous core course or a C in a previous academic course.

●      To enter an honors level course, students should have obtained a minimum of a B in a previous academic course or a C in a previous honors course. Teacher approval recommended.

152441 Modern World History (Weight – 1.1) (Grade 9)             1.0 credit

This required course interprets and evaluates events in world history since 1450.  Geography, economics, and civics and government are integrated in this course in which students evaluate the following: significance of individuals and groups to world history since 1450; important historical documents, material artifacts, and historic sites; the impact of continuity and change; and the impact of conflict and cooperation among social groups and organizations in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe since 1450.

152431 Academic Modern World History (Weight – 1.1) (Grade 9)      1.0 credit

152421 Honors Modern World History (Weight – 1.2) (Grade 9) 1.0 credit

152741 Modern United States History (Weight – 1.1) (Grade 10)          1.0 credit

This required course integrates Pennsylvania and United States history from 1850 to the present with concepts in geography, economics, and civics and government.  Students evaluate the following: political and cultural contributions of individuals and groups to PA and U.S. history; important historical documents, material artifacts, and historic sites in PA and the U.S.; the impact of continuity and change; and the impact of conflict and cooperation among social groups and organizations in PA and the U.S. from 1850 to the present. 

152731 Academic Modern United States History (Weight – 1.1) (Grade 10)                                                                                                           

152721 Honors Modern United States History (Weight – 1.2) (Grade 10)

151611 Advanced Placement United States History (Weight – 1.3) (Grades 11, 12)                                                                            1.0 credit

(This course will be scheduled to meet every other day for the full year)

The elective advanced placement course in United States History is designed to expose students to a survey of U.S. history from its pre-colonial beginnings to the present day. This course offers a complete college-level study of United States history and may be taken in place of Modern U.S. History. Students enrolling in an AP course will be required to take the AP exam. Interested 10^th grade students must obtain teacher and principal permission.

157131 Academic Civics and Government (Weight – 1.1) (Grades 11 and 12)                          1.0 credit                                                                      

157121 Honors Civics and Government (Weight – 1.2)   (Grades 11 and 12)                            1.0 credit

This required course focuses on the government of the United States.  The course helps students understand how the political system works nationally and internationally. Students also learn why their participation as citizens in our democracy is critical in its survival.  Units of study include the following: principles and documents, rights and responsibilities of citizenship, how government works, and how international relationships function. 

153111 Advanced Placement Government and Politics (Weight 1.3) (Grade 10, 11, 12)               1.0 credit

(This course will be scheduled to meet every other day for the full year)

This course may be taken in place of civics and government.  The AP United States government course provides an in-depth look at the government of the United States that includes a study and evaluation of the political system that runs it. The course is designed to help students develop an understanding and appreciation for how the political system works and how it influences and touches the lives of every American. Also, it is designed to help students understand how their participation in the system is important to its survival. Knowledge of contemporary political events is essential for the analytical focus that must be exhibited in the writing required in the course. Throughout the course of the semester students will be required to analyze various forms of political and statistical data. This will include charts, graphs, political cartoons, and other data distributed in class.  Students enrolling in an AP course will be required to take the AP exam. Students should complete honors Modern U.S. History prior to taking this course.  Interested 10^th grade students must obtain teacher and principal permission.

154131 Human Geography (Weight – 1.1) (Grades 10, 11, 12)     1.0 credit

This elective course emphasizes the importance of geography as a field of study by examining relevant topics from a geographic perspective and teaching students to think spatially in order to better understand human life on earth.  Throughout the course, students will be seeking to answer the big questions of “where” and “why.”  The following topics are examined:  the nature and perspectives of geography; mapping and map projections; globalization; population and demographic patterns; migration and movement; cultural processes; geopolitics and the creation of borders and nation-states; colonialism and its influences; the Middle East in today’s global society and international terrorism; land use and resource stewardship; agricultural geography; industrialization; economic development; and urbanization patterns.  Course participants can expect to expand their geographic understanding of the world's physical and political features through mapping, relevant case studies, and current events.  The course is spatial and problem-solving in perspective and orientation as case studies are drawn from all world regions with a greater emphasis on understanding the world in which we live today.  The goal of the course is for students to become more geoliterate, more engaged in contemporary global issues, and more informed about multicultural perspectives. Students planning to take the AP Human Geography Examination independently are advised to take this course.   

154111 Advanced Placement Human Geography (Weight - 1.3) (Grades 10, 11, 12)                                                                                   1.0 credit

(This course will be scheduled to meet every other day for the full year)

This advanced elective course may be taken in place of the elective Social Studies course Human Geography, which is taught at the Academic level.  The course emphasizes the importance of geography as an academic field of study by examining relevant topics from a geographic perspective and teaching students to think spatially in order to better understand human life on earth.  Throughout the course, students will be seeking to answer the big questions of “where” and “why.”  AP Human Geography introduces high school students to college-level introductory Human Geography or Cultural Geography.  The content is presented thematically rather than regionally, although mapping knowledge is acquired regionally.  The content is organized around the discipline’s main subfields of economic geography, cultural geography, political geography, and urban geography.  Within these subfields, the following topics are examined:  the nature and perspectives of geography; mapping and map projections; globalization; population and demographic patterns; migration and movement; cultural processes; geopolitics and the creation of borders and nation-states; colonialism and its influences; the Middle East in today’s global society and international terrorism; land use and resource stewardship; agricultural geography; industrialization; economic development; and urbanization patterns.  Course participants can expect to expand their geographic understanding of the world's physical and political features through mapping, relevant case studies, and current events.  The course is spatial and problem-solving in perspective and orientation as case studies are drawn from all world regions with a greater emphasis on understanding the world in which we live today.  The goal of the course is for students to become more geoliterate, more engaged in contemporary global issues, and more informed about multicultural perspectives.  Students enrolling in an AP course will be required to take the AP exam.  Interested 9th students must obtain teacher and principal permission.

159131 Economics (Weight – 1.1) (Grades 11, 12)                        1.0 credit

Economics is the study of how people choose to use their limited resources.  This course helps prepare students to make informed decisions as buyers, sellers, workers, and citizens.  The following units are explored: Introduction to Economics; Microeconomics (How Markets Work; Business and Labor; Money, Banking, and Finance); Macroeconomics (Measuring Economic Performance; Government and the Economy; The Global Economy).

156131 Psychology (Weight - 1.1) (Grades 11, 12)                        1.0 credit

Psychology is the study of human behavior and mental processes.  By studying how the mind works and contributes to behavior, student can better understand how behavior, personality, and intelligence develop.  This course provides students with the skills to better understand themselves and others.  It allows students to apply experiences from their lives to the foundations of psychology through interdisciplinary and multi-media activities.

156111 Advanced Placement Psychology (Weight – 1.3) (Grades 11, 12)                                 1. 0 credit

(This course will be scheduled to meet every other day for the full year)

Advanced Placement Psychology is a course designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavioral and mental processes of human beings. Key concepts of the major schools of psychology and important theorists with their contributions to psychology are taught. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomenon associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologist use in their science and practice.  Vocabulary is an essential part of psychology; therefore, vocabulary is emphasized.  Students enrolling in an AP course will be required to take the AP exam

155131 Sociology (Weight – 1.1) (Grades 11, 12)                          1.0 credit

This course is the study of human society and social behavior.  Through debate, research, field trips, and the use of community resources, the students will be able to view their own lives within a larger social and historical context.  Participants in this class will gain an appreciation of the rich diversity of American society.

154231 Pennsylvania History (Weight – 1.1) (Grades 11, 12)       1.0 credit

The purpose of this course will be to provide students with the opportunity to explore the rich heritage of Pennsylvania and Lancaster County and at the same time discover the connection between state and local history within the history of the United States of America.  The course will cover a variety of essential historical events and historical figures in Pennsylvania and Lancaster County history.  Through debate, research, and the use of community resources, the students will be able to view their own lives within a larger social and historical context.