Program of Studies Program of Studies 2019-2020 | Page 30
writing and analytical skills necessary to develop an
advanced understanding of US history and become
great historians themselves.
ELECTIVES
Students will be able to choose between a number
of courses, some full-year and some semester long,
representing a wider array of the social sciences.
Economics
0.5 credit
Grades 11 and 12
Students will study how individuals and groups
make decisions with limited resources in order
best to satisfy their wants, needs, and desires. This
course will give students a greater understanding
of economics ranging from the viewpoint of the
individual consumer or small business owner to the
global economy. We will study the law of supply and
demand, forms of business, labor unions, government
finances and their influence on the economy, money
and prices, inflation and deflation cycles. The course
will relate history and psychology to the study of
economics.
AP European History
discussed. Students will be expected to refine text
reading and analysis skills in preparation for college.
By the end of the semester students will not only
understand how our government operates, but also
how they can participate in government to address our
collective problems and improve society.
AP Government and Politics: United States
1 credit
Grade 12
Prerequisite: Placement by instructor
AP United States Government and Politics is an
intensive study of the formal and informal structures
of government and the processes of the American
political system, with an emphasis on policy-making
and implementation. This course explores the
political theory and everyday practice that direct
the daily operation of our government and shape
our public policies. Students will develop a critical
understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of
the American political system, as well as their rights
and responsibilities as citizens. Students will be
expected to refine text reading and analysis skills as
well as critical inquiry of relevant scholarly articles in
preparation for college. Students will be responsible
for accessing a range of media news sources in order
to keep up with daily events in the nation and the
world. All students are required to take the AP Exam.
1 credit
Grade 12
Prerequisite: Placement by instructor
Napoleon, Bismarck and Churchill are but three
figures that have left their mark on the course of
modern history yet are rarely addressed in other
history class. Through an exploration of the events
that have shaped the path of Europe’s existence, a
greater understanding of global, national and local
topics is possible. Students should expect to be
challenged not just with voluminous readings but also
in the organization and analysis of new data, through
their writing and verbal skills and in myriad other
ways which will challenge their understanding of the
world. Reaching back as far as 1450 and spanning
to the current age, this course will prepare students
for the required College Board AP European History
exam. AP Human Geography
Government 1 credit
Grades 11 and 12
Students will become familiar with the economic
principles that guide an economic system. Students
will study basic economic concepts, measurements
of a nation’s economic performance, price-level
determination, the financial sector, fiscal and
monetary policy, and the implications of international
trade and globalization. This course will prepare
students for the required College Board AP
Macroeconomics exam.
0.5 credit
Grades 11 & 12
In this course students will investigate the basic
principles and purposes of government, methods of
government participation, local and state government,
and the three branches of federal government. Current
government policies and political issues, the delicate
relationship between individual rights and society,
and democratic traditions are all investigated and
1 credit
Grades 10, 11, and 12
Prerequisite: Placement by instructor
In this course students will develop critical thinking
skills through the understanding, application and
analysis of the fundamental concepts of geography.
Students will employ spatial concepts and landscape
analysis to examine human social organization and
its environmental consequences, and learn about the
methods and tools geographers use in their science
and practice. Students will integrate many different
content area subjects such as culture, demographics,
land use and economics, utilize state-of-the-art
technology, and participate in class discussions and
debates.
AP Macroeconomics (‘20-’21)