Social Science
AP U.S. Government and Politics
Grade Level: 11th-12th Grade
AP U.S. Government and Politics provides a college-level, nonpartisan introduction to key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States. Students will study U.S. foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions, and other texts and visuals to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions, processes, and behaviors. They will also engage in disciplinary practices that require them to read and interpret data, make comparisons and applications, and develop evidence-based arguments. In addition, they will complete a political science research or applied civics project. The required project adds a civic component to the course, engaging students in exploring how they can affect, and are affected by, government and politics throughout their lives. The project might have students collect data on a teacher-approved political science topic, participate in a community service activity, or observe and report on the policy making process of a governing body. Students should plan a presentation that relates their experiences or findings to what they are learning in the course. AP U.S. Government and Politics is equivalent to a one-semester introductory college course in U.S. government. There are no prerequisite courses for AP U.S. Government and Politics. Students should be able to read a college-level textbook and write grammatically correct, complete sentences.
United States History
Grade Level: 11th Grade
Prerequisites: None
Credit Level: 1 credit, one full year
In the first part of this course, students study the formation of our great nation and the initial problems related to establishing the country. Also covered are the decisive factors leading to the American Civil War and the challenges associated with uniting a divided nation. The second part of this course will emphasize both national and international developments which brought the United States global prominence along with the social changes derived from such a large growth.
American Government
Grade Level: 11th-12th Grade
Prerequisites: None
Credit Level: 1/2 credit, one semester
This is a mandatory course for all students. This class will cover national, state, and local government policies, formations, laws, and regulations. Extra emphasis will be placed on the function and role of the three branches of the federal government, along with the various types of governmental and economic systems used globally. Upon completion in this course, students will be able to: explain the function of their roles in government, describe the purpose of state and local governments, understand the rights of the accused, and comprehend the five fundamental freedoms and their limits. Students will also need to pass both the Illinois and United States Constitution tests
Applied Economics
Grade Level: 11th-12th Grade
Prerequisites: None
Credit Level: 1/2 credit, one semester
Economics is the study of human efforts to satisfy seemingly unlimited wants with limited resources. What decisions do men have to make to satisfy these wants? Included in this course is the study of both micro and macroeconomic concepts with a heavier emphasis on micro economics concepts used in daily living.
Geography A
Grade Level: 9th-12th Grade
Prerequisites: None
Credit Level: 1/2 credit, one semester
This course concentrates on the physical characteristics of the world. Geographic skills and specialized vocabulary are developed and emphasized throughout the course.
Geography B
Grade Level: 9th-12th Grade
Prerequisites: None
Credit Level: 1/2 credit, one semester
This is a human geography class. The objective of this course is to give students an understanding of the effect geography has on the way the world’s people live and work. By the end of the course, students will have an understanding of why individual countries have developed economically, socially and culturally due to regional physical geographical conditions.
World History A & B
Grade Level: 9th-12th Grade
Prerequisites: None
Credit Level: 1/2 credit, one semester
This course is a survey of the political, cultural, social and religious development of western civilization. Some non-western culture will be included. “A” is the first semester and covers up to the Renaissance. “B” continues during the second semester to the present time.
Current Events
Grade Level: 11th-12th Grade
Prerequisites: None
Credit Level: 1/2 credit, one semester
At the conclusion of this class, students will display a knowledge of the events, people, organizations and innovations that have been major news stories during the semester. The course is largely Internet-based, but students may use printed materials as well. Students may be required to purchase a weekly news magazine for the duration of the course. This course may be repeated for credit.
Psychology
Grade Level: 11th-12th Grade
Prerequisites: None
Credit Level: 1/2 credit, one semester
The student will be introduced to the basics of psychology, terms utilized, concepts of the psychological approach, the application of psychology upon the consumer, family, institutions, and occupations. Psychological abnormalities will be noted as will clinical and evaluative procedures used to deal with these abnormalities. Annotated reading reports submitted through Turnitin and group projects will be used in lieu of a comprehensive semester exam in this honors course. The primary source for the student will be: Psychology: An Introduction by Benjamin B. Lahey.
Sociology
Grade Level: 11th-12th Grade
Prerequisites: None
Credit Level: 1/2 credit, one semester
Human beings frequently act together in repeated and predictable ways. These behavior patterns occur in groups, which are the focus of sociology. In addition to these sociological perspectives, the course will also examine given social problems of our time.