History and Social Science

Open to ninth and tenth grade students.

In this course, ninth and tenth graders will explore the ancient cities of Athens and Rome.  Topics will include geography and history, art and architecture, home life and entertainment, literature and religion, government and warfare.  We will explore what these cultures shared with each other and how their influence is still felt today.

This course is a linked exploration of American history and American literature. It will proceed through the typical stages of a US history course and an American literature course, but in any era special attention will be given to the voice and experiences of minority groups within US culture, as well as the voice and experience of dominant groups. Topics such as the American Revolution, the Constitution, Civil War and Reconstruction, westward expansion, industrialism and immigration, and civil rights will be covered in the history section of the course. The experience of women, African Americans, non-Christian religious groups, Asians, the poor, and gays and lesbians are examples of some of the subgroups that might be focused upon. Traditional history textbooks already in use by the department serve well in the course, supplemented by additional reading materials that clarify the multicultural focus.

This course is an intense exploration of the events and figures of the Civil Rights Movement, pursued through a close examination of a variety of primary and secondary sources.

Students are introduced to a general overview of the chronology, landmark cases and themes of the modern African American struggle for civil rights. Additional emphasis will be placed on the voices of those involved in the struggle, ergo documentary films including the Eyes on the Prize series will be utilized to create a more holistic understanding of both the personal and historical significance of this era.

This course will focus on the recent histories of East Asian nations.  We will explore not only what these nations have in common—such as Confucianism and a history of dynastic rule in China, Japan, and Korea - but also the ways in which their histories have diverged. For example, why did China succumb to Western imperial domination in the late 19th century, while Japan became an imperial power in its own right? Other topics will include the rise of communism in China, Japan’s role in World War II, and the Korean War. The course will conclude with an examination of Asia’s growing importance in the 21st century, including China’s expanding economic and military might and its growing rivalry with India.

Are there essential lessons from the past that should guide U.S. post-9/11 foreign policy? As we enter the 21st century, America stands at a critical point in history: the lone superpower must confront a world increasingly suspicious of US cultural, economic, and military power. Foreign Policy is a full-credit course exploring a range of economic, political, and social determinants shaping past, present, and future policies. Through primary sources, film, research, novels, current events, and National Security Council simulations, the course will make studying foreign policy an interactive experience. After identifying some of the important precedents and turning points prior to the 20th century, the course explores the cold war, the structure of U.S. decision making, and the current challenges facing America in the post-9/11 era. Topics of significant focus include the age of imperialism in Latin America, the rise of the imperial presidency, the Vietnam War, U.S.-Soviet relations, the politics of oil, and the current war response to terrorism.

AP US History Survey is a more intense and comprehensive survey of the history of the United States. The topics covered may include contact and colonization, the causes and effects of the American Revolution, events leading up to the Civil War and its aftermath, the Industrial Revolution and the coming of age of the United States, the world wars, the depression and the New Deal, and the cold war. Films, primary and secondary source materials, and a variety of classroom activities bring alive controversies of the past and allow students insight into the critical issues of the nation’s history. Writing and research assignments, including a research paper, emphasize the use of supporting evidence in clear, coherent essays in order to assess critically a variety of issues in United States history. The course introduces students to historical inquiry and stimulates creative investigation into the origins and character of American civilization. Students are challenged to understand historical events beyond dates and facts and to make connections between the past and present. Fulfills US history requirement.

The topics we will consider in this course include such traditional areas as learning, memory, development, personality, the biological basis of behavior, psychopathology, psychotherapy, and states of consciousness. Newer areas of psychology will be chosen from among forensic (criminal) psychology, positive psychology, health psychology, the psychology of terrorism, and gender psychology. Students will train a virtual rat and generate and analyze results from experiments in the classroom and on the Internet. Assessment will include tests, papers, and lab and oral reports. The class is taught seminar-style with emphasis on oral participation. The practical application of psychology to everyday life will be a major focus of the course.