SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT

Recommended Sequence of Social Studies Courses
Grade 9Grade 10Grade 11Grade 12
Western Civ (L, S, A) *Area Studies (S) U.S. History I (S)
AP U.S. History I (A)		 U.S. History II (S)
AP U.S. History II (A)
*Contemporary Issues (S)
Levels are listed in parentheses. Electives are marked with an asterisk (*).
(L = Lasallian, S = Scholastic, A = Accelerated)

Western Civilization (L, S, A) Grade 9      Required full year course (4 credits)
This course traces the development of western men and women from prehistoric days to the 16th century. Explored are the mystery of the ancient world, the glories of Greece and Rome, the pageant of the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance.
Accelerated Level: This course offers exceptional students a commitment to an in-depth study of the topics covered. Group projects, research reports, independent reading, and discussion supplement the regular classroom work. A study of Greek and Roman Mythology will be included. Students in accelerated level will be expected to complete independent study projects.
Scholastic Level: This course challenges students through and in-depth study of the topics covered and encourages students to think independently and critically. Multiple independent study projects will be required.
Lasallian Level: This course provides significant experiential instructional methodology to strengthen student’s foundation in this academic discipline.

Area Studies (S) Grade 10      Elective full year course (4 credits)
This course offers students a unique opportunity to explore and gain an appreciation and an understanding of other peoples and cultures. The course includes an examination of Russia and the Commonwealth, the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, and East Asia. The history, peoples, and cultures of these regions will be studied. As each nation is a member of the larger global community, interdependence will be discussed both as a factual reality, as well as an ideal necessity. Contemporary developments in each of the areas studied will be highlighted.
Scholastic Level: This course challenges students through and in-depth study of the topics covered and encourages students to think independently and critically. Students will be required to write a major report each marking period.

AP U.S. History I (A) Grade 11      Required full year course (for those who qualify) (4 credits)
Accelerated Level (Advanced Placement): This course is designed to offer an academic challenge which will prepare the student for college level work. The student will come to an understanding of the major periods in the history of our nation. This part of the course provides a survey of U.S. History from the Age of Exploration through the Reconstruction Period. By studying the movements, issues, personalities, politics, and government, historical events are placed in a meaningful context. The Advanced Placement Program in U.S. History is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and issues in U.S. History. The program prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those of full-year introductory college courses. Students should learn to assess historical materials - their relevance to a given interpretive problem, their reliability and their importance - and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. An Advanced Placement U.S. History course should thus develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay form. Some time in the course will be devoted to the study of current events.
Prerequisites: Approval of Member of Administration
College Credit available.

U.S. History I (S) Grade 11      Required full year course (4 credits)
This course is designed to present the student with a significant background of the history of the United States from Colonial times to Reconstruction. The purpose of the course is to provide a fundamental knowledge of U.S. history with the expectation that the students will use this information to develop as concerned citizens, an informed electorate, and people who possess a deep appreciation and understanding of their great American heritage.

AP U.S. History II (A) Grade 12      Required full year course (for those who qualify) (4 credits)
Accelerated Level (Advanced Placememt): This course, which is a continuation of Advanced Placement U.S. History I; provides a survey of U.S. History from the period of Reconstruction to the present time. There will be great emphasis on major historical periods such as the Industrial Age, the Progressive Movement, the New Deal, World War I, World War II, the Cold War period, American involvement in the Vietnam War, and the Administrations of the last three decades. The Advanced Placement Program in U.S. History is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and topics in American History. The program prepares students for the immediate and advanced college courses. Students should learn to assess historical materials - their relevance to a given interpretative problem, their reliability and their importance - and then to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. An AP U.S. History course should thus develop skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay format. Current events will also be discussed. Three college credits from Seton Hall University are available at the end of the year. Students will be expected to take the AP exam and/or the college credit.
Prerequisites: Approval of current U.S. History I teacher and Member of Administration
Advanced Placement U.S. History I (A) or equivalent.
College Credit and/or AP Test required.

U.S. History II (S) Grade 12      Required full year course (4 credits)
This course is a study of developments in American life and politics since the beginning of Industrial America. It will examine the social, economic, and international challenges that America has dealt with in recent years. Various American Presidencies will be evaluated, problems of the Cold War and the United States involvement in Asia will be discussed , and, in domestic affairs, special attention will be given to changing trends in American Society.

Contemporary Issues (S) Grade 12      Elective full year course (4 credits)
This problem-centered course will introduce recent social, political, economic and cultural developments which are rapidly taking place in American society and throughout the world. Selected topics will be examined in conjunction with the study and discussion of daily newsworthy issues. The major objective of the course is to generate and to foster a continuing student interest in local, national and international affairs. The background of the Cold War will be presented in order to better understand United States foreign policy.. Prerequisite: U.S. History I (S or A)